Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Madhubani Painting!



Madhubani Paintings, also known as Mithila paintings is one of the ancient forms of Indian painting, practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar state, India and the adjoining parts of Terai in Nepal. I have never attended any class to teach myself Madhubani, I have never  met anyone who liked  Madhubani painting. I am very interested in Mithila art, As an admirer of this form of painting, and as a beginner was so delighted to read about this Painting  So I Goggled about it  and read through those very similar articles about Madhubani art and wanted to straight away draw...The Images taken from google and Madhubani art book.



 This Is first Try of Madhubhani In Pot



The Madhubani painting or Mithila Painting are originated at the time of the Ramayana, when King Janak commissioned artists to do paintings at the time of marriage of his daughter, Sita, to Hindu god Lord Ram.These paintings has been done traditionally by the women of villages around the present town of Madhubani (the literal meaning of which is forests of honey) and other areas of Mithila. The name is itself named on the village Madhubani.

The painting was traditionally done on freshly plastered mud wall of huts, The paints colors were made using natural dyes/pigments were traditionally derived from natural sources like plants, charcoal soot, ochre etc and painted using twigs, fingers brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks, and is characterized by eye-catching geometrical patterns.“

Madhubani paintings mostly depict nature and Hindu devotional events, and the themes generally revolve around Hindu deities like Krishna, Ram, Shiva, Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. Natural objects like the sun, the moon, and the religious plants like tulsi are also widely painted, along side scenes from the royal courts and social events like weddings. Generally no empty space is left; the gaps are filled by paintings of flowers, animals, birds, and even geometric design

This is one art which requires patience ...the space is usually not left blank but filled with some geometric patterns and other small animals amidst the deities ! Painting the complicated designs is time consuming and of course perfection to fill in the small gaps ..

I loved the bold use age of colours, ornate floral pattern, double line border, geometric figures, flora and fauna in those beautiful Madhubani Folk Art... The designs of a Madhubani painting can be as simplistic or as complicated as you want them to be. Also, the colours can be as vibrant as you like. This is my first attempt at a Madhubani using water colurs and pen on paper.

Materials Required

•Cloth/Handmade paper

•Trace paper

•Fabric colours(for cloth)

•Poster colours (for paper)

•Black outliner

•Carbon sheet

Choose a design anddraw the required pattern on the trace paper and copy the design into the cloth/paper using carbon sheet.

The design pattern should be simple and clear ! It is often seen that traditionally there are only basic colours used like orange , green and red but you can add colurs like pink, purple, blue to make it more attractive.

You can make improvements in designs like changing the features of face, as it generally seen features in Madhubani are not sharp.

Make sure you have a border . It will add new dimensions to your painting

Over the weekend I have managed to finish this one...my first MADHUBANI Painting

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Under Pressure- The Force Applied !



Angry wind howling million clear raindrops of the rain are pouring. Wind develops as a result of spatial differences in atmospheric pressure .Due  to  Strong wind large branches move, leaves rustle, .From my window slab and watch the sound of the rain falling on the leaves in a roof; and the bunch of flowers are soaked with water.. I sat quietly, asking for insight and I pondered about pressure... Pressure plays a number of important roles in daily life.

The first is that wherever we work or live we will encounter challenges, difficulties, and obstacles.  All of these will create pressure for us. The force in my life is all the things that are weighing me down -   So many things that I wanted to do, I didn’t.  I didn’t even give myself a chance to try — simply because I don’t  know how to do it. Apart from that my responsibility,  stress, deadlines, fear about future... Etc how to deal with some of the problems that are cropping up for me right now and was whisked back to my secondary section physics class where we learned that pressure equals force over area. One of the things I enjoy most about my job as while teaching a science as a subject. While teaching I always apply science with day to day life. One of my favourite topic I like most in it, we deal with Force & pressure, let's try to equate this to physics. As long as the hurdles are overcome, the pressure will disappear spontaneously.
The area is me - and when I am small, the pressure feels heavier.  I stay small by not sharing, by not growing, by not expanding. When I shared with my family/friend the pressure changed because now they shouldered the burden with me.  For instance; if one cheerleader were holding another cheerleader on her shoulders, with the girl above standing on the shoulder blades of the girl below, the upper girl's feet would exert a certain pressure on the shoulders of the lower girl. This pressure would be equal to the upper girl's weight ( F, which in this case is her mass multiplied by the downward acceleration due to gravity) divided by the surface area of her feet.

The words "force" and "pressure" have many shades of meaning in English. However, they are generally associated with agents of change. Thus things try to force you to change, or apply pressure on you to change. Alternatively, they are often thought of as things to be resisted if you do not want to change. You withstand the force, or you cope with the pressure.

The best way to resolve this problem is to change your thinking habit.  Start thinking positively.  Always look on the bright side of life, and replace your old mind with a new one. . Realizing that I DO in fact instantly lighten the pressure from my friends simply by listening to them allowing them space to expand and grow.  When you share, grow, and expand - physically and emotionally because our energy IS matter  your surface gets bigger . 



when your surface is bigger the lessens - even though the burden remains the same.  And then, all your worries will be solved and all the pressures will vanish and let your heart be joyful and your spirits lifted. time understanding these basic concepts the standard SI units they conform to the simple, self-consistent. In the real world the balancing of forces always comes down to the balancing of pressures.The concept of force and pressure is based on this push or pull. Understand this concept was able to inhale deeply and noticed my chest felt more expansive and was able to take in a deeper breath.  I felt lighter.  My mood shifted. All I need to alleviate the pressure in my life is to Expand my horizons... expand my circle ... expand my mind and  alleviate the pressure.


Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Ponniyin Selvan -Amarar Kalki



Has anyone read Amarar Kalki's Ponniyin Selvan?He as written for the Tamil weekly Kalki and appeared as episodes for close to 3.5 years from 1950 to 1954. The story spans 5 parts, of which the fifth has two volumes. Each book is around 300 to 350pages long, making it around 2000pages. Hats off! to Amarar Kalki. He captivates the reader's mind after 50 years of its publication also. The descriptions, the plot, the way he has woven the story, even though it speaks about 1000 year old Chola kings and kingdom are really commendable.



 I have read Ponniyin selvan from my school days. Once I started reading, I found myself glued to it and all I did apart from sleeping, praying, bathing was to read, read and read.Now on of my friend send this novel in pdf format.. After a long time I just finished reading Ponniyin selvan once again. First I read it to understand the plot. Second time, for deeper plot understanding Third time, read it completely with narrations of even silliest things. It as been a "Awesome Experience" - I fell short of words to describe this novel..One of my favorite tamil historic novel .First time while reading The very first page drawn me and as with each page, I am more and more excited to know what’s next. To my surprise, that even made me to forget my sleeps and hunger till I completed the book within a week span(2000 pages).  While reading this novel It took me months to wake myself out of Thanjai, Ilangai and basically out of the Ponniyin Selvan world. It was Fantasy as never experienced before. The characters are still alive even years after reading this master-piece.
 

I fall in love with vandiyadevan and Arulmozhivarman & Kundavai. After travelling alongwith Vanthiyathevan, after walking with Kundavai and Nandini in the palaces of Thanjavur, after swimming with Arulmozhi varman and poonguzhali i felt really lonely when the novel ended.
 

Historical, Spy thriller, comedy and romance every kind of genre I find it in this novel. I would say, I have been living a life with the kings, the princes, the warriors and the other characters of Ponniyin Selvan from the day I started reading the novel. Even now the cast members (Azhwarkadiyan Nambi,Vandiyadevan, Arulmozhivarman, Poonkuzhali and many more) flashes through my memory whenever I came across the name. Think of reading this book Once more!

Thursday, June 6, 2013

The Great Bell Chant (The End of Suffering)




Thich Nhat Hahn is a,Zen,monk is a true spiritual master of the twentieth century. I am inspired by his poem & writings. The Great Bell Chant (The End of Suffering)This is one of my favorite poem by him. 

As a Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh has reminded us, “an instrument to help us penetrate deeply into reality and obtain liberating insight.  With impermanence, every door is open for change.”  When we can let go and embrace the unknown, fear subsides.Listening to Thich Nhat Hanh talk about the use of the bell as an integral part of one's meditation practice, "The mindfulness bell is the voice of our spiritual ancestors, he instructs: Its sounds call us back to our true home in the present moment--to emptiness."His writings speak of peacefulness, of oneness. Loving kindness and mindful meditation. The power of these simple practices can change the world!
 Every time I watch and listen to this video, my heart opens and is filled with wonder over our universe.  My spirit soars with inspiration and joy!




The Great Bell Chant (The End Of Suffering)

May the sound of this bell penetrate deep into the cosmos

Even in the darkest spots living beings are able to hear it clearly

So that all suffering in them ceases, understanding comes to their heart

And they transcend the path of sorrow and death.

A beautiful child appears in the heart of the lotus flower

One single drop of this compassionate water is enough to

Bring back the refreshing spring to our mountains and rivers.

Listening to the bell I feel the afflictions in me begin to

Dissolve. My mind calm, my body relaxed.

A smile is born on my lips.

Following the sound of the bell, my breath brings me back to

The safe island of mindfulness in the garden of my heart,

The flowers of peace bloom beautifully.

~Thich Naht Hanh