Mangalore: It was a grand organized show of over 10,000 artistic products from 180 painter’s sculptors and other artists who laboured for months, to organize the show for such a short time as 2 days on December 14-15 near the Kadri Park in 137 stalls. The show is remarkable in its vastness and variety of topics attempted by artists who speak only through pictures and images they created.

Nevertheless, the educated citizens of D.K district and coastal belt are likely to come and have a ‘Dekho’ of the materials on view at this large exhibition opened on Saturday morning, the inaugural of which was presided over by the past President of Kannada Sahithya Parishath and a local hotelier, Harikrishna Punaroor.

The large show was inaugurated by MCC commissioner Ajith Kumar Hegde who spoke of art as an eye opening presence from so many artists gathered at the opening of their show.

The Kudla kala mela (Mangalore Art Fair), was organized by the State Kannada and Culture Department in association with State Fine Arts Academy of  Bangalore, to provide such a verity of feast to the eyes for art lovers who attend the show on a week-end just prior to Holy Christmas. The artists have no religion or creed in their productions and it is difficult to identify the emotions of a painter or sculptor or other such artist who draws pictures of land scape or people on his canvas in many colors or makes images out of metals like a potter on rolling wheels, hedge said.

Local corporate and a former mayoral candidate, Roopa D Bangera speaking on the occasion said that arts alone give peace and contentment to restless minds and provide a meaning for aimless lives spent in daily pursuits. The arts have a capacity in their picturesqueness to calmedown heated situations in everyday life and it is necessary for young spirits boiling with new ideas and excitement, to project them on paper or canvas, to see this Mega show of Mangaloreans art and cultural fair only for 2 days, she said.

Punarur presiding on the occasion said that it was a warm show of picture, painting and images made of several materials in a chilly weather in December of this year.

Former Chairman of State Fine Arts Academy S C Krishnayya Shetty, Coastal Arts forum Chief Vishnu Shivaguru, Hon. Adviser of the arts forum Koti Prasad Alva and several other artists, models, officials and organisors of the Mega Fair were present at the venue.

The late Jagadish Ammunje a senior artist who passed away recently, was fondly remembered by all present on the occasion.