Does the animal have a chance?

This a sketch done today of "Jallikattu".This is a pastoral-macho sport of Tamil Nadu.It is staged during 'matu pongal'. Some what similar to the 'running of the bulls' of Spain. I have used pen ,pencil and oil pastels to make this sketch.

'Ganga snaan' of Naga Sadhus.

This is a sketch of 'naga sadhus' on paper with graphite pencil.

Sadhus or holy men in Hinduism belong to many sects .Once they join a sect after their rite of 'initiation' they are considered 'dead'as far as their life till then is considered.

As sadhus they begin a new life.The life they led till then is considered their'poorva janma' and as sadhus they are reborn again.

These sadhus are at their morning snan- in Gaga on the occasion of 'ardh kumbh mela'which occured in Jan this year.

As we know 'naga sadhus' cover themselves only with holy ash or'bhasm'.They are one of the earliest sect of sadhus in India.Even in the extreme cold of the Himalayas they cover them selves only in ash.They seem to lead a happy life.

Happy Valentines Day

A painting in acrylic done on paper. Have a Happy Time all ye who are young at heart :) and the truly young, on this Valentines day.

Picasso at work

The Time lapse technique in photography allows us to view the great master 's painting technics in oil :-)

Refuge from terror .

The news papers report the mad killings of civilian unarmed non -assameese population , all over the State of Assam so often that they are now taken for granted ,or not noticed by the majority of our citizens any more,I think. This has become such a lucrative business in Assam that - ULFA has a vested interest in keeping this alive. The killings and kidnappings for ransoms has become a way of life for them who have become very rich and powerful by this activity. Here is a sketch of a hindi speaking couple, leaving the land they had worked and made their home for so long,fearing the threats from ULFA to their own village in UP,to start life afresh.Hope their life there will be more peaceful and colorful as the 'pagree'on the man's head.Hope you can see the anxiety on the couple's face.

Beautiful Porcelain Wares

I found this beautiful piece at

http://spluch.blogspot.com/

Feast for the eyes too :-)

The Moplah .

Here is the painting of 'The Maplah'. It is done in oil on board.The moplahs of 'malabar are muslims who are the descendents of the Arab traders who came to malabar coast during 9th cen taking advantage of the 'fast trade routes' they discovered using the monsoon winds. They were welcomed by the Samoothiripaad(Zamorin-anglicised) for the revenue they brought.The arabs were given liberal concessions ,and they married local women.The Moplahs of today are the offsprings of this mixed race.They also purchased children from lower castes-mainly fishercommunity(mukkuvan) to convert to Islam and use in their boats.(read some where that zamorin had made it compulsory that one child from each mukkuvan family should be given for convertion to Islam !!) Here is a moplah with his skull cap ,trade mark scarf(which he would spread on the ground for 'namaz'.and the beedi tucked behind his ears.This is the moplah gentleman who used to run the friendly neighbourhood 'chaya kada' at Koothuparamba.:-)