Of People and Places

Sometimes, I have to scout long and hard to find a composition that would be good to sketch. Most of the times, I have to edit the scene - add a bush here, remove a tree there, add a person there, remove a light pole here. But on rare occasions like these, there are some beautiful elements all ready for you, waiting to enter your sketchbook, inviting you to park yourself in a shady nook and put pen to paper. For company, there is a drongo close by who seems to be unafraid of humans, he swoops down to see how I am making my progress and returns to this fork in the tree that he seems to love. There is a kingfisher who flies away as soon as I draw close. There are several sunbirds feasting on the flowers. There are boys playing cricket, intent on their game. But what company does a person need when there is a palash tree close by ?  

Gray Langur sketch, Mandu We saw this scruffy fellow near the railing overlooking the Kakra Khoh Valley, where we had stopped on our way to Mandu. Gray Langurs' resemblance to humans is remarkable. They often keep their body upright and their hands are very close to human hands. I find them quite beautiful and more dignified than the Rhesus Macaque, the usual monkeys who are noisy and troublesome, sniffing out mischief in every way possible! The Gray Langur is also called the Hanuman Langur - I remember seeing large groups of them at Hampi on the Anjaneya Hill ( One of the many places that claim to be the birthplace of Hanuman ). They are considered sacred and I think, enjoy a better status :-)  Their tails are very interesting - much longer than the body, often held looping in a curve over the body as they run, walk and amble. I wonder why they evolved such long tails... Do you have any answers?  All my Madhya Pradesh Posts -  Hindola Mahal in Mandu  Impression of M...

Witty and tongue in cheek, it’s a delight to talk to Uma Sudhir about Science and Science Education.  I have been working at the Eklavya Office in Bhopal on an illustration assignment and due to the lockdown- 15 of us have been staying here, like a family, taking turns to cook food, look after each other and occasionally fight ( just for kicks!). It’s a bonding that is interesting, because all of us were strangers until recently but have grown to known each other a lot more than we would otherwise have, under normal circumstances. I have known Uma for almost about a month now and I thought it would be interesting to share with the world some of the conversations we have had about science, education, travel,  life – all interspersed with her intelligent sense of humour.  Uma is a research associate with Eklavya. You may have come across her writings in Sandarbh magazine. Uma is also one of the few people I know who can count off th...

Dear  Palash, I didn’t pay much attention to you until a friend said we could do a Bhopal Palash trail on bikes to watch you and your sisters bloom.  I was curious to know what you looked like. And I imagined whole roads being transformed by your vibrant beauty as one by one, all of you opened up your hearts to changes in the season while the wind whispered sweet nothings into your leaves. But it was not meant to be. With the lockdown, and having to stay indoors, there was no chance that I could meet you. I put all thoughts aside. After all, there were bigger things to think about – such as the collective helplessness my race is feeling, battling an unseen, unknown enemy.   O ne day when I managed to wake up from my preoccupation, there you were, right behind me. A burst of orange clawing through the sky. I have tried in these past three weeks to capture your beauty, and failed miserably. Undaunted, I have tried again, yet again. Every time I fa...

A part of the Bhojeshwar temple complex Just outside of Bhopal, there is a little known town called Bhojpur on the banks of river Betwa. My friend and I went on a visit on the way to Bhopal from Hoshangabad. We got down from the bus and took a shared auto to go to the Bhojeshwar temple, and a shared ride it was indeed! The driver was more than happy to accommodate more passengers so that  there were 10 of us, not to mention our suitcase and handbags, all in 1 auto! We were crammed together like sardines, in uncomfortable positions. When I first  caught sight of the Bhojeshwar temple, I was blown away! It is a sparse landscape that surrounds the temple, and the huge structure in contrast, really catches the eye.  It is an incomplete temple, with one of the largest Shiva lingas in the world. You could see it from a distance but if you were to go inside the structure, even if you were to crane your neck you would be able to see only the bottom of the large pedestal...

Maheshwar is an understated place. Maybe, I prefer it that way. After a disappointing visit to Ujjain, being pushed and pulled by people to have a quick glance ( barely) at the deity in the Mahakaleshwar temple, Maheshwar felt like an oasis, because there was space to explore at my pace. The whole Ahilya fort is charming to visit. Very peaceful and quaint. I especially liked Rani Ahilyabai Holkar's residence - one of the most elegant, simple, no-frills palaces I have ever visited. This was a sight that we saw in the courtyard of the Rajwada - A local woman had stepped out of her house in a beautiful yellow and green sari that made it a perfect composition for a painting. I find Maheshwar breathtaking - Definitely worth another visit ( or many more visits!). 

My favourite place to visit in Hoshangabad is Bandrabhan. It is the confluence of  Narmada and Tawa rivers. From Hoshangabad twenty of us would go there on a sketching trip and have a gala time drawing, sketching or just plain wool-gathering. I couldn't believe such a gem existed when I first set my eyes on the place. You need to walk a little way downhill to get there and cross a vast expanse of sand that leads into the river and the wind roars past you, billowing your clothes and hair. Try turning and walking backwards and suddenly everything is calm and quiet just as it was noisy and chaotic a few moments ago! ( I hope nobody was watching me. I must look eccentric doing that!) Across the river there is a temple with a structure in the shape of a  trishool glinting in the sunlight, surrounded by shrubs and bushes. It looks so tranquil in the evening.  Once, when we went in the monsoons, our feet sank down in the sand and slowed us down as it stuck to our foot...

It has been so common for trains to arrive late in Hoshangabad and Itarsi that it makes me nervous to see one that is actually on time. It is as though something is not right with the journey if the train is not late by at least three hours! Once, we even had to stay overnight in Itarsi because the train was late by over 10 hours. Anyway, late trains mean more time for sketching and observing people. Indian railway stations are full of interesting characters, each one unique and with a fascinating history, if you get to speak to them. I scouted for an ideal subject in the hot, dusty train station at Hoshangabad, sketching the man on the opposite platform taking a nap. Close to me, a man in uniform waved the green flag to a passing train that thundered through the station.   I didn’t pay much attention to him. But after a while I had to. It is common in India to be openly curious about something and hover around. And that is what he did. He hovered behind me while I tried...

Near the tower of victory inside Ashrafi Mahal, you can find ruins with beautiful stone carvings. Ashrafi mahal was originally built as a Madrassa and dates back to the time the Khilji Dynasty took over administration in the fortress city of Mandu. The Ashrafi   Mahal must have had wide spacious balconies, but   now there are no traces of that. The outer walls have crumbled and the structure is sky clad. You can witness a beautiful sunset if you come here just before closing time. The flight of stairs takes you through the complex and it has been built so that one can have a direct view of the Jama Masjid across the road. This monument, along with the Jama Masjid and Roopmati’s pavilion are close to the heart of the town with its market and small restaurants and sweetmeat shops. I can only imagine the splendour of this square in the old days, especially on a full moon day. Mandu has a mysteriousness I am yet to find in any other place.

Lettering by Malavika Shenoy The Buddha is my favourite trope in art and philosophy. If nothing else, the image of Gautama Buddha in repose with heavy-lidded eyes gives me a vast measure of peace. I have seen many statues of Buddha -all of them remarkably beautiful, but none have made as much of an impression on me as the Buddha at Sanchi. It was my first visit to Madhya Pradesh and also my first experience of the famous M.P sun and its heat waves in summer.   We reached Sanchi at midday -the exact time everything is scorching hot and airless. But I didn’t mind very much because it felt like I had stumbled on treasure. The Stupas at Sanchi are on higher ground from the village and look absolutely stunning in the afternoon sun. I think harsh sunlight brings out the beauty of stone and rock-cut architecture where strong shadows and contrasts create magic wherever light doesn’t reach. A lot of it is not as well-preserved as one would like - Colonial excavations and loca...