Balasore, Sept. 23 (UDN): What appears to be ordinary moss growing on the walls of a government primary school in Odisha’s Balasore district has become an unconventional medium for art, thanks to the creativity of a teacher.
Ajay Kumar Ghosh, a primary school teacher at Sri Krishnapur Primary School in Remuna block, has been using naturally grown moss on the school walls to create lifelike portraits of freedom fighters and other eminent personalities—without paint, brushes or chemical colours.
Moss Becomes An Unusual Art Medium
Instead of removing the moss, Ghosh uses it to shape portraits on the walls. The green layer provides the basic outline, while carefully scraping portions of the moss exposes the white surface underneath, helping him bring out facial features, hair and other details.
The approach has given the school walls a distinctive appearance while turning them into an informal learning aid for students.
Ghosh said the initiative also reflects a lesson he wants children to understand—that even seemingly insignificant things can have value when used creatively.
The idea gained momentum after a lack of funds made it difficult to construct a boundary wall around the school. Rather than allowing the existing walls to remain plain, the teacher used them as a canvas to create portraits of personalities familiar to students from their textbooks.
From Textbooks To The School Walls
The artwork has transformed the school surroundings into a more visually engaging space for children. Figures such as Gopabandhu Das, Subhas Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru, whom students read about in their lessons, have been represented through Ghosh’s wall art.
For the children, the portraits offer a different way of connecting classroom lessons with their everyday surroundings.
A student, Dinesh Kumar, said Ghosh had also introduced them to several forms of art, including techniques involving sand and clay, apart from drawing portraits using moss.
Encouraging Children To Explore Art
Ghosh’s efforts extend beyond decorating the school walls. He regularly encourages students to practise drawing and develops their interest in different forms of creative expression.
The teacher also uses art-based activities to make classroom learning more engaging, helping students become familiar with notable personalities while developing their own artistic abilities.
What began as an innovative response to limited resources has consequently given Sri Krishnapur Primary School a distinctive visual identity. The moss-covered walls, instead of being treated simply as part of the school structure, have become an unconventional canvas showcasing both art and lessons from history.