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.