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.

@ 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.      

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.

@ 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.

Another attempt

          Some time back some one had told me that I will find portraits difficult to do. I have taken his words seriously and hence had made two in oils earlier. Wanted to do one in watercolors also. Was looking around for a subject and decided to trouble my Captain for a sitting. I am sure he was a bit apprehensive but agreed. The end result is in front of you. He was thrilled so I can presume it must be OK. 

ASC Golf club@ Bangalore

     I am in Bangalore undergoing some hectic training. Thankfully the weekend was free. Went across with some friends to this golf course... not to play, but to paint ! However hard I tried the guys would not let me sit in the course with my paraphernalia at some vantage point... not permitted by the course regulations. Finally had no choice but to sit in the club house where the only view I had was a clump of trees. A tired caddy made the scene a little interesting. Half an hours job. Still something is better than nothing.

Majestic

     The elephant is one of the most majestic animals on this planet. I have seen them in both Africa and India. The African one is definitely more handsome with its huge tusks and ears. But the Indian elephant is luckier than its African brother. Firstly it does not have large tusks which have become a nightmare for the african elephant. The ivory is the major cause for rampant poaching. Also the Indian elephant is lucky to have Lord Ganesha or the Elephant God as its protector. Hindus hold this God in reverence and hence no one dare harm the elephant. Hope we can find a way to protect the African  elephant also.
     This is a small watercolor I did as I had not painted for a long time and was finding it difficult to pick up my brushes. Enjoyed it after all.

Gurudev

     'Gurudev' or 'Teacher' as he was popularly known, Rabindra Nath Tagore was the first non European Nobel laureate for literature. His mesmeric personality, flowing hair and other worldly dress earned him a prophet-like reputation in the west. His poetry was considered spiritual and mercurial. However it is still hardly known outside Bengal. He is probably the only individual to have composed the national anthems for two countries.... India and Bangladesh ! This year is his 150th birth anniversary and next year will be the centenary of his winning the Nobel prize. My tribute to this great man.... 

Sheesh Gumbad

     Lodi Garden is a 90 acre park in the heart of Delhi. There are numerous tombs in the park dating back to the 15th century. They were mostly built during the rule of the Lodi dynasty. The 'Sheesh Gumbad' or 'Glass Dome' is the only one having unmarked graves. It gets the name because of the remains of blue glazed tiles on the top half. Probably earlier the entire top was covered with these tiles. Any way the identity of the inhabitants of the graves remains a mystery. They must have been important, judging by the grandeur of the tomb. Delhi-ites frequent this garden for their walks, or in search of some peace away from the hub-bub of the city. An occasional vagabond may be found sleeping right next to the graves, oblivious to the missing piece of history.

Wish I was here !

     Am presently based in a cold barren desert. The only colors one sees around are brown, gray, and reds. Eyes yearn for green, that too a green golf course, that too the dreamer is an avid golfer. Wish I was here.......... ! Its a dream. Do not wake me up!

Welcome Back

     Good news for nature lovers... The Indian Tiger has bounced back. The numbers of this majestic cat had been dwindling continuously due to poaching and loss of habitat. For the first time in this century, as per the latest census, the numbers have shown an upward trend. This has been possible due to incessant efforts by numerous people and agencies. One of the most visible faces of this fight died a few days back at the age of 73 due to cancer. This man, Fateh Singh Rathore, popularly known as the Tiger Man of India was the most visible face of this fantastic saga and this painting is dedicated to him. 

My Roots.

     As a helicopter pilot I keep roaming all over the country. Life is a continuous journey. One settles down where ever ones job takes. But there are times when one longs to go back to ones roots. I am from a small village of northern India, a place I have rarely visited. Recently I visited this village and got a chance to see the place where my father and grandfather were born and brought up. Saw the alleys where they played as children. Really nostalgic, got emotional. This is a painting of the alley that leads to our ancestral house. Painted it from a photograph I had clicked.

The Saga Continues

     It really makes you feel good when your friends miss you. Thanks all of you who missed me and remembered me.
     To continue the story I have landed up from the frying pan into the deep freeze! From Africa I have come back to a region of India called Laddakh. The average altitude varies between 10,000 feet to 18,000 feet. And during this season the temperatures vary from -10 to -55 degrees Celsius ! Adjusting to this requires some effort. On top of this I tried to paint plein air! My hands went numb, brushes kept aside would freeze, the paints were misbehaving... finally I had to rush inside to complete this work. Anyway, its good to be back!