Spaces Vol 1 Is 6

CRAFTS
other medals acquired for work with
associations like Lions Club, Jaycees and
other social service as well as business
organizations. Narendra has been
recognized for his social service and this
is evident from many awards including
the International President Humanitarian
Award presented by Lions International
in 1997; the Birendra Aishwarya Sewa
Padak in 2001 as well as the Second Best
Social Service Award during the first
Youth Festival in 1965. In 1970, as the
cultural secretary for Nepal Unesco Club,
Narendra was the one to initiate a beat
contest in aid of beggars’ welfare, and
in which a group of real beggar kids were
invited to be the chief guests. Prizes too
were given away by the ‘chief guests’.
Presently, he is an executive member of
the Satya Sai Kendra which runs a
diagnostic centre for the poor, and in
which Narendra holds the chairman’s
post. He has also tried his hand at
landscaping, having done the same for
Satya Sai Kendra and for Nagpokahari.
On the business side, he has a shop,
‘Neeru’s’ (named after his wife) at the
Bishal Bazar. He is also a director of the
Bishal Bazar Company as well as director
of the upcoming Lalitpur Bishal Bazar.
It is a wonder how he manages the time
for all his various activities but as he says,
“Although I am a businessman, I don’t
really give much time to my business. Still,
it’s all a question of managing time
properly.” He adds, “I am a very
active person and thanks to
God, I think I’m in almost
perfect good health.” And,
“Look at me, I am 59 years olddo
I look it?” Before we forget,
we must also mention that
Narendra has taken acting
lessons and performed with well
known actor Madan Das
Shrestha, in three plays staged
in Naachghar during 1967-
1968. In fact, he directed one
of them which was titled,
‘Balbhadra’.
Much has been dabbled at, and
with some degree of success
too, but all said and done, it is in
the art of ‘driftwood sculpture’
that Narendra B. Shrestha really
excels. One can judge that such
marvelous work must be really
time consuming, and the
sculptor agrees. At the same time,
the end results displayed in his
Above: ‘Lion’-Lovely lines and
polished looks make this a very
interesting work indeed.
Below: ‘Kurukshetra’- This intricate
sculpture tells it all-the tale of the
Mahabharat epic.
rooms totally justify any length of time
taken because the art forms arrived at
are, as he repeatedly says, ‘really unique’.
Looking at his huge and solid ‘Singha’
(Lion) and the delicately poised ‘3 rd Stage
Ballet’, one cannot but marvel at his
ingenuity. Similarly, his ‘Sangharshmaye
Manche’ (Struggling Man) and ‘Man with
Dog’ are worthy creations, as are ‘Save
Nature’ and ‘Khelkud Ma Unmukh
Haru’ (Those Who are Busy with
Sports). Narendra’s ‘Kurukshetra’ is a
depiction of the Mahabharat and when
he goes into an explanation of the many
nuances of the multi-figured sculpture,
one begins to understand the tremendous
effort and imagination that goes into the
making of such wonderful works.
Final words from the poet/painter/
businessman/social service worker/
sculptor-“I am not into ‘Kastha Kala’
(Wood Carving), I’m into ‘Kathe Kala’
(Wood Art). The former is traditional,
the latter, modern.” S
54 SEP-OCT 2005 SPACES