Bengaluru: Online art sale to help transgender people

BENGALURU: A web platform launched by a Bengaluru-based IT professional will host an art sale and auction to support members of the transgender community that has been badly affected by the pandemic. The initiative coincides with celebrations of Pride Month (June).
Hima Bindu launched ManaHprasAda when the surge hit. While the platform aims to provide free services to individuals and small businesses to grow a digital business, it is also used to raise funds for the underprivileged.
Now, with the help of over 200 members of the transgender community, it will launch an initiative called ‘Aksh - Strokes for Hope’, which aims to raise funds by conducting an online sale of three paintings by artist Himanshu Srivastava of The Natyachitra Arts. ManaHprasAda has collaborated with Aravani Art Project and Natyachitra Arts for the initiative.
“Srivastava is known for his unique artwork which depicts situations and stories on Indian heritage. This event is supported by art curator Vasantha Vaikunth from lifenliving.org,” Bindu said.
Aravani Art Project will help by distributing essential items and groceries to various transgender groups across India.
“Members of the trans community require everyone’s help and in a dignified manner. Through this initiative, we can help them,” Bindu said. She said the digital platform will soon host works by more artists who are unable to sell their work due to the pandemic. The proceeds will go transgender and artist communities.
The campaign for the sale begins on Friday and the online sale will be held from July 2 to August
15. “We have three paintings on sale and one which will be auctioned. People can also contribute by directly ordering grocery kits worth Rs 1,000 per kit on the platform. As a token of appreciation, a painting signed by the artist will be sent to the contributor,” Bindu said.
She said the campaign is being supported by celebrities and influencers like artists, actors, dancers, and musicians and WICCI Karnataka Culture and Heritage Council.
This is not the first of social causes that Bindu’s platform has touched. She said when the lockdown hit people’s livelihoods, she wanted to help and encourage small businesses and individuals to leverage online platforms to reach their customers.
She built the platform in her spare time and collaborated with influencers. She is looking for more people to join her platform, which is focused on converging services like free counselling, meal distribution, mask distribution, and community feeding of stray dogs, while supporting economically hit strata like homemakers, artists, weavers, and artisans during the lockdown.
ManaHprasAda has also helped the weavers’ community with a solidarity sale by tying up with Vimor Handloom Foundation. One can visit the website at https://manahprasada.org.