This work visualizes the transformation of the Kathmandu Valley as described in the Swayambhu Purana after Manjushri drains the primordial lake. The valley is reimagined as a vessel of abundance, where the self arisen flame of Swayambhu speaks to the richness and enduring fascination of our history and origin.

Primeval

Here, the doe like eyes he uses to depict his characters are characteristic of Mithila art. Sita’s wedding is depicted with a kobarghar and the bride is carried in a traditional mahapa palanquin—the backdrop reveals the classical bhitichitra motifs on the wall. In keeping with popular folk stories, fishes guide Sita’s boat as she journeys to her husband’s home. A dash of orange and blue offset the monotony of the brown tones and illuminates this prints.

Ramayana II

The Chhepu (Kirtimukha) in the painting represents the Toran (Tympanum) found around Kathmandu Valley and other parts of Nepal. The painting refers to the issue of conservation of heritage where intended to decorate and protect them, the concerned body applied layers of Enamel as a paint to the struts, pillars, tympanum, and other parts of the architecture/images. The Enamel tends to sit on the surface of those images, engulfing all the details of the images. Also, the layer of Enamel on those surfaces, especially wood, is impossible to undo, ironically destroying them.

Beautifully, Protected. (Triptych)

The Streets During Dashain — The festive time of Dashain - vendors selling rams and bucks (Chyangra, Khasi, and Boka), offerings, flowers, fruits, Kubindo, Wukhu and so on - transform the streets of Bhaktapur into a vibrant tapestry of communal harmony. The two paintings in the series are a depictions of that time, extracted from my memories of growing up in this city and how it continues on adapting with the changing times.

Street During Dashain - “बा यो खसी कि बोका ?”

Dolpo remains one of the last untouched and uncharted regions of the Himalaya. While it shares certain geographical and cultural echoes with other Himalayan communities of Nepal, its identity stands distinctly apart—rooted in its own language, rituals, oral histories, cuisine, jewelry, and, most visibly, its attire. These elements together have long defined a self-contained cultural world. However, the tides of migration and external influence have begun to reshape this landscape. Where culture once spoke effortlessly as identity, it now often requires explanation. Traditional patterns and textile practices are gradually shifting; handwoven woolen fabrics, once integral to daily life, are increasingly replaced by affordable, imported blends of polyester and cotton. This transition reflects not only economic change but also a subtle erosion of material heritage. In this body of work, I attempt to hold these two realities—the traditional and the contemporary—within a single frame. My paintings seek a quiet balance, where cultural memory coexists with present transformation, without conflict yet not without tension. Through composition and form, I aim to preserve an aesthetic continuity while acknowledging inevitable change. At its core, my practice is an effort to honor and reflect the enduring identity of Dolpo and its way of life.

dolwa

In this striking painting, the artist presents a single powerful form that unites all eight Bhairavs into one commanding presence. The central figure Unmatta Bhairav radiates fierce energy through blazing red eyes, sharp gestures, and multiple arms holding ritual objects. Faces emerging within the composition suggest the merging of different Bhairav aspects, each contributing its own strength and character. Rendered in bold monochrome tones against a warm ochre background, the body feels solid, intense, and timeless. The dynamic posture conveys movement, authority, and control over chaos. Beneath the raised feet, a subdued figure(likely apasmara) grounds the scene, symbolizing victory over ego and illusion. Rooted in traditional iconography yet expressed with a contemporary spirit, the painting captures the unified force, protection, and transformative power of all eight Bhairavs within a single, compelling image.

Unmatta Bhairav II

This striking artwork captures Batuk Bhairav, a fierce yet benevolent form of Shiva, as worshipped in places like Lagankhel . The central figure, rendered in dynamic monochrome, embodies the tandava dance , symbolizing the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, with the characteristic blue-masked face adding a vibrant, ritualistic focal point. Crucially, the depiction includes Shiva's calm profile appears to the right, signifying that Batuk Bhairav is himself an emanation of the ultimate reality, Shiva . The main figure stands victorious over a prostrate apasmara (demon of forgetfulness), emphasizing his role as the protector who dispels ignorance and worldly delusion.

Batuk Bhairav

'Age of Grace 'is inspired by 19th century Nepali scroll paintings and the sacred presence of Ushnisavijaya, connected to the ritual of Jyatha Janko in the Kathmandu Valley. Seeing my grandmother complete 77 years, 7 months, 7 days, and 7 minutes felt like witnessing time become sacred. The ritual turns aging into celebration and memory into blessing. Through this work, I reflect on how every phase of life carries dignity, continuity, and its own quiet grace.

age of grace

This painting is fragments of lived spaces, the boxes act like containers, holding memories, and traces that would otherwise disappear gradually.This work emerges from close observation, material sensitivity, and cultural memory. Rooted in the architectural language of Kathmandu, it draws from traditional motifs found in temples, muth, and mandir especially the carved wooden doors and windows shaped by patience, devotion, and skilled hands. These forms once carried ritual, function, and identity; today they remain quietly embedded in everyday surroundings, often passed without notice. This painting does not attempt to preserve these motifs as static relics of the past. Instead, it brings them forward reframed, reassembled, and contemporized within the present moment. The rhythms of wood carving, the repetition of patterns, and the structural logic of traditional architecture are translated into paint, allowing the surface to act as a time capsule that holds fragments of craftsmanship at risk of fading beneath modernization and habitual seeing. This work asks for recognition rather than nostalgia. It invites the viewer to pause and re-encounter what has always existed, yet often remains unseen. By shifting these architectural details into a contemporary visual space, the painting quietly honors the artisans who shaped them and reflects on how cultural beauty can continue to exist, evolve, and be perceived today.

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