The gentle waters of the River Ganga, the boat rides, the morning worship at the Ghats, the majestic temples, the architectural splendour of the havelis and the lanes buzzing with activity - all are delineated in the serene watercolor paintings of Pune based artist Sandeep Chhatraband.
"Every Ghat on the river Ganga has a story, every human being here express several things even without uttering a word. The water here shimmers when the morning light awaken the place which he tries to narrate through my landscapes." says the artist. Sandeep has travelled to Varanasi several times during almost every season of year. The changing hues of Varanasi kindles his senses as he experiences vivid transformation every second. Religious myths from this ancient spiritual city captivated his interest which is also demonstrated in his imagery. The Ghats of Varanasi come alive in Sandeep's works with its rituals and social life amidst the flowing Ganges and structural landscape.
Sandeep blends his colours so realistically in all his paintings that we can actually see the warmth of the rising sun. We can almost hear the city come to life in the glow of the morning, feel the peaceful radiance of a sunset lighting up the skies and transforming Varanasi into a shimmering and almost breathing entity. His paintings employ a visual drama to explore human interaction with nature.
Steeped in mysticism, Sandeep's paintings are replete with various hues that brings a dreamy effect to his works. They are colourful and uplifting, capturing the feeling of a place. Within his paintings he successfully combines perspective whilst capturing the ever changing light of the landscape. The paintings are worked on with single layer while also creating a vision of depth. The entire composition is attuned to strike the spiritual chord of the rich and vibrant past of Varanasi; the splendour of the temple architecture and the inherent charm of the Ghats.