Maatr-Rupenna

No matter where we go, we always carry that sweet, loving piece of land where we were born and brought up with us.

That smell of earth, cool breeze, fluffy white clouds, wide green field, clear blue lotus filled waterbody, far away hills, golden bright sunlight … they draw images in our mind and these make our childhood memory so special.

Everytime I tell my son about my childhood Durga puja memories, I draw an image on his little mind. I can only see the finished canvas of my dream while he tries his best to connect both the worlds.

“Durga pujo” is not just an event. It’s a ocean full of emotions. It’s not only about the pandal and the idol and food and song and aarti, it’s even more.

The clear blue sky and floating fluffy white clouds, cool cozy breeze, smell of “Shiuli Phul” (night jasmine), bushes of “Kaash Phul” (catkins), lotus … they arrive with the welcoming message of the devine mother.

I have captured every little significant things in the nature that make us feel the presence of the divine mother “Ma Durga”. In our deepest feeling we start seeing her around us.

This is my dream project. I wanted to do this since I moved to USA. I have composed the whole thing two years ago and also started to paint. It was only half way done before my little Durga Ma(my daughter) arrived. I have worked more than 20 hrs in last 3 days to complete this. In total it took me more than 50 hours.

There are three more significant things shown in my painting.

“Kulo”: tray made out of bamboo canes. You can see this in the background. Kulo are used for separating the impurities from rice and wheat grains and also it is used while worshipping Goddess Durga.

“Ek Chala”: this is the frill background. This frill is made out of thermocol. Ma Durga comes with her whole family (Daughters Lakshmi, Saraswati and Sons Ganesh and Kartik) and the “EK-chala” represents that they all stay together.

“Dhaak”: Drum. Sound of Dhaak is the first thing that comes to out mind when we hear “Durga Pujo”. Pujo is not complete without Dhaak. You can say that Dhaak sound is the true essence of the festival.

God and Goddes’s ornaments and crowns are also made out of thermocol to signify the purity as the thermocol is bright white and artists (who make those ornaments) have very precise skill. Even painting all them was not fun I can say that.

To create the happy-village scenary, I have added six mini size figures. Four of them are just one cm long and rest 1 inch long.

Acrylic painting in 20″x16″ oval canvas.

Yaa Devi Sarva-Bhutessu Maatr-Ruupenna Samsthitaa |
Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namo Namah ||

To that Devi Who in All Beings is Abiding in the Form of Mother,
Salutations to Her, Salutations to Her, Salutations to Her, Salutations again and again.

I bow down to Ma Durga for not disowning me based on my any rightfully taken decision, for not judging me, for not making me feel like a looser, un-loved and un-wanted and for not closing the doors for me. I know you love me and will accept me when I will go to your door.