Of all the different layers of concentration expounded in the yogasootras, it is the seeded kind that is aided by visualisation imagery. By seeded, Maharshi Patanjali meant the state of the mind that still contains the singular remnant of a dying impression (sanskara). The abstract oil painting that you see on this page is a visualisation aid designed to propel the mind of the yogi towards seeded

Lord Mahadeva, the great (‘maha’) deva, is the manifestation of the Purusha, the consciousness substratum of all existence. According to Sankhya Darshana, when Purusha overcome by the charms of Prakriti comes near her and begins to reflect on her, it is the birth of all life. His wife, Devi Parvati, is the manifestation of Prakriti, the material substratum without which Purusha would have no m

Lord Ganesha is a baal-deva, a child (baal) of the divine order of the devas. He is an integral part of Shiva-parivar and the Devi Durga offspring retinue in devotional art; and when portrayed alone, He is the scribe of the Mahabharata and/or the very picture of traditional opulence. The oil painting you see on this page is a singular depiction of the Lord. Quiet, gathered, solitary - such is His

The brown, sparkling eyes keep a steady gaze over the mirror, stupified by their own beauty, filled with kohl and green eyeliner that enhances their beauty. The red-colored lips have twitched into a smile and the long, elegantly straight nose sets over the smooth, wheaty-complexioned face of the woman. Her neck is adorned with two dim faux colored diamond necklaces and white pearl Mala tha

The solitary Lord Shiva is seated atop the peak of Kailash, His cosmic home next to the Mansarovar. The existential destroyer has His trusty Nandi for company, the mythic bull with the power of a thousand of its mortal counterparts. He rests one hand on its head between the horns, while in the other He holds an ivory conch that He regards with half-shut eyes. Shiva Nandi Oil Painting: https://w

Anup Gomay is known for his artistic ability to provide picturesque backgrounds to his amazing paintings. In this painting, he encapsulates a baby blue sky decorated with cotton-like clouds and contrasted with a lush green setting, capturing rich American sycamores that give it an eye-catching look. The painting is bordered by a red brick pillared balustrade that is imprinted it with ethnic patter

A private moment between two young sahelis (female friends). As they while away their time with a dhol in their private chambers, the princess opens up the recesses of her heart to her favourite lady-in-waiting. She is telling her about a young man, a handsome warrior of the neighboring kingdom, whom she had occasion to exchange a glance with. Her heart is in a fledgling state of enamour, and she

Such was the depth of Mirabai's devotion that it commanded the living presence of Lord Krishna. She was a mystic of the highest order and belonged to the bhakti cult of North India. Her composure of countenance betrays the loverlike nature of her reverence, which is one of the many schools of bhakti. For the resplendence of the oils and the spiritual ethos of the theme alone would this painti

Indian contemporary art mainly focuses on portraits. In this oil painting, the artist captures a middle-aged woman decorating herself. The woman is illustrated with a porcelain complexion, with her lovely countenance being etched with small almond eyes, a wide Nubian nose, and watermelon pink lips that complement her deep philtrum and her harmonizing nail paint. Her crimson red bindiya contrasts h

A young lady of distinctly noble bearing has stepped into the Shivamandir to pay her respects. She has duteously risen, dressed up, and arrived at the temple of her Lord at the crack of dawn. Within the bonds of her silence and sadhana, her roopa takes on an ethereal glow. She has lit the gold ghee lamp before Him. With her fair hands she lifts up the tiny basket of freshly plucked flowers that sh

She lacks neither beauty nor wealth. A powerful woman, not quite past her prime, sits with her legs crossed on a seat of red velvet and brocade cushions. She directs her gaze straight ahead of her, with all the confidence of the eldest bahuraani (daughter-in-law) in the absence of her mother-in-law. She is probably blessed with the love of more than one son in addition to her husband’s. In this

Perfect shades of vibrant colors and the sharp beauty of lord Ganesha, who stands in his nritya (dance) posture on a high pedestal decorated with lotus petals at the top and two multi-wick diyas of devotion on either side, majorly enhance picturesque aspects of this oil painting. The oval aureole bordered with full-grown multicolored flowers enhances the auspiciousness of this elephant god; garbed

N. Harichandan of Orissa is one of the artists who are capable of encapsulating abstract art in the most beautiful way. Abstract art is the use of shapes, colors, forms, and gestural marks to achieve the effect of visual reality. In this painting, the artist has encapsulated a labyrinth, mostly referred to as a maze which is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. In the modern world, it is a

This brilliant painting, oil on canvas, as large as four by six feet, rendered in modern art style but with a mythical theme, represents the ten-armed Devi – Goddess, killing the buffalo demon Mahisha, better known as Mahishasura. The goddess is attended on her right by goddess Lakshmi carrying a lotus in her right hand, and a pot of gems, in her left, and on her left, by goddess Saraswati carry

The storm outside the bottle is an oil painting by artist Anup Gomay whose central motif could be interpreted as hope. Artist may have taken the inspiration from the British adverb 'Storm In a Teacup', which slightly matches the title of the painting. It is an English adverb that means a small event that has been exaggerated out of proportion. Such is the subject and portrayal of the pai

An art form that unites Indians across the subcontinent is Rangoli. Beautiful geometric, natural, and stylistic patterns are drawn in the courtyard of households, signifying the celebration of a festival or auspicious occasion. Two young girls are seen immersed in the process of making a rangoli while their mother oversees the task, standing at the threshold of their house. From the black stone ma

The story of young Krishna was first told more than 2000 years ago. Originally recited by bards from memory, it was later composed in the Sanskrit poem, the Harivamsa. The sun-like baby Krishna, Vishnu come to earth, was the delight of Vraja. Born of this earth, reared in the soil of Vraja, yielding to the temptations of this world, indulgent, inimitable, lovable in his pranks, ever guilty, yet re

Adorned with a blood-red Rajhistani pheta turban, the swarthy, chisel-faced man smokes a cigarette with a cruel, curved mustache that compliments his grim expressions and bushy eyebrows outlining his brown complexion in this painting. His mustard yellow choga is festooned with bijou red and green Mala contrasting the background. His collar is displayed as if strangling his neck. His wrists are gra