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THE BEAUTY ON CANVAS
A brief glimpses of Indian art



   I was walking down the streets of "Navi Mumbai" one scorching afternoon before I could catch my next train to GOA in the evening. For the first time in life, I was travelling to the southern part of India and was very excited. There would be no doubt about feeling the same if we look at the geography from where we come and especially if you are from "North-Eastern" part of the India, it adds a little more flavour to the excitement that you are already bearing to. The unforgiving heat in the hustle bustle of metro life seemed to have faded away, as one chase for the livelihood, where no one seemed to stop but rather travelling with an aim to reach the destination. One would see the touch of colonial era still prevails in the surrounding, though much have changed, the roads, lanes, architecture of buildings with huge colonial columns and arches still preserves the memories of India during the "British rule". As I was rummaging around with my own thoughts on the way to "Gate way of India" my eyes suddenly caught a section on the streets with vibrant colours on canvases. I paused for a moment to discover the unseen beauty, a story of street artist and their magical creation that were hidden behind the veil of new India.

I was dumbfound to discover the intricate details and the colour balance in each of the art pieces. The hierarchy of used pigments were so eye catching that one would probably keep staring at it  for hours and hours to go. Looking at these art works were indeed a very peaceful and just for the couple of hundred bucks, one could take away any of these beauties to home. 



However, the story were not same with the man, who painted all of these beauties. The vibrant colours on his canvas couldn't shine his dull and dark face. The hustle bustle of metro life seemed to have overlooked his creation. People were busy chasing colours in their life, fine tuning the details in their work, in hope for getting a better livelihood and amidst all of this, the beauties on his canvas seemed to have faded away, with the dust from the streets of Mumbai.
"Bhaiya yeh kitne ka hai ?" I asked about the price of few art pieces. "Yeh wale bash 120 rupees ka hai bhaiya" replied the owner. I was sure that I am not going to purchase, cuz I was on move. Even though, had I purchased any of the art pieces, that would have been in complete desolation by the end of my trip. I didn't bargain any further, neither I asked about the prices of other art pieces. I didn't want to be another vague hope for someone who had been sitting from early morning till late evening without even a glance from the passer-by. 


The subtlety of chaos through which one goes in life is often time remains invisible. While trying to meet the needs and demands of modern time, somewhere we have sacrificed the very art forms and skills we have, that had truly defined us, as a person who we actually were. It doesn't has any value now. We all are too busy to look into the colours on the canvas, which could perhaps tell us a different story, a different ways of life. In a chase for the better future, perhaps we have lost ourselves.




From the mythological figures to the early reign of kings, the artist had very cleverly depicted the history of our mystical and prosperous, great nation. The hue of RGB with a florescent yellow, had brightened up the street but it seemed that the light from the sun had outshined the brightness of canvas, leaving its charm for just to be a display material on the streets of Mumbai. 

Without saying much I left the place silently, leaving behind the colours and canvases all with the man  and praying for his creation to outshine his fate and the streets of Mumbai one fine day.

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