Shabari's Patience

Ramayana has moments that are grand and unforgettable. Like the breaking of Shiva's bow, the building of the bridge to Lanka, the great battles, and then there are quieter moments that speak just as deeply to the heart.

Oil painting of Shabari awaiting Lord Rama, inspired by the Ramayana. Explore symbolism, devotion, patience and the finished artwork.
Shabari's Patience


Shabari's story is one of those moments. She spent years waiting for Rama. Everyday she prepared herself with the same faith, never knowing whether that would be the day He would arrive. She simply continued to wait with unwavering devotion, never allowing hope to fade into doubt. That quiet patience has always moved me.

Every morning, I imagine Shabari waking before sunrise. She cleans her little hut, finishes her daily chores, walks into the forest to gather berries, and returns home to place them carefully in a basket. Then, almost without thinking, she steps behind the familiar tree and looks down the forest path. Not because she knows Rama will come that day, but because love keeps hoping. After years of waiting, perhaps... today.

In this painting, I wanted to capture not just an elderly woman standing beside a tree, but the feeling of someone whose entire life has become an act of devotion. The slight smile, the searching eyes, the humble hut in the background, and the basket of berries speak of a simple albeit great life.

Like Shabari herself, this painting also demanded patience. It was built slowly over many weeks through countless layers of oil paint. Colours shifted, forms emerged gradually, and the expression evolved little by little until it finally began to reflect the tenderness I had imagined from the beginning. Oil painting has a wonderful way of teaching patience to the painter as much as to the viewer. Perhaps that is why I was drawn to this subject.

In a world that constantly asks us to hurry, Shabari reminds us that love does not keep a clock. True devotion asks only for sincerity, not speed. I hope this painting carries even a small part of that feeling.

Thank you to everyone who has followed this journey from the early sketches and awkward first layers to the finished work. Your encouragement has made the long process all the more meaningful.

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