Brihadisvara temple illustration, Thanjavur ( UNESCO World heritage site) In the Kaveri river valley, a powerful kingdom arose, known far and wide for its military prowess, feats of architecture, patronage to art, music and dance. They spread out into Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Lakshadweep and even far out Bali and Sumatra across the Indian ocean. Their most illustrious emperor - Raja Raja Chola the great. The Cholas owed their glory to the gods and in honor of this, built several fantastic temples all over South India. The most magnificent of them all is in their former capital, Thanjavur - The Brihadeeswara temple, dedicated to Shiva. Its massive gopuram is the cynosure of all eyes, visible from miles ahead.It is built entirely from granite and is well restored, thanks to a very good job of conservation by the ASI. It is still a place of worship, perhaps that is the reason it managed to survive intact. The most popular icon in India...
On a recent trip to Maharashtra, I saw this kaka and kaki at the Pune Railway station. They must have been on their way to Pandharpur. I have seen devotees making their way to Pandharpur in hordes singing beautiful abhangs, taking their entire family with them. The Varkaris generally make this annual pilgrimage by foot. Elders and little children walk too, and there is scarcely a break in the singing and music. There is something divine, whether you are a believer of god or not, in voices raised to a common tune, in exaltation of something outside the self. I would like to go with them once. In the month of Ashadh Ekadashi, trains in Maharashtra are filled with pilgrims on their way to Pandharpur. Maybe I will join them. Who knows, I may meet this old couple I saw at the Pune railway station.
Digital painting, Evening Moon, Bhopal These days, after much resistance, I have been trying my hand at digital painting. To my surprise, I enjoy it. It allows me to explore the look and feel of different media with the convenience of the undo button which can be a life saver and a resource saver :D That said, nothing can quite match the appeal of a traditional, hand drawn piece of artwork. I saw this faint glimmering moon right around sunset last year with beautiful wispy clouds that had this lovely muted palette. I knew I had to try and recreate it and here it is. This also seems to be a fitting illustration to say goodbye - for the time being that is. In Japanese, we say 'ja ne' or 'mata ne' to say 'see you later' and 'sayonara' for a long farewell or a goodbye. So I would say 'mata ne' to you who is reading this. I am taking a little break from blogging. Perhaps I can wow you with my improved art skills and perspective on things around me ...
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