The Hill Dwelling Celibate

Sabari is one of my favorite places on this earth. Though I have been there but 4 times, the experience that one gets on seeing the tiny statue of Manikandan being bathed in ghee that has been respectfully brought by devotees from far and wide, is something that is undescribable. The whole process of going to Sabari, right from the 41 day mandala vratha to the donning of the sacred mala and the following of an ascetic lifestyle, brings a whole new breath of life into you.

The place itself is so sacred, that you can feel it yourself. This was where Manikandan, the son of Shiva and Vishnu (Refer Vazhuvoor for details) decided to stay after his 18 years of life on earth were over. Believed to have been built by Panthala Rajan, the foster father of Manikandan, the temple stands at the summit of the Sabari hills. The temple is open only a select number of days every year. At Sabari, HariHarasuthan gives his darshan as a celibate and therefore women in their prime are not allowed to approach the sacred hill, lest the sanctity be lost.

This sketch depicts Manikanda as he sits today, atop Sabari, in a yogic posture, with one hand showing the chin-mudra and the other dangling down. He is seen to be sitting squated on a peetha, his legs constrianed by the yoga band. Seen below him is a small representation of Ponnambalam, the sanctum of Manikandan.

Hari Hara Suthan

Deepak

The Richest of Them All

Aah.. Who does not love him, the Lord of the Seven Hills? Venkat, as I fondly call him is one of the best known deities around the globe. Richly decked in glittering jewels, standing 7 feet tall, the swayambhu moorthi hardly fails to captivate anyone. Money continues to pour into the temple, thanks to the Dhana Akarshana Yantra that was installed by Shri Shankara. And that makes him the richest god in the world. But surprisingly, he uses all the collected wealth to pay off his interest for the loan he had borrowed from Kubera for his wedding. Just imagine the size of the Principal then!!!

The picture below happens to be an earlier attempt of mine to capture the glory of Venkatavan on paper. Mind you, it is no mean feat. But I gave it my best, and here it is. I have tried to get in a view of the Ananta Vimanam-the golden tower over the sanctum-and also the main entrance. I have also left the feet covered with flowers,which is what is done during the normal darshan. It is only during the Nijapada Seva that the feet is exposed completely to the onlooker.

Not a bad one for my first attempt, right?

Venkatavan

Deepak

The Butter Thief

Krishna was adorably known as Navaneetha Chora, or the butter thief, among the gopikas of Brindavan. Pictures of Krishna which show him eating up the butter from broken pots and highly suspended ‘uris’ are delightful indeed. He also used to give the stolen butter to monkeys, dogs and his friends. The gopis, though tired of this thieving behavior, continued to leave the butter pots in places that were easily accessible, for they loved to see him as the butter thief, his face smothered in the rich cream and giving the shy smile.

This pencil sketch shows Krishna, pondering over the next mischief to attempt. It could be the tying together of the Gopis’ long tresses, or perhaps just letting loose the cows and buffalos into the city of Mathura and creating total havoc .

Navaneetha Chora

Deepak

A Child Indeed!!!

Guruvayoorappan, the household deity of every Keralite, residing at Guruvayoor, is a very cute manifestation of the lord. With four arms carrying the Shankha, Chakra, Padma and Flute, baby Krishna oozes his charm on all his devotees, captivating them for the few moments that they stand before him. Believed to be a statue that was worshipped by Krishna himself at Dwaraka, and later installed at Guruvayoor by Guru and Vayu (and hence the place name), there is no wish that goes ungranted at the temple premises. The large crowds thronging the shrine to give thanks for favours received, alone make a good enough proof.

And so, here is my sketch of Guruvayoorappan, complete with the peacock feather fans adorning the back, with Chaturbhujam, each carrying the discus (Sudarshana), conch (Panchajanya), lotus and mace (Kaumodaki) respectively. This was one of  my very firts works and so, to this day, remains very close to me.

Also refer to Shri Krishna Tulabaram, to learn more about the age old tradition of Tulabaram in Guruvayoor.

Guruvayoorappan

Deepak

The Remover of All Obstacles

Though this was surely not the first of my various ‘Artworks’, I still intend to put it up at the very beginning. Like all we Hindus do, every first time is also the time to propitiate Ganesha. And so, here is my rendition of Balaganesh. The chubby god is seen here as a toddler of about a year old, carrying his beloved modak and crawling on. The Bala Swaroopa of the lord is said to grant untold wishes to the viewers and worshippers, including boons of progeny, marriage, unfound happiness and peace of life.

Bala Ganesh, Sept 2004

Deepak