Lavender

     I was very fascinated with a flower called Delphinium. The lavender color was so mesmerizing. I simply could not resist the temptation to paint them. Some where down the line the painting appeared to go out of hand. Tried to salvage it some how. The result is here. Hope it looks respectable.

J L T

     Well... JLT stands for 'Just like that'. Well this work was done just like that. No stories and no history lessons. Was in no mood for any serious work. Found an interesting picture and just decided to enjoy myself. Hope all of you like it. Have a nice weekend.

Hemkund Saheb

     Hemkund Saheb ji is a Sikh place of worship or a 'Gurudwara' as it is called. This one is dedicated to Guru Govind Singh, the 10th guru or teacher of the sikhs. Though the origin of this structure is quiet old, it was constructed in the present form in the 1960s. It is located at an altitude of 15000 feet surrounded by glacial lakes in the Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand, India. The trek to this site is very tough and can be reached only during the months from May to September. The rest of the year it remains snowbound and unreachable. But faith makes devotees go through all the hardships. There are many who go there just for the sake of adventure and curiosity. Next time you get a chance try and make it. You will not regret. Have a nice day.

Kathakali-2

     Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance drama which has its origin in the Indian state of Kerala in the 17th century. Traditionally there are 101 stories which are enacted in this form. Earlier the performances were designed to last the whole night however they have been modified with the changing times. Now they last for 3-4 hours. This dance form is noted for its colourful make-up, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well defined body movement. Percussion is the main accompaniment. The stage actually becomes a riot of colors. It becomes too tempting to resist painting. Hope this work conveys the story...!

Monstera Deliciosa

     Had spoilt two watercolors one after the other. Probably because of not getting enough time or too many distractions. Decided to paint some thing that would take a little less time and concentration. These lovely leaves have always fascinated me. They are called 'Monstera Deliciosa'. Have done two works earlier of the same subject. This was a quick fire work and was happy. Hope you all like it.

Jaguar

     Pilots always love their aircraft and military pilots treat their machine as an extension of themselves. This large work was done for a pilot who had stopped flying this aircraft, 'a Jaguar', quite some time back but could not get over it. I am so happy that this work of mine has a home where it will be loved and taken care of. Hope you all love it too. 

Mystic

     Although this picture is of a 'Sadhu' or an ascetic I prefer to call it Mystic because there is a veil of mystery surrounding them. Sadhus are ascetics, who have left behind all material attachments and live in caves, forests and temples all over India and Nepal. They are revered for the life style that they adopt to attain Moksha or liberation. They have no material belongings and lead the life of a gypsy. Some sects do not wear any clothes even in sub zero temperatures! The only thing that they use is ash to cover their body to give them warmth (It also gives them a scary look). However, reverence of sadhus is by no means universal in India. Historically and contemporarily, sadhus have often been viewed with a certain degree of suspicion, particularly amongst the urban populations of India. This is because of the rampant use of hash and opium. Also there are many who are actually not ascetics but posing as one to cover up some nefarious activities.

     Anyway found this pic of a sadhu clicked by my friend Debesh Sharma quite interesting and decided to paint it in oils on paper. Hope it portrays the mystery surrounding them.