Kalamandalam Bindhulekha

🪔 About

Kalamandalam Bindhulekha is a distinguished mural painter and a trained Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam dancer from Kerala state, India. Born on October 18, 1978, she holds diplomas in both Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam, having graduated from the prestigious Kerala Kalamandalam. While her initial training was in classical dance, Bindhulekha later ventured into the intricate art of mural painting, a field where she achieved significant recognition. She is notably recognized as the first woman mural painter to undertake temple drawing in Kerala. Her journey into mural painting was inspired by her brother-in-law, Sadanandan, a disciple of the renowned Mammiyur Krishnan Kutty Nair, under whom she underwent six years of rigorous training. Her groundbreaking debut work was a two-year project at the Tiroor Vadakurumbakaavu temple in Thrissur, where she depicted three forms of Devi—Saraswati, Bhadrakali, and Mahalakshmi—based on the theme “Rajas tamas satva.” This monumental work marked a historic moment as the first mural painting in a Kerala temple executed by a woman artist. Bindhulekha's artistic style is characterized by a unique blend of traditional mural painting techniques with contemporary art sensibilities, often incorporating unusual colors like blue. Her works frequently feature themes of women, dragonflies, fish, and insects, reflecting a deep connection to nature and an exploration of inner self. She held her first solo exhibition of mural paintings in 2004 at the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Art gallery in Thrissur and has also participated in group exhibitions in cities like Bangalore and Mumbai. Although trained in dance, her career trajectory saw her dedicating her primary focus to mural art. She is married to Malayalam film director Madhav Ramadasan.