When Man Gets Rain by Bhanu Shrivastav

An original artwork by Bhanu Shrivastav.

Inspiration from the myth of the Kalpavriksha, the wish-fulfilling tree. 'When Man Gets Rain' explores the idea of authority and fulfillment; questioning the very nature of desire and power.
"यथा चित्तं तथा भूतं, यथा भूतं तथा चित्तम्।"("As the mind, so the world; as the world, so the mind.")
This line, often attributed to various spiritual texts, emphasizes the interplay between the inner self and the outer world. It complements the artwork by highlighting the transformative nature of both thoughts and materials. At the same time, it questions the authority and reality of material existence, as ash symbolizes the ultimate, unchanging residue of life. The image of a crocodile, or makara, carrying the Kalpavriksha, symbolizes the tension between authority and the realization of wishes. By using ash—both from incense and cow dung—as the primary medium, the artwork grounds these mythological concepts in a material that represents the final residue of human existence. Ash, as the ultimate symbol of reality and mortality, challenges the idealism of wish fulfillment, questioning the permanence and authority of desires.

This artwork was exhibited at Method Delhi in the group exhibition "Formation & Fracture" a group exhibition featuring alumni from IMMERSE by  Somaiya Vidyavihar University (July 2025).