That was out of line

Doodling is fun. No form, no rules, no stress. Three artists say it's legit art too. And it's just taking off in India

- Karishma Kuenzang

Is doodling art? Three doodlers explain why we must view the form with the dignity it deserves.

Santanu Kaushik Hazarika, 31, @Santanu_Hazarika_Art

Mumbai artist Santanu Kaushik Hazarika started out, like many of us did as kids, by drawing cartoon characters in his books. Some of his first scribbledoodles were spread over walls at home and desks in school. In college, his friends let him doodle decorative motifs on their arms. "I would basically vandalise any walls I saw," he says. Today, he paints, designs and even makes murals. But doodling (comic characters, mythical creatures like dragons, elements from Indian mythology) remains a constant.

Hazarika won the Red Bull World Doodle Art Championship in 2014 for a work on the theme of Hinduism. The win (his design was put on a T-shirt that was sold online in 2015) gave him the confidence to pursue his journey as an artist.

"Doodling is considered to be an effective mental exercise," says Hazarika. Many believe the disconnected activity improves memory retention. For many, it's just meditative without meaning to be. "When you're doodling, your mind is somewhere between a state of daydreaming and focus," he explains.

Shamika Chaves says the inherent humour in doodles charmed her enough to work as a (below) children's book illustrator. She credits social media for making doodles popular over the last decade. It's shown everyday viewers how easy the art form is to appreciate. SHAMIKA CHAVES