If an artistic gene exists, it swirls through the Rao’s family's DNA. You can see it in their energy, their focus, their love of the art. It's a fundamental part of who they are. Malini Rao and her mother Parimala Rao have a passion for Haiga, loosely defined as illustrated Haiku where Haiku poetry is combined with Paintings as an art form. Malini’s father, G.R. Raghunath Rao is avidly interested in classical music, theatre and philosophy. Inspiration for an artist comes in different ways – a setting, a muse, an experience. Malini Rao seems to have kept this in mind when she chose the home she currently resides in North Andover. The backyard to her home opens to the lovely Mill Pond that draws an instant breath from a viewer. You cannot but be amazed at the beauty of such a setting.

The story behind this inspiration sounds almost like a tale from an Indian Epic. When Parimala Rao was pregnant, she became fascinated with Haiku, the Japanese style of Poetry and started practicing this form in Kannada. The child growing in her would soon imbibe her mother‘s interest and passion. Says Parimala Rao with a smile, when we meet her at her daughter’s home in North Andover, “It seemed as though she almost heard me from the womb”. Today the two have evolved and established themselves into artists in their own right.

Mother and daughter presented their creative work in local libraries here recently which included books on Haiku authored by the two, beautiful hand made greeting cards with original art and poetry, bookmarks, thank you notes from old photo prints, paintings etc.

Parimala Rao, who is on a visit from India, is a natural artist. She professes that she is untrained and is refreshingly amazed at how her art form is admired. Her talents are varied. She is a painter and writer of Haiku both in Kannada and English. Her spontaneity is evident when she describes how her walk that morning inspired her with an almost Haiku kind of feeling that she will soon transform into verse. Most of the feelings are positive and almost spiritual and rise above the everyday routine life of an individual. Nature and seasons are a major topic. Her book titled ‘Seasons Heart Beat’ is described as an ‘astonishing, epoch making event worthy of mention in non Japanese Haiku’ by Kazuyosi Ikeda of Osaka University. Parimala Rao says she drew her inspiration from Dwarakanath. H. Kabadi, a poet of international repute. In recent endeavors, her paintings are more highly textured and have seen a marked turn toward abstraction but her love of bright colors in the paintings remain.

Haiku forms the life's blood of both mother and daughter. Parimala Rao and Malini both devote time for pursuing their passion but they differ in their approach. While Parimala Rao , a school teacher for 22 years, poems are extremely positive and have a subtle preaching messages in them, Malini’s work is more rooted in reality, in relationships and issues closest to her heart. “We sort of inspire and critique each other’s work “says Malini, “It's because we both have a tremendous amount of respect for each of our abilities. Both of us like to experiment with the art form when it comes to the topics that we chose”.

Taking time tested haiku elements with new topics, techniques, and textures, the two have created a totally compelling and novel art form that pays homage to both the old and the new.

Haiku and short verse books in Kannada and English maybe ordered by contacting Malini Rao at malinirao@hotmail.com. Phone number - 978-975-4504

Hand-made greeting cards and bookmarks with original art and poetry are also available for sale.

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