Sun Salutation

As the sun sets

My heart jumps with joy

What a sight!

Such beauty, magnificence!

Colors in the sky

Magenta, blue, orange and red

The sea calls out to the sun

"Come rest within me

Lets go home now"

I stand there admiring
Thinking I'll see you again tomorrow

For now, accept my salutations

Bless us all

With your radiance

Far and wide!

Sun Salutation - Pastels

Eyes

The only part of our brain that is visible 

One of the five senses we possess 

On which we rely far too much 

A gateway to our 'exterior' and 'interior' worlds 

Shutting our eyes is the most effective way to isolate our-selves 

Gives 'life' to paintings/inanimate objects 

Conveys our feelings and emotions so much better than words 

Phenotypic variations (of the retina) making it so unique 

"Windows to our soul"

'A Woman Looking Within' - Pastels

Closed eyes signify passive aggressive state of this woman. A woman goes through a lot in her life time, yet conceals it all within herself. Seldom does she "open her eye" to let out her wrath. When she does its like a burning fire, red and hot! A 'bindi' on her forehead signifies a third eye and represents the danger she might bring forth to her enemies. In this painting she looks very meditative trying to find herself. Equanimity is her virtue. 

Curly hair, out of this world color (skin) tone, some sort of innocence makes me want to keep looking at her. She is my inspiration to look within and find equanimity myself.   

Let go

Let go... Let yourself free... Let the energy flow...
Pastel and Charcoal

Letting go of our attachments, fears, emotions, bondage and our selves is an arduous task. It is the only way to be "free". If you think about it, letting go should be the easiest thing to do right? Its like dropping something - an object should just fall if you 'let go'. It should be the same with our perceptions of self too. Ironic.

After I completed this painting of Ganesha, free spirited flow of energy was the only thing I could think of. The fast strokes of lines giving him form, seems to be bursting with life! There is a sense of wholeness even though the lines don't completely meet. I have tried to create some highlights and core shadows to facilitate some depth and form.

Your Absence...

Trying to imagine what my grand-mother must be feeling. I really wish I was there. Sigh! Time shall heal her, but till then what is she to do? What do I tell her? To be strong... this too shall pass... remind her about life's cycle... tell her to get involved with other things to distract her... From what I see, it doesn't help her. She's been hearing that from everyone else already. What do I tell her when she just can't help but remember her husband in everything we converse about? Don't we know since an early enough age that we will perish? Why then is it so hard for us to 'deal' with it, when the time does come?

It hurts whichever way you look at it. Love is all I have for you mamma. I hope you can sense it despite the distance and empty words.

Your absence 

so sudden, so abrupt, so unjust...

Your absence stings

worse than a bee

Your absence creates

a hole in my soul

Void, is all I see...

Silence, is all I hear...

Memories, is all I touch...

Bitterness, is all I taste...

Your absence, is all I smell...

Passage

"Mixed Media", I call it since I plan to post a variety of content in this blog. Some post may quite literally have art work containing mixed media! On my journey to becoming a professional artist one day, I want to post some of the paintings I do too.

However, I want to dedicate my first post to my grand-father followed by my grand-mother. My grand-father recently passed away and this is what I had to say to him. (This post is in Hindi.)

दादाजी... प्यार से दादू... 

आज आप हमारे बीच नही हैं, पर आप हमेशा मेरे दिल में रहेंगे |

कितनी बातें हैं जो में आपके साथ करना चाहता हूँ |

ज़िंदगी के कितने पल हैं, जो अभी आए भी नही, मैं आपके साथ बाँटना चाहता हूँ |

अफ़सोस सिर्फ़ इस बात का है कि मे आपके करीब न था उस आखरी वक्त पर...

आप हमेशा मेरे आदर्श रहे हैं और रहेंगे, पहेले गुरु और शिक्षक भी आप ही थे |

आपके अनुभवों से हम सभी ने बहुत कुछ हाँसिल किया है |

आप जैसा शांत मन और साफ दिल शायद ही किसी का हो सकता है |

बड़ों और छोटों को आपने हमेशा आदरसमान समझा |

कितनी बातें हैं जो में आपके बारे में जानता तक नहीं |

हमेशा सोचते ही रह गये कि "इन बातों को और कभी करेंगे" |

जाते जाते भी आप मुझे सिखा गये कि जिंदगी का कोई भरोसा नही |

आज ही है सिर्फ़ | इसे जी लेना चाहिए पूरी तरह...

आशा है आप जहाँ भी हैं इस समय, कुशलपूर्वक हैं |

आपसे कभी कह न सका, पर यहीं कह देता हूँ आज...

"बहुत बहुत सादर धन्यवाद सभी चिसों के लिए दादू!"

आप हमेशा मेरे दिल में और यादों में रहेंगे...

आपका प्यारा पोता...

साकेत