Rozalia Radhika Priya 1

Of Hungarian origin, Rozalia has made India her home as Radha Priya. She is an accomplished artist whose works centre around Lord Krishna in miniature format. Working from her studio in Udaipur, she combines in herself the qualities of western traditions and Indian values and remains a devout Christian.

For all her apparent frailty, Rozalia-- actually Rozalia Radhika Priya--comes through as an activist of sorts. A spiritual activist who has chosen art as her medium. As a painter and a Krishna devotee, she portrays the impish deity in his Madhura Bhav. And that, she feels is what creativity is all about.

"Art," says Rozalia, "is a duty since you are gifted by God. We should not use it to disturb the minds of people. It should give the viewer a positive feeling and solace. And art in India essentially serves this purpose."

Though she was a keen artist in Hungary, Rozalia could not relate to modern art. Her search was more spiritual, more pristine and by divine intervention Lord Krishna filled the void. To reach him, she had to cross the boundaries of European education and a comfortable life.

She was born Rozalia Nyulashi in Budapest, Hungary, in 1946. She studied international relations. But it was her diploma in French literature in the mid 1960s that got her going - so to say. For one, it helped her become a translator at the French Embassy in Budapest. And with it came almost everything that comes with working in a foreign mission.

She traveled frequently, went to the theatre, learnt art. It was a dream life. " I had an excellent job ", says Rozalia, and the part she liked most was the fact she could travel to France every year. Unknown to her this would ultimately take her to Lord Krishna and India.

Around this time Rozalia began to wonder about the kind of life she had led so far. She started thinking and looking deep into the future. She recalls, " I was 32 and I told myself ‘God! I can’t be doing all this for the rest of my life--concerts, music and chasing money.' " She began looking around.

She moved to Paris with her son Tobor. Given her links with Paris, one would have thought it only natural that she chose the French capital as her home. Besides, she says, "I felt something was waiting for me in Paris." There was no fear or uncertainty that often comes while leaving home.

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