NAVARASAS - The Play of Emotions

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In the Natya Shastra of Bharata, the concept of NIne Moods or Navrasas is gives as

a basis for art forms, starting with the narrative structure for dance dramas, but influencing other

artistic expressions in the visual arts, and also in musiac and poetry. The term ''rasa'' derives from

a word meaning juice, or essence. The theory of Navrasas, has given rise to an Indian understanding of an aesthetics that crosses ove boundaries, and includes all forms of creative expression.

This was a course I undertook in my foundation year at Srishti School of Art and Design.

Here, we looked at the connections between the way emotions are differentiated, and understood as a way of experiencing wholenesss. We explored the nine different moods classified in the theory, and how these moods are given form through visual, plastics and dramatic forms of expression.

Self Portrait

Acrylic on Canvas

23 x 16 inches

My self-portrait is that of a fish because I relate myself to the swift, full of energy, colourful, arching, gleaming, feminine, sleek and manchali.
She is the one who swims against the direction of flow of water and if beautiful.
She is someone whom we cannot touch, and if we do, they die. Which if messed with or given pain is easily hurt. Delicate.

Mandala on Peace

Archival Ink Pens on Canson Paper

16 x 16 inches

My mandala starts with the initial concentric circles of peace relating to howpeace within, social peace, ecological peace and spiritual peace are related, leading to the 2 overlapping squares showing the mandala for concentration as in pulls you towards the shanta.
Then comes the star which was suppose to be a colour wheel of life.
And in the end are the out-going spirals, which depict the liberating feeling which one must be/ supposedly will be experiencing after going through all the phases of peace.

Mandala on Peace
Archival Ink Pens on Canson Paper
16 x 16 inches

Journey of Fear

Archival Ink Pens and Fevicol on Canson Paper

9 x 16 inches

Journey of a Hero : Fear
According to me, everybody is a hero and has a journey to unfold with a Mahish in it. The Mahish can also be the person's fear and inner devil. But we all are hero's who go trough their journey and also find a way out of the maze with the help of their loved ones and partners.
I have made a game. It has a maze and a puppet of a horse which says be thehero.
I intent asking my viewer to be the hero himself/herself and solve the maze (symbolic journey).

Journey of Fear
Archival Ink Pens and Fevicol on Canson Paper
9 x 16 inches

Yakshagana : Dukha and Disgust

Acrylic on Cartridge Paper

The ainting symbolises the Yakshagana Dance Drama.
- Which is related to the Shamanistic dance of healing.
Yakshagana grabbed more of our attention because of is bright and attracting colours. Which is exactly what even we tried to put up through our painting. The head gear has been done in 3 Dimension to give a better feeling of how actually the masks are.

Done as a group with -

Meeta Kamwani

Kopal Mohunta

process image I

Tandav Nritya : Kroda

Shadow Puppet on Canson Paper

The puppet is of Shiva, the Natraja. It is of the time when is performing the Rudra Tandav because he is very furious as his wife Sati is dead.
The character has just one eye because that is the third eye which open when Shiva is extremely angry.
Here is the story attached to it.
Shiva is furious when his wife, Sati, kills herself. The story goes that Sati marries Shiva against the wishes of her father, Daksha, who wants this daughter, like his other daughters, to marry a Deva, or god, rather than an ascetic. In retaliation, Daksha organizes a fire-sacrifice or yagna and invites all his sons-in-laws except Shiva, to partake of the ritual. Angry at the exclusion of her husband, Sati rushes into the sacrificial precinct and confronts her father, who mocks Shiva’s ascetic ways in front of all the assembled guests. Unable to bear this public humiliation, Sati kills herself by leaping into the sacrificial fire thereby polluting the ritual space and causing the yagna to grind to a halt. When Shiva learns of this event, he experiences deep rage and sorrow. Casting away his usual calm indifference, he transforms into Virabhadra, a fierce warrior, and goes on a rampage attacking everyone who had been silent witnesses to Sati’s death. He stops only when Daksha (Sati's father) is beheaded.

Wonder of a Child : Adbuta (Wonder)

Considering the awe and wonder of lord Hanuman as a kid, when he imagines the sun to be a mongo. According to the story, he then rushes towards his mango to eat it, and the story follows.
Here, I am looking at the imagination of a child and his wonder when he sees the sun.