Featured Paintings
by Aadya Bommineni, Aradhna Praveen, and Shriya Shaji
Hello all, this month we are featuring two paintings from artists Dhiya Souresh and Sanskriti Shukla, and how they connect to the bright and festive holiday Diwali!
The Golden Deer
Name - Dhiya Souresh
School - Canyon Park Middle School
Grade - 8th Grade
“This painting is called “The Golden Deer,” inspired by a scene from one of the greatest Indian mythological stories told: the Ramayana. In it, there is a dramatic story where a demon, whose name is Ravana, seeks revenge for his sister who had been heartbroken after she got rejected by Rama, who was married loyally to his wife. To get revenge on Rama, Ravana planned to capture Sita. He got the help of another demon called Maricha, a demon who would change his appearance to look like a golden deer to get the attention of Rama while he was in exile. After getting shot with an arrow by Rama, he goes back to his original form and shouts in Rama’s voice to get Sita to run towards the voice. A shocked Sita sends Lakshmana to help him, only allowing him to make a protective barrier around her before leaving. Ravana was able to capture Sita despite the barrier, which led to her getting taken to his kingdom, making Rama and Lakshmana go on an elaborate adventure to save her. On the right, the conclusion where Ravana kidnaps Sita brings a sense of danger. I used different designs and color schemes to reflect the moods—tranquility on the left and tension on the right. In my painting, I have used techniques like kachini, bharani, and watercolor. Diwali was also created to celebrate the defeat of Ravana. Lord Rama, Sita, and Lakshman were all sent to the forest for 14 years of exile.”
- Dhiya
Sooraj
Name - Sanskriti Shukla
School - North Creek High School
Grade - 10th Grader
“This painting is named “Sooraj”, and is based on the Hindu God, Surya Dev. Surya Dev is the Sun God in Hinduism and is known to be the ultimate source of light and energy. Light is a central symbol in Hinduism, and is seen throughout the religion. One important celebration of light is Diwali. Diwali is known as the festival of lights, for the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. During Diwali, we light “diyas,” or clay lamps in our homes as the light of the diyas reflects warmth, illumination, and hope signifying the importance of light in our lives. The Sun is also why we can receive light in our daily lives, making it even more important to us.”
- Sanskriti
