About my Still-Life painting - Saawan Ka Mahina

About the Still-Life painting inspired by the song - Saawan Ka Mahina

Acrylic on 48’ round Stretched Canvas {2024}

Theme: Love for the rains, feeling relaxed, happiness and joy, a feeling of being blessed, feeling of being showered with goodness, good mood, an appreciation of nature, nostalgia, longing for simpler times.

The round canvas tells us that the feeling of joy that the rains bring is universal.

The grey background is meant to evoke the feeling of cloudy skies and the yellow umbrella welcomes the monsoon showers. The umbrella is all encompassing and protective. We are safe under its cover.

I love the song - ‘Saawan Ka Mahina Pawan Kare shor / Jiyaraare Jhoome Aise Jaise man ma nacho mor’ from the 1967 Hindi movie Milan which was a popular song back then and continues to be much loved and hummable song today more than 50 years later too. This song brings a smile on the face of everyone who hears it!

Indian actress Nutan’s innocent and smiling face is an instant recall. As a Indian woman who has grown up during that era, this song with all its old world charm was my vision of a rose tinted world. The doll, Penn-Naari - 'Penn"means 'Girl' in Tamil and 'Naari' means 'Lady' in Hindi, represents Nutan as she holds our memories safe. Our women hold the fabric of our society together and nurture it. They have their dreams too. 

The sparrows represent you and me as people who feel joyful during the monsoon season. The book titles are some of the lyrics from the song.

Set up on a Wooden table outdoors, this Still-Life painting is meant to bring indoors the feeling of being outside during the rains.

The vacant spaces within the canvas are the meant to silence the noises of the world outside.