madhubani

The artist explains that this peace painting is inspired by the notion of Krishna as the god of compassion, tenderness and love, who teaches about life, love, happiness, dharma, liberation, devotion, yoga, meditation and truth.

The kadamba tree is inextricably linked to the Hindu god Krishna's iconography, exquisitely depicted in this folk painting by Indian artist Bharti Dayal.

This stunning work of art is created in classic Madhubani style by applying acrylic paint and vegetable dyes on handmade paper. "Madhubani paintings are in fact a simplistic manifestation of the philosophical heights achieved by Indian civilization for the universal power of love, longing and peace -- the quest of all beings," the artist adds.

Marveling at a garden of flowers and peacocks, Hindu Goddess Radha and Supreme God Krishna leave a trail of love and compassion emblematic of their eternal bond. Inseparable since their love began, Radha and Kirshna exist within each other, making their existence mutually inclusive. Their pure consciousness in the garden scene demonstrates their inner peace, symbolized by each flower, swirl and bird. Krishna's leftward-facing peacock feather crown alludes to the presence of two peacocks who mirror their respective deities, with one looking right and the other left. Each vine of the garden spirals into its own unique shape, providing foliage and a home for colorful flowers and little birds. Kirshna becomes one with this garden, mingling with the spiral vines, seemingly floating across the scene. Bharti Dayal paints 'Eternal Love of Radha Krishna' in a two-dimensional contemporary style to concentrate on narrating one of Hinduism's greatest love stories for a modern audience.

"Madhubani paintings are in fact a simplistic manifestation of the philosophical heights achieved by Indian civilization for the universal power of love, longing and peace; the quest of all beings," Dayal says.

Mother nature begins with the tree of life in this World Peace Project painting by India's Bharti Dayal. As Mother Nature sits cross-legged, resembling a heart, she extends her limbs upwards, branching out into a full-grown tree with pink leaves and lotus flower motifs.

The artist explains that the unification of the female form and the tree suggests that femininity is in its essence peaceful. Just as Hinduism advocates the continuous growth of oneself and the pursuit of inner peace, 'Feminine Tree' depicts the figurative source of peace as the self, independent of the surrounding world.

The artist uses natural vegetable colors to depict this symbolic scene of Mother Nature existing within an empty gray domain, sprouting with vibrant pink, directing one's attention to the peaceful heights reached in the feminine universe.

Dayal carefully arranges her composition to tell the story of the tree of life, employing the classic Madhubani painting style. "Madhubani paintings are in fact a simplistic manifestation of the philosophical heights achieved by Indian civilization for the universal power of love, longing and peace -- the quest of all beings," Dayal says.

"Madhubani paintings are in fact a simplistic manifestation of the philosophical heights achieved by Indian civilization for the universal power of love, longing and peace – the quest of all beings," the artist explains, adding, “To achieve a state of inner peace is an inspiration for all. Through meditation, Lord Buddha attained inner peace, which inspired him to work for world peace. The end of greed, hatred and delusion is the state of Nirvana, which describes the Buddhist path and spiritual goal to mark the soteriological release from rebirth in the world.”

In this World Peace Project painting by Bharti, within a gray realm of absence, Buddha is depicted as a meditating silhouette adorned with a sacred lotus flower and turquoise. The lack of interruptions in the background highlights the sole importance of one's self in achieving nirvana, because worldly objects cloud the mind.

Bharti Dayal created this painting to celebrate the path of Nirvana in the quest for peace.