These artists attract everyone’s attention with their art in Pondy Bazaar, Chennai.

Strings of green, golden yellow and fiery red lights are hanging from the trees of Pondy market in Chennai. A handful of artists sit under their glare, their heads bowed and their eyes fixed not on the bustling crowd but on their A3 sheets.

Among them is Nagamalai K, a civil engineering graduate from Palani. who came to Chennai two years ago to become a full-time artiste. Balancing his drawing board on his knees, he paints a portrait of a young couple who stopped by to see his work. “They were shopping and saw me sketching,” he says. “They liked it and asked for their portrait, which would take me about 3-4 hours to do. That’s how most of my work comes – just from people passing by,” says Mr Nagamalai.

Facing financial constraints and struggling to find steady jobs, he first worked part-time as a cashier and in restaurants to support his life as an artist. “All the art materials – from boards to drawing pencils – are expensive,” he explains. “But Pondy Bazaar has helped. Some parents want me to teach their children to draw. I also take online art classes in the morning,” says Mr Nagamalai, and he credits his teacher, artist Santhanam, for guiding him.

Kavya, a B.Com graduate and self-taught artist, works only on weekends in Pondy Bazaar Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Sitting under another tree near the pedestrian square, Kavya spread her sketches on the ground, deeply engrossed in sketching a viewer. On a board it is written ₹150 per caricature. She completes the picture in less than four minutes. “From just being in Pondy Bazaar, my name has now spread far and wide across the city. These days, I also get commissions for corporate events, weddings and birthday parties,” says Ms Kavia, a B.Com graduate and self-taught artist.

Ms Kavia admits that she was nervous before drawing in public. She says, “People look closely, and sometimes they don’t understand the caricature. But when they do, they laugh and appreciate it, which makes my day.”

space required

But working on the road isn’t all easy. “The biggest challenge is that many other vendors in the pedestrian plaza often ask us to go elsewhere. Many artists struggle financially, and painting on the roadside gives them a chance to earn commission and keep their art alive,” shares Ms Kavia.

Mr. Nagamalai also faces the same challenge and hopes that one day artists like him will get a dedicated space. He added, “Generative AI is another challenge for grassroots artists like us, because people now use it to create art. It has the biggest impact on us. We hope sketching in public will remind people that the human touch matters most.” He also hopes to someday open a studio and teach the art at a low cost, so that anyone, regardless of their background, can learn the art.