Amid chants of Ram*; I am enthralled by the inscriptions of Ram* by his pious mother Mrs. Sukrita Khanna, on his portrayals of Lord Shiva. Rohit Khanna was born and brought up in Dalhousie. A fatal fire took him to his Heavenly abode, very young. Unfortunately, most of his art works were also burnt.
His father, Kirti Khanna, was a wise and wealthy nobleman; and a renowned philanthropist. Bonu, as I called him by his nick name, was a friend of friends. I enjoyed memorable parties in his enjoyable company.
All I can say that Rohit was a devoted artist. I really like how he textured Shiva’s Trishul and Damroo. The lines are extraordinarily artistic. The compositions are pretty and the getups crisp. Bonu’s dedication and talent is praiseworthy. His art work conveys a sense of peace and spiritual connection; it is fantastic. Strokes and graphics are masterful and unique.
That is incredible. His style evokes so many emotions. It is marvelous –the way he has figured the sketches.
• The artist was blessed with his creative skills; a focused painter. He knew exactly what he wanted to create and did it with perfection; as if he was a born artist.
• Lord Shiva often holds deep symbolism in Hinduism. The Lord put an end to demons for the welfare of the Universe.
I am inspired by his amazing art styles. His work is a combination of faith and art; with a message within. The paintings have a great impact on my understanding of Lord Shiva.
• Bonu painted Shiva in many different ways to depict different emotions and forms. The artist has captured and conveyed the aspects and iconography associated with Lord Shiva-the symbols- Trishul, Damroo and Snake.
Since Lord Shiva is considered to be a destroyer it is believed that when he uses Damroo it implies destruction or Pralaya. It is a symbol of infinity, the endless time.
The Trishul represents the current energies within one’s body; the holy trinity of the Hindu religion.
A snake coiled around his upper arms and neck symbolizing the power he has over the most deadly of creatures.
Glimpses of the creations are a joy to view- no easy matter for anyone to choose a favorite. I wonder how passionate had he been to create such wonderful and brilliant illustrations. Rohit knew how to express himself through his art.
Prof. (Er.) Chander P Mahajan is an art critic & a free lance journalist. The Environmentalist stays in Shimla and Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, India.
