The Namesake

A renowned oncologist from the US happens to be my namesake and someone I respect like an elder brother. How does one repay the kindness of a doctor who is dedicated to fight against cancer and against all odds, save the precious human lives? Simply, not possible to repay this brave heart with the kindest touch. Hence, in my humble way, I’ve dedicated this 18” x 24” mixed media painting to Chirantan Da. It happens to be that Dr. Ghosh hails from my hometown, Kolkata. In this portrait, I have attempted to capture the cultural heritage of Bengali lifestyle in the quintessential old Kolkata backdrop.

কল্মষমোষিণি (Kolmosh-moshini): Vanquisher of Darkness

 কল্মষমোষিণি in Bengali means the one who brings about the end of sins or darkness. This adjective is bestowed upon the deity, mother Durga, who brings the end of — Mahisashur (all powerful demon) signifying our own inner darkness. She is the mother who helps us overcome all darkness, and nurtures with light and the greens of creation. This 15” x 11” mixed media canvas is homage to my Bengali heritage, it is a creative expression of sincere respect.

Pehelgam

This 12” x 24” mixed media painting is my reaction to the massacre of Pehelgam, where innocent tourists were gunned down by terrorists. Lost a colleague, who was there with his wife and son! The biggest disappointment and disillusionment were the lack of outcomes [1 May 2025]… the colors speak for themselves and of my emotions.

উড়ন্ত (Uronto): Flying

উড়ন্ত (Uronto) literally means flying… for me it’s more than that. It’s also about freedom, precision and engineering marvel of nature. This is a 18” x 24” mixed media painting inspired from my visit to Düsseldorf Kunst im Tunnel and the Sundarban region of Bengal.

Dragonflys are amazing flyers, they can fly 20-35 miles/ hour (30-55 Km/hour), have almost 360• view, turn on dime, fly backwards while in flight. However, the blue-tailed bee-eater catcher still plucks it out of the sky… such is nature. So let’s enjoy the time we have for carefree flight.

আলাপন (Alapon): Communion

আলাপন or Alapon means communion. This could be of colors and emotions. This 8” x 10” mixed media painting is an adaptation of a previous series but speaks to me better. To me, this is an attempt to bridge the gap between earthly and ethereal, the individual and the universal.

The title, Alapon, is rooted in the Indian classical music traditions, refers to the slow improvisational introduction to a raga - a space void of lyrics - only an exploration of notes. Once paired with Communion, we explore the true spiritual or human connection - excluding dialogue - that exists in the “pre-speech” of the soul… the resonance of silence.

পবন (Pawan): Gale

পবন or Pawan literally means the wind. This mixed media painting is 12” x 15” and it explores the boundaries of traditional landscape with figure line-art with a touch of impressionism. The name of emperor Ashoka’s steed was Pawan because of his speed. Story goes that Pawan saved the young prince’s life, breaking enemy formations with his charge and took Ashoka to sanctuary in the Himalayas. Here, Gale captures the spirit of wind and wild nature of untamed horses.

লোহিতা (Lohita): Crimsona

লোহিতা (Lohita): Crimsona is a 22” x 29” exploration in mixed media to test out a technique of brushstrokes. This is a painting where I want the audience to come very close to observe the deliberate details and also step back a bit and squint their eyes to enjoy the title.