A New Gurudeva Visions Painting for Kadavul Temple

The portrait of Gurudeva by Indra Sharma on the South wall of Kadavul

His daughter

s painting hangs opposite on the north mandapam, with Nataraja below'

The painting by Veena. Click the full screen icon to see a full size version

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For years a beautiful work of art depicting the 16-armed Pradosha Siva graced the main mandapam of Kadavul Hindu Temple. Following Gurudeva's tenth Mahasamadhi observations in 2011, the monks were inspired to create a new work of art that incorporated five of Gurudeva's mystical visions. Amazingly, the daughter of Indra Sharma, the master painter who did Gurudeva's portraits in the late 90s visited the monastery for the first time. Veena Sharma lives in Mumbai and her sister is married to a doctor on Kauai. Veena came to the monastery and learned of our new project and asked if she could do it. She shared, "My father was such a gifted artist, and we all were guided by him.It would be such an honor in my life if a painting of mine could be hung in the same temple as his giant one of Gurudeva standing with the trisula. Please allow me to do it."

The monks made sketches of five visions surrounding Pradosha Siva: the three-fold vision of Siva that began Iraivan Temple, meeting Ganesha in Mauritius, Siva dancing on his head, enlightenment in Jailani Caves of Sri Lanka and Lord Murugan's pounding the earth to show where the Siva Nataraja would be installed.

Veena returned to her studio in India and began the 3-foot by 4.5-foot work. In January of 2012 Sadasivanathaswami and Satyanatha were in Mumbai and met Veena, reviewed the canvas and made some small suggestions for refinements. Veena went back to the canvas, made the adjustments and sent the finished work to Kauai in March. As she had hoped, her own creation shines just across from her father's for all to enjoy.