The Blue Garland – Radha Series

Description

“The Blue Garland”- Radha Series, painting 1.
Original work available for sale. DM me if interested. Acrylic on Unstretched canvas, 37 inches by 36 inches. (3 by 2.5 feet approx suggested framing). #swipe for more photos. Framing/scale simulation using artrooms app.

Like all my #feminist #feministmythology paintings, “Radha” series explores the discovery of love and power, for a modern woman.

The important quality that speaks out to me about Radha is- she doesn’t ‘need’ Krishna. She doesn’t ‘want’ Krishna. She is self-fulfilled in love. So much so, that she doesn’t need the object of her affection to bathe in his love.

Why do we love Radha-Krishna? Patriarchy praises her martyrdom. Patriarchy praises the unconditional love because it expects nothing else from a woman. But to me, I don’t love Radha because she sacrifices. She sacrifices nothing. In fact she is so full of her self-love. She manifests her beloved in herself, and hence loves her body, her mind and her being totally, unequivocally.

It is a Buddhist theory that when individuals come together self-fulfilled in themselves, both giving unconditionally, with no attachments, it will lead to self realisation.

When we love truly, with our cups full, we don’t want for anything. We are not thirsty. We are full. We only give.

So, women, lovers, friends, wives, husbands, partners, be a Radha.
Practice radical self-love.
When you are given a beautiful blue lotus garland (from Jayadeva Ashtapadhi), wear it yourself.
Like Aandal did.
Like Radha does in this painting.
Lose yourself in the flow,
Golden depths beckon to you.
Submerge.

I’ve used a lot of blue, as an all pervading continued symbolism of Krishna, who is a metaphor for being in the moment. Being here and now, is what Krishna professes and practices. And When you do that, your ego disappears. The water, the moment, takes over. You surrender to bliss.

Flow. Garland yourself. Love yourself. You are Radha. You are Krishna💙