Bhajju Shyam was ushered into painting at a young age by his mother. He helped her to paint Dinga and Bhitichitra at home. This is what Gond Tribal ground paintings and wall paintings are called. It’s part of their culture. The journey from there to being the face of Indian Gond tribal art on the international platform was one of trials and tribulations
Bhajju’s story begins in 1971 in Patangarh, Madhya Pradesh. He was born into a family of the artistically inclined Gond Pradhan Tribe. Financial hardships bought Shyam to Bhopal at the age of sixteen as a watchman. Thank god he dint prosper there else we would have lost one of India’s greatest Artists and Padma Shri awardees. We also have to thank Jangarh Singh Shyam, Bhajju’s uncle and world renowned Gond artist for recognizing and bringing out Bhajju’s imagination and immense talent for the world to see and appreciate. We owe him one.
