Peacock Bay

 

This is a picture book scene from a corner of the Khadakwasla lake near Pune in Maharashtra. In the backdrop is the mighty Sinhagad fort which is seeped in history. Many a famous battle was fought here. Well that is another story. Right now the lake is dotted with farm houses with visitors getting a sneak peek at places and the fort is a trekkers paradise.

Varanasi

 

Varanasi is supposed to be one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. It is located on the banks of river Ganga and is a major pilgrim site for Hindus. The evening prayers on the banks of river Ganga (Ganga Arti) is a big tourist attraction. People of all faiths hire boats to witness it from a vantage point. The hundreds of years old temples are also a major attraction. It is believed that whosoever is cremated on the banks of this river in Varanasi goes straight to heaven. 

Whether you believe it or not but if you happen to be in this part of the world a visit to this holy city is a must.

Huzoor Palace ll

     Huzoor Palace as it is called, is located in Porbandar town in the state of Gujarat. It was built in the early 20th century by Rana Natwarsinhji, the last maharaja of the princely state of Porbandar. It has a clear European influence in its architecture. It was built in the middle of a sprawling garden which has been taken over by unkempt bushes and shrubs. Presently it is used by his successors who reside in London and visit it once in a while. It is not open to tourists and is mostly in a state of disrepair. Even in this state one can imagine the grand and good days this place must have seen.

     Hope I have been able to do justice to this subject.

Tawang monastery.

     As I had mentioned in my last post, Tawang is a beautiful town nestled in the mountains. It holds a lot of importance for Buddhists as the sixth Dalai Lama was born here. What I gather from the information available on the net, he was totally different from any other religious head. He used to drink, smoke, womanise and compose devotional songs. He travelled all the way to Lhasa but never occupied the royal palace. He spent his life as a commoner. He was finally murdered by the Chinese who tried to reinstate a Dalai Lama of their choice. The story is full of intrigue and I need to find more from someone knowledgeable.

     This monastery that I have painted above was constructed a short distance from his place of birth. This just shows a section of the monastery. The corniferous trees and forests of the hillside make this a sight to behold.  Hope I have been able to capture the essence of the atmosphere.

Somewhere near Tawang

     Tawang is a quaint town in the north eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, at an elevation of about 10000 feet. The monsoons are really fierce in this region. Ask any helicopter pilot and he will endorse my view. Flying becomes really tricky in this season. But this is also the season when this region looks mesmerisingly beautiful. This is an attempt to paint a small village in the area with thunder clouds overhead ready to pour. Hope I have done justice.

Sailing away

     Work pressures and odd timings have kept me away from this blog and also from colours. Found an innovative way to continue painting on the move. My I pad came to my rescue. Am trying my hand at digital painting. It does not have the same feel as actual colours but then it is an option. One of my attempts is here for you all to see. Hope you like it. Do feel free to give a feedback. Thanks.

Undavalli Caves @ Vijaywada

     These are beautiful monolithic caves located about 10 km from Vijaywada city in Andhra Pradesh. These were carved out of solid sand stone in the 4th to 5th century AD. It is an impressive four storey structure. Changes seem to have been made in the original structure over the centuries. Originally it appears to have been a Jain temple. Then it was used by Buddhist monks as a rest house. Later on when Buddhism disappeared from these parts it was converted to a Hindu temple. It houses a huge five metre reclining statue of lord Vishnu made of solid granite. The shrine is surrounded by greenery on all sides and numerous specimens of rock cut architecture can be found all around.

     It was a sunday well spent for me. Could not complete the painting at the location and had to finish it from pictures clicked there. Hope you all like it.

Kugti Village

     Kugti is an area in the Chamb district of Himachal Pradesh. It is known for its pristine beauty and lovely trekking routes. The villages are quaint with mostly wooden houses and greenery all around. The snow covered Himalayan peaks form the backdrop. Lakes and streams add to the beauty. Have not visited the place but it is in my bucket list. Hope to make it sometime soon.

    I am posting after a pretty long break. But have to devote more time to my paintings as I am planning a solo show next year.

      Hope you all like this work. Have a great week ahead.

Fly Helicopters Paint Helicopters

     A friend of mine owns a. private airfield near the city of Jaipur. He calls it 'Go Fly Zone' It is nestled in a picturesque location with hills on one side. Sunrise and sunsets are a sight to behold. 

     He had requested me to do a painting for him. This is what I managed. He loved it. Hope you all like it.

@ Amravati, Andhra Pradesh

     Amravati was a seat of Buddhism a long time back. There was a gteat Stupa at this place. It was built during the 13th century BC. Somewhere down the line the Buddhists moved out of this place, the stupa went into a state of disrepair. The bricks of the stupa were carried away by the locals to build their houses. During the times of the East India company Sir Walter Scott carried out excavations in the area. Most of the relics were removed and carried to Chennai and further to Britain. Only the base of the stupa survives now. The present government is again trying to project the Buddhist culture of the place. The surviving relics have been put in a museum. A large statue of Buddha has been constructed at the place.

     Got a chance to visit the place and this small watercolour is a product of the visit. Hope you all like it.

Jaigad fort

     Jaigad is a coastal town in Ratnagiri district. Nestled on a cliff is the Jaigad fort. It has a commanding view of the bay where the Shastri river meets the Bay of Bengal. Made in the 16th century by the Bijapur kings, it passed through the hands of Peshwas, Kanhoji Angre and finally the British. Though most of the structure is intact, the place lies unkempt and in ruins. Part of the reason is that this place lies off the tourist circuit.  But still I feel we need to protect our heritage. 

     While on my visit to Ganpatipule, I had visited this place. Felt bad at the neglect and decided to paint this watercolor as a tribute. Probably somebody will take notice and do something to bring up this place.      

@ Ganpatipule

     I had desperately needed a break. Finally made it. This is a place called Ganpatipule. It is a small town in the Konkan district of Ratnagiri known for a very revered temple. The 400 year old idol of Lord Ganpati is said to have appeared on its own from the ground according to the local folklore. The place also has some lovely pristine beaches with white sand. The resort where we stayed itself was right next to the sea. Morning and evening strolls were a pleasure. Scuba diving and snorkelling added to the experience. Well the whole experience called for a painting. Will try and post some paintings of the scenic drive to this place as and when I manage to paint them.

     Hope you guys like the work. Have a great week ahead.

Midnight vigil @ Kolkata bylane

     This is a painting of good old Kolkata. The architecture is typical of the British era. Narrow bylanes with the old filament type yellow light. Found this picture of an old man sitting outside his house in the night probably brooding over some issue. Was an interesting subject and painted it. Hope the painting does justice to the time of the night and the sombre mood. And hope you all like it.

     Have a great weekend.

Need a break

     I have been flying without a break for some time. Desperately need a break from the concrete jungle where I stay. While surfing through the net for a destination, I stumbled upon this pic. Forget the holiday, I decided to test a sample hand made paper which had been lying with me for a long time. It costs a fraction of some of the good brands. I found it really satisfactory for such quick sketches. Need to get more of it. 

     Happy painting every one.

@ Boothapandi

     Boothapandi is a small hamlet in the state of Tamil Nadu. This picture is of a village temple with a canal running next to it. The lush greenery, the old structure, the desolate look, all called for a painting. One of my friends who has his roots in this place had clicked this pic. He kindly consented to let me paint it. Hope I have managed to do justice to the atmosphere and you all like it.

     Have a great week ahead with lots of happy painting.

Doodh Sagar II

     Doodh Sagar means sea of milk.  This waterfall has been aptly named as the fine misty spray it kicks up gives an impression of flowing milk. To top it all a railway line passes just below the fall. The train emerging from the mist is an amazing sight. Had painted it earlier also ( http://akspaintings.blogspot.in/2016/04/konkan-railway-doodhsagar.html )but wanted to do it in oils this time. Hope you all like it. Have a great week.

IWS India biennale

     Well last month there was a mega water colour festival in Delhi organised by the International Watercolor Society, India. One of my paintings was also selected and exhibited. Took out time to attend the show. It was a great experience meeting and interacting with artists from around the world. There was representation from 60 countries. It was a great honour as well as a learning experience.

Birla Mandir @ Jaipur

      This is the Birla Mandir or Birla Temple of Jaipur. There are seven such temples in India built by the Birla family. It is located at the base of the Moti Dungri fort. It looks stunning when lit up at night. This work was done plein air sitting on the footpath next to a busy square. Am sure I must have inhaled smoke emanating from vehicles worth 20 cigarettes while painting this. In the end it was worthwhile. What do you think?

@ Matheran III

     Well this is another painting of Matheran. It is an amazing place for long walks specially in the monsoons. Just put on your raincoats and walk off in any direction. It is paradise all around. Small road side stalls sell hot cups of tea and small eats. Just sit down there, chit chat, relax and start walking again when refreshed.

      Hope you all like this work. 

@Matheran II

     Well Matheran is one of the closest weekend getaways from Mumbai. It is also one of my favourite. It also happens to be one of the smallest hill stations in India. Its USP is that it is a vehicle free zone. The only vehicles permitted in this place are the ambulance and fire brigade. The only means of transportation are horses and hand pulled rickshaws. It is a paradise for trekkers. This painting was done from a picture clicked in my last visit there. Hope you all like it.

         Have a great week ahead.