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.