These thoughts have been running through my mind for quite few years, from the days when I was involved in the rehearsals of a Bharatnatyam dance ballet Dashavatara which depict 10 popular avatars/descent of Lord Vishnu in Hindu mythology. Lord Vishnu who is said to be the preserver of the universe , seeks from time to time to redeem the world and as an avatar (incarnation) manifests his divine being into the life of man or a living being, whenever evil threatens it.

There are 1000s of views, representations or interpretations of the Dashavatar episode done by various traditionalists, modernists, filmmakers, writers, artists, groups, communities etc., I have thought of them in my own ways, with whatever modest knowledge I have heard and seen in televised visuals, calendar pictures etc., My granny explains these stories as if she has lived through the times and seen the episodes live. These are my reactions to what I see in everyday life and the mind divided over contradictions.

Dashavatar is the all-encompassing epic in Hindu mythology that celebrates the recurring triumph of good over evil – tenfold. The trade-off situations we are in, I find it difficult to recognize what is good and what is evil. Man is on both sides and he administers the proceedings multi-fold. The power and pursuit of man is such that it is easy to have a sense of disbelief in these super power characters or any gods. Nothing can stop man and he will stop at nothing.

I am neither agnostic nor religious or conventional. I have used the characterizations from the Dashavatar epic and in my thoughts; there is no place for the spirit called God. Everything is man – his life, material, equipments, products, relationships, ideas, desires, contradictions with himself and the spirit or character of Lord Vishnu’s avatar.

I would like to call my series of drawings as Manavatar (Avatars of Man). I see man as a self-appointed God or supreme power dictating the complete trial of the world. It is a cliché and yet surprising to observe how we behave and what we keep looking for. The most important thing that can make us humans happy is the sense of achievement! And we want to continue achieving something or the other. So I am and my works.

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Title: Narasimha Concrete Mixers, Pencil on paper.

Lord Vishnu emerged as Narasimha (half lion-half human) from a pillar of the palace to save his ardent devotee and killed the demon king. Narsimha is the embodiment of valour. In my version, the simha(lion) merely becomes a designed utility of a concrete mixer which is helplessly on the other side of making a concrete pillar.

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Title: Varaha Earth Movers, Pencil on paper

A demon had taken the earth and carried it to the bottom of the cosmic ocean, the Lord appeared as a wild boar, killed the demon and lifted the earth out of the flood waters in which it had been submerged. He lifted the Earth between his tusks and restored it to its place in the universe as a symbolic representation of the resurrection of the world from the deluge of sin. We see a different kind of picture in the nook and corners of our homes. A boar/pig like creature with an insatiable hunger to eat the earth from both the ends and smartly creating cultivated/civilized areas for us to live.

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Title: Tortoise Brand Ambrosia(Amruth) - Stay young forever! Pencil on paper

Lord Vishnu incarnated himself as the Kurma (the tortoise) in order to support the mount Mandara, which started sinking during the churning of the ocean. Thus, the Kurma sat on the bottom of the ocean with a mountain, being placed on his back by the other gods so that the gods & demons could churn the sea and find Amrit – the nectar of life and immortality.  Vishnu also appears as Mohini the female fatale, an enchantress, who acquires the pot of Amrit from thieving Asuras (demons) by trick, and gives it back to the Devas (demi-gods), helping them retain their immortality.

Mohini still remains an enchantress who sells all kinds of so called immortal,colossal, attractive products to us and helps us maintain a consumerist state of mind throughout.  The insatiable word “More” bears the brunt of  mountainous desires and keeps the products life cycles alive.

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Title: Ram and Kris are tagged, Pencil on paper

Rama and Krishna avatars are well-known to many as in the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata respectively.  Both the characters are the center of all human relationships in the epics. The purpose was to ensure that justice and peace (dharma) ruled when there aroused family disputes, ego clashes, wars, gluttony etc., I am part of a similar world that is more individualistic but casual in interrelationships for a change. An ironical situation in which we are in – we are neither connected nor left alone.

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Title: Fishi kiddos play school, Pencil on paper

As Matsya the fish, saviour of srishti or creation, Lord Vishnu saved the four Vedas(books of knowledge) from destruction by flood. Quality education was dictated and savored by the mighty Brahmins and Kshatriyas in the older world . Even now, we see a similarity with the capitalist classes (the affluent) only having access to qualified training and accepted streams of knowledge.  A priced commodity as it has evolved to become, knowledge or education is a mere means to make more commodities.

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Title: The Dwarf, pencil on paper

Lord Vishnu’s incarnation – as a dwarf was to show the people that they should live in their own places and should not be greedy to occupy the other lands. The dwarf man in my flex poster drawing doesn’t seem to be in his place, publicizes a larger than life figure of his and claims responsibility of  things that happens for the betterment. We all can recognize the dwarf man. He is within us as a narrow, corrupted  and dwarfed mind – who can be neither be got rid nor lived with.

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Title: CDs, DVDs available at all leading stores, Pencil on paper

Buddha is also considered one of the incarnations of  Lord Vishnu.  Today, every other person on the road, his uncle is an enlightened person and a self-appointed Buddha.  Of all the things in the world, I am confused whether this spiritual pollution renounces the world or embraces with all it’s riches/luxuries.  It is simple. Man makes and makes products. He needs a break and some peace. Hence he practices meditation, makes peace related stuff in his free time and returns to make more another things. You see, mediation gives you the power to do ”More”.

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Title: Automated Axe, Pencil on paper

As Parashurama or Ram with axe, Vishnu annihilated the demons in their battle with the gods. The axe becomes the automated tree feller in my version and the human omnipresent in the barren lands.

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Title: The immovable Knight , Pencil on paper

The Kalki Avatar is the only avatar of Vishnu that is set in the future. It is believed that at the end of the present age (Kali Yug), there will be a deluge when Kalki – the tenth and the last avatar of Vishnu, will ride forth on a horse (half horse-half man) to redeem humankind and re-establish righteousness. The cynical mind ceases to believe. Such is the power of  man that the Knight(horse) cannot move in any direction despite being powerful and mighty. Everything would go as is and man will still keep achieving.

Gandhiji: His wife Kasturba Bai was equally involved in social activities. Both dedicated their lives to the world
Bhagat Singh: Ran away from home to avoid marriage, stayed a bachelor and sacrificed his life for the country
Lord Buddha: Sacrificed his family and renounced all his luxuries, attained nirvana
Lord Jesus: Was a bachelor and dedicated his life to the society
Anna Hazare: He is a bachelor and not committed to anyone personally as a family
Medha Patkar: Is from a activists’ family. Her marriage suffered
Kiran Bedi: Her Husband and daughter are also activists. The entire family lives for the society
Arvind Kejriwal: He and his wife started Parivartan, an NGO. That tells the story, both are activists
Swami Vivekanand: Everybody knows who he is and how effective he is even today
Atal Behari Vajpayee: He is a bachelor and considered a clean man with principles. Respected as a PM
Dr. Abdul Kalam Azad: A bachelor, a scientist, a super President and a great human being

All of the above people had/have simple lives without having much to their credit as personal properties

Most of the leaders/activists personal lives have been:

• Either the entire family is dedicated to service
• The family faces a setback (Eg: Lord Buddha, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Medha Patkar)
• The leader/activist doesn’t owe much to his/her own personal family and are on their own
• The family supports in all ways by just being with them (be it poverty, depression or  being happy)

Any guesses why I am writing all these.  I was  thinking we cannot be like the people mentioned above because we are all normal people.  We want a colorful and settled life, a job, money, marriage, love, friends, a home, a car, a holiday, a retirement plan, an insurance plan, want children to do well, want best things in life etc., In order to get all these we wouldn’t disturb the ecosystem which we create for ourselves. There may be exceptions but very very few.

Last week was an eventful week for India and for me as well. I supported for a public cause, tried my best to chip in as much as I could in small possible ways to support a movement. Someone asked me, as to why we keep following a leader and why not be a leader ourselves which made me dive a little deep into few of these people’s personal lives.

We are insecure and we fear a lot of things which would disturb our ecosystem, needs and desires which makes us as followers or just normal people!! These become reasons for us to be mute spectators of things which are dutifully wrong. These become reasons why a policeman takes a 50 rupee note to close a small offense. He is unable to bear his expenses with his monthly salary.  He buys few things extra with the quick buck and makes his wife, kids happy. We in turn, want to save time and get rid of the frustrations involved, because we are focused on our personal activities and goals. We are happy that there are remuneration disparities anyways if we are on the higher side and keep striving for more if we are less.

Who has the time, isn’t it? We want more and more things for ourselves, don’t have the time for public causes. I am sure it is the same with the so called corrupt politicos. They do it on a large scale, we do it in a smaller scales in our own ways. I think favoritism and hypocrisy also becomes a part of  this in the process.

I just thought I will rant these ironies and think aloud:-))

Supporting in whatever way I can!! Let the momentum continue!! People can contact me if you need a good quality PDF of the posters. I will be working out more. Keep the momentum!

On the dark side

This is drawn/etched on an X-Ray film and printed B&W on paper.

“Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (1746–1828) is regarded as the most important Spanish artist of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries” (Francisco de Goya ). He painted cartoons for royal palaces and etchings as well as paintings in the circles of royal patronage.

Machines to fly, move, run, eat, drink, flush, sleep

Machines on my right, left, top, bottom, center

Machines here and there,

Machines within and outside

Machines are what makes us, without em we are nowhere!

Machined!

We wear different masks prepared by ourselves for different people and carry on with our lives carrying them in our kitty. More the masks, more heavy we feel. The more heavy we feel, more stressed and frustrated we are.  I don’t think I need to give examples here!

For me as an artist, this question is very frustrating.  It makes me feel like having multiple personalities. But I can’t separate myself being an artist and a normal human.  As a human being, I do have my family, friends and a social circle. These people have created an image of mine in a certain manner and that is how I am expected to behave or perform. If i shy away even a bit or do something radical, then the image is tarnished.  That makes me think I shouldn’t have created this image of mine in them and unfortunately I can’t undo things in life. Till date, I have shown nice, beautiful pictures to my audiences and the day I show them something which is explicit, a culture-shock then I know they would shy away from being with me or will not be themselves to me. Ultimately there is this fear of loosing people and other insecurities of peaceful existence which makes us go in feasible tracks in the society. This applies not only to me as an artist, but I guess to each one of us in some way or the other. We just compromise! Yes, COMPROMISE is the word

People have rebelled, thrown out of their families and even countries because they chose not to bother about “What would they think?”.  They probably have made their own circle of people to live with, who would understand and care for them or probably have a choice to live all by themselves. It is the way of proclaiming individual freedom and happiness. My mom tries to scare often by saying “There would be none around to cry or help when we are dead! We should be within the society and try to be nice to people in all possible ways!” Huh! We should be nice and kind to people so that they carry us to the grave when we are dead?? lol….an penultimate insecurity!

But i get the message from mom what she is trying to convey. I know she is my genuine well wisher and hats off to her, 90% of the world runs on this ideology. But, I want to be the remaining 10% and I love my mom. “What would she think?!!”

Frustrated!