Mumbai Artist Sketches the Life of Buddha in 80 Paintings

HINDUSTAN TIMES

INDIA - Artist Preksha Lal, 27, has always been deeply influenced by the town of Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh, where the Buddha first taught the lesson of Dharma. Now, she will exhibit a series of 80 paintings on the life of Gautama Buddha, from December 13 to 19 at the Hirji gallery at the Jehangir art gallery, Kala Ghoda. Lal spent four of her childhood years in Sarnath when her father, a government employee, was posted in Varanasi. "We would go there every weekend. I have the images of Sarnath inscribed in my mind," says Lal. In her paintings, she portrays various stages of Buddha's life, such as his renunciation of worldly life to attain Nirvana, and his first sermon. Lal has also painted important Buddhist sites such as the Sanchi stupa in Madhya Pradesh, Sarnath and the Buddhist goddess Tara for the exhibition. [link]