Kenistudio

The Divine Story of Vamana and Mahabali Multiple lifetimes ago, the souls of Vasudeva and Devaki engaged in long and grueling austerities. When Lord Shri Hari appeared, pleased with their devotion, and asked them, they wished for only one thing - to bear the Supreme Lord Himself as their child. While we famously know them as the parents of Lord Krishna, their divine wish was first fulfilled when Shri Hari took avatar as Vamana, a brahmin boy, born to them in an earlier incarnation as Kashyapa and Aditi. The Tale of King Mahabali During the era of King Mahabali, a formidable ruler who had conquered the heavens, completed 99 grand yagnyas. As he began his 100th, Indra grew fearful. Completing a hundred yagnyas would automatically grant Mahabali the throne of Indra. Desperate to safeguard the balance, Indra approached Lord Shri Hari for help. Responding to the prayers of the devas, Shri Hari took the form of Vamana. Shortly after His upanayana, the young Lord walked toward Mahabali’s yagn...

Beyond the Three Paces - Capturing Mahabali’s True Sacrifice in the Vamana Avatar Painting   Finding the perfect narrative moment to depict an Avatar of Vishnu is always a spiritual and a creative challenge. My goal is never to just illustrate a story. It is to capture the absolute essence and philosophical core of the Avatara.  When I began conceptualizing the Vamana Avatar painting, I knew I had to go beyond the usual dynamic imagery of the three paces and Trivikrama’s giant form. Those are powerful moments, but they are not the central points. My composition is a direct expression of the Avatar's core: Atma Nivedana, or the total surrender of oneself. The true resolution of the Vamana story isn't about Mahabali losing his kingdom. It is about his offering. Him realizing that after everything else has been claimed, the only real thing he could offer is his own self. He asks Vamana, who is both the Supreme Lord and his beloved guest, to place the final step upon his ego, effe...

Painting Matsya Avatar - The Spiritual Irony of Protecting the Protector The first of the Dashavatara series painting, the Matsya Avatara, looked quite straightforward in the beginning. A huge fish, Matsya, guiding the precious ship of survivors through the roaring pralaya waters. But I thought, what is the true essence of this avatara? The answer was protection. Of course, we know who protects us. Who other than Lord ShriHari has the capability to sustain the universe? ​A few days later, I was reading a passage from the Bhagavata Purana where Krishna is ready to leave Indraprastha for Dwaraka after the Pandavas have settled in. Yudhishthira, overflowing with love for Krishna, insists that the Lord cannot travel alone and requires bodyguards. It struck me as profound. Why would the Being who safeguards the entire cosmos need protection from mere thieves and wild animals? Yet Krishna accepts the gesture without a second thought. He is not filled with ego. He is complete. So, when He see...

 The Quiet Grace of Adivaraha: A Reflection on Divine Kindness and Sadhana ​ When we think of the Varaha Avatara, the mind often conjures images of fierce celestial battles. But when I sat down to paint Adivaraha for my Dashavatara series, I didn't want to capture the fury of battle. He can become fierce. But that fierceness is not the essence of the avatara.  ​I wanted to capture His quiet, unshakeable calm. ​I wanted to paint the serene face of a protector who lifts everything that exists with absolute grace. All because the higher jeevas, endowed with bodies, sadhana-sharira, longed for a realm to perform sadhana and ultimately attain moksha. ​This is the true, overwhelming kindness of the Supreme Lord. He doesn't just grant us our spiritual journey. He builds and sustains the very floor beneath our feet so that we might walk toward Him. ​The Weightless Universe and the Primordial darkness ​In this composition, the backdrop is a deep, swirling darkness. The Lakshmyatmaka Ta...

When I first set out on my Dashavatara series, I assumed the process would be straightforward. Pick pivotal moments from my existing research and translate them to canvas. ​My initial 2020 study of Narasimha, an oil on primed paper, felt obvious at the time. My focus was purely on raw, fiery rage. I wanted a lion’s face consumed by flame with Prahlada standing untouched in the corner. ​However, after finishing the Varaha Avatara and delving deeper into the Bhagavata Purana alongside Sri Madhvacharya’s Srimad Ananda Tirtha Bhagavata Tatparya Nirnaya, my perspective shifted completely. I realized I had to revisit the painting. ​The fire of Narasimha was never aimless fury. It was a metaphorical furnace meant solely to burn away Hiranyakashipu's ego and Adharma. Where the world saw an unnatural, terrifying, and a violent form, Prahlada saw a mother. ​Just like a mother who chastises her child out of intense love, giving him chances to rectify his ways before taking firm action, the Lo...

The Cosmic Boar: Unveiling Varaha from the Dashavatara Series The Dashavatara series continues, and this time, we are diving deep into the cosmic ocean with Varaha, the mighty third avatar of Lord Vishnu. When conceptualizing this piece, I wanted to capture more than just the traditional imagery of the boar rescuing the earth. I wanted to convey the immense, universe-spanning scale of the Lord Himself. ​In the final piece, Varaha’s profile anchors the canvas. I focused heavily on the rugged, earth-toned texture of the skin and the sharp, imposing sweep of the tusk. The true focal point, however, is the eye which is strikingly human, serene yet deeply intense. It gazes out against the chaotic beauty of a swirling, blue and purple vortex.  ​Behind the Brush: From Sketch to Cosmos ​Building this piece required careful layering to achieve the necessary depth. I’ve included some process photos below so you can see how the background galaxy evolved from flat, structural color blocks into...

Painting Light – Bringing Matsya to Life Matsya - Manu One of the greatest joys of oil painting is watching light emerge layer by layer. This painting was never intended to rely on dramatic contrasts alone. I wanted the light to feel as though it originated from Matsya Himself, gently illuminating King Manu's face and hands. The warm glow across Manu's chest, neck, and chin was built using transparent glazes of  Quinacridone Sienna  (with  PO48 ), one of my favourite pigments. Its rich golden warmth has a depth that I have always found difficult to replace. Since this pigment is no longer manufactured, every painting that contains it feels a little more special to me. I'm glad that it became part of this one. The fish is the only true source of light in the painting. I wanted its glow to gently illuminate Manu's face and hands, hinting that this is no ordinary creature. The Divine often reveals itself softly before it reveals itself gloriously. Stages of painting Workin...

Kurma Avatara - The Grand Reveal: Kurma Avatar and the Foundation of the Dashavatara Series Over the past few posts, I've shared the story of Kurma avatara and the ideas that gradually shaped this painting. Today, I'm delighted to finally share the completed work. With this series, my aim is not simply to illustrate stories from the Puranas. My challenge as an artist is to transform scripture into composition. Today, I am absolutely thrilled to present the foundational piece of my Dashavatara series and my very first painting. Bringing the Cosmic Churning to Life ​This painting represents a massive milestone for me. Measuring 21" X 28", it serves as the visual anchor for everything to come in this series. ​In the artwork, you can see Kurma Avatar submerged in the churning, deep-blue waters, his expression resolute as he carries the immense weight of Mount Mandara. The texture of his shell and the sharp details of his gaze are contrasted by the churning white sea foam...

  The Research - When I began reading about the Kurma Avatara, I realized a few things. But what struck me most was that Kurma avatara is not merely about strength. It is about divine support. The Lord does not simply intervene once and leave. He sustains every step of the journey, often in ways that remain unnoticed. While thinking about the composition, I considered including the devas, the asuras, Vasuki, and the churning itself. But I realized that if I painted every element of the story, the viewer's attention would be divided among the many events taking place. I wanted the painting to speak about something quieter and more fundamental. Throughout the manthana, the Lord was the unseen stability behind every action. He upheld the mountain, strengthened those who churned, sustained Vasuki, and ensured that the divine purpose continued uninterrupted. That idea became the foundation of this painting. So I deliberately removed everything except Him. The absence of the devas and a...

Kurma Avatara – The Story The story of Kurma avatara begins even before the churning of the ocean. A great war had broken out between the devas and the asuras. The devas fought valiantly, but there was one overwhelming advantage on the side of the asuras. Their guru, Shukracharya, possessed a divine science by which even slain asuras could be brought back to life. No matter how many battles the devas won, the asuras returned again and again. Unable to overcome this, the devas approached Lord Shri Hari and sought His guidance. The Lord advised them to make peace with the asuras temporarily and work together to churn the Kshira Sagara, the Ocean of Milk. Hidden within it was amrita, the nectar of immortality. Once the devas obtained the amrita, they would no longer be vulnerable in battle. Following His instructions, the devas and the asuras joined forces. Lord Shri Hari Himself accompanied them. Mount Mandara was chosen as the churning rod, and Vasuki, the king of serpents, became the c...

The transformation of cloth is one of my favourite stages in oil painting. The image on the left is the end of my second pass, where I focus entirely on building the structure. At this stage, I'm not chasing rich colours. Instead, I'm concerned with the folds, the rhythm of the fabric, the direction of the light and the overall form. Once that foundation is in place, the magic begins. The image on the right shows the same cloth brought to life with transparent layers of Transparent Red Iron Oxide by M. Graham & Co. This remarkable pigment allows the underlying structure to remain visible while bathing the fabric in a warm, luminous glow that opaque paint simply cannot achieve. A special thank you to my wonderful sister-in-law, who lovingly brought this tube all the way from the USA for me. Every time I use it, I'm reminded that art is often created not only with brushes and pigments, but also with the love and encouragement of family. ❤️ For the deepest shad...

Vasudeva Carrying Krishna Vasudeva carrying Krishna -Oil on Canvas The birth of Sri Krishna is not merely the arrival of a child into the world. It is the appearance of the Supreme Lord Himself, who descends out of compassion for His devotees and for the protection of dharma. Among the countless souls in creation, how great must be the fortune of Vasudeva and Devaki, who after lifetimes of devotion and tapas were blessed with the opportunity to serve Sri Hari as His earthly parents. Yet even after witnessing the Lord's divine form, their service was not complete. On the night of Krishna's birth, Vasudeva was entrusted with a sacred duty: to carry the infant Lord safely across the flooded Yamuna to Gokula. The river was in spate, the skies were dark, and rain lashed down relentlessly. Yet none of these obstacles could discourage him. When one is given the opportunity to perform seva for Sri Hari Himself, what hardship could possibly seem great? This episode has alway...