Erotic sculptures from Khajuraho and Hampi get transferred on to bags, pendants and door knobs at artist Rupali Madan's workshop

You might want to think twice before boarding a crowded bus carrying a canvas bag handpainted with an image of temple erotica. But designer Rupali Madan says she has several takers. "I was initially wary if customers would appreciate it, but they are a sell-out. My customers aren't prudes, they pick up the products for the design and colours, not erotica," says the 26 year-old behind Rtistic. While the chunk of the artist's clients are foreign tourists and expats, college students and young women are followers too.

Rupali Madan creates a terracotta mould at her workshop

At a time when artists preferred studying contemporary art, Rupali took up Indian traditional art. The just-married Rupali enrolled at the KPJ Prabhu Artisan Institute in Bangalore in 2007, the only woman in an all-male class of 55. "I was studying with children of artisans who came from West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland and Tamil Nadu. We struck a barter; they'd teach me their ancient skills, and I'd share what I knew of
modern art," she remembers.

In October 2008, she set up Rtistic, a brand that she hoped would resuscitate traditional Indian art by presenting it with a contemporary twist. Rupali took popular sculptures and etchings from ancient heritage structures like Ajanta and Ellora (2nd century BC to 6th century AD), Halebid (12th century AD), Elephanta (6th century BC), Khajuraho (2nd century BC) and Hampi (14th century AD) to transfer them as paintings onto bags, door handles and jewellery.

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