As millions across the country celebrated Janmashtami, the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, on Thursday, Chennai-based artist Keshav Venkataraghavan's paintings from his "Krishna For Today" series touched a chord with many on social media.
Keshav, who has been posting pictures from his series on his social media accounts for quite some time now, has been illustrating several aspects of Krishna's life through his paintings.
Bala Leela. #watercolour #krishnafortoday #friend pic.twitter.com/PRMDGc2vyd
— Keshav (@keshav61) August 26, 2016
Krishna looks at Yashoda, and beholds the universe. #watercolour #krishnafortoday pic.twitter.com/FXshTjICvs
— Keshav (@keshav61) August 25, 2016
'Adhbhuta Balakam...' #watercolour #krishnafortoday pic.twitter.com/qfap5hO0Q6
— Keshav (@keshav61) August 24, 2016
GarudavAhana. #watercolour #krishnafortoday pic.twitter.com/eNz3WPfazU
— Keshav (@keshav61) August 23, 2016
Ragamala. #watercolor #krishnafortoday pic.twitter.com/Vg5coFOOuJ
— Keshav (@keshav61) August 22, 2016
Connecting with Krishna. #watercolor #krishnafortoday pic.twitter.com/UCClfAAOIt
— Keshav (@keshav61) August 21, 2016
Happy feet. #watercolor #krishnafortoday pic.twitter.com/1eSti5iQ5e
— Keshav (@keshav61) August 20, 2016
Arjuna experiences Krishna as Kripalu. #krishnafortoday #watercolour pic.twitter.com/2fGDXSulu0
— Keshav (@keshav61) August 17, 2016
Yashoda. #watercolor #krishnafortoday pic.twitter.com/KTKXGWjEvG
— Keshav (@keshav61) August 13, 2016
Vatsalya. #watercolor #krishnafortoday pic.twitter.com/X2R1iEoa3c
— Keshav (@keshav61) August 15, 2016
The News Minute's Chitra Subramaniam, who spoke to the artist earlier this year, writes, "Keshav’s Krishna is beyond religion and dogma, beyond nations and nationalities. It is free of human frailties and prejudices even as they are understood and dealt with. He has Chinese Krishna and a Greek one and according to him if Krishna were walking on the streets today, he would most probably be wearing jeans and a T."
His paintings have been garnering rave reviews and appreciation on the internet.
I would hardly call myself religious, but something about @keshav61’s Krishna paintings that always puts my mind in a spiritual zone.
— Nandita Iyer (@saffrontrail) August 25, 2016
@keshav61 What lovely expressions!! Stunningly amazing
— Dr. Sahiba (@espiritz_) August 25, 2016
@keshav61 This is so soothing :)
— Vaishali (@NestaDreams) August 25, 2016
@keshav61 enchanting. Just as Krishna himself:)
— mayura (@redearthz) August 25, 2016
@keshav61 Wonderful. But then all your Krishna illustrations are.
— seema chishti (@seemay) August 25, 2016
The artists's displayed works include the Experiments with Krishna series, New Forever Series, Single line series (eka-rekha), Dialogues with Arjuna series, the Kaliamardhana series, the Govardhana series, Krishnapremi series and the Vatsalyam series.
Read the full piece here: A work of art is never complete for an artist: Keshav Venkataraghavan