Featured Paintings
by Aadya Bommineni, Aradhna Praveen, and Shriya Shaji
We feature artwork from artists Meenakshi Iyer and Jahnavi Shukla. Thinking creatively, they found aspects of Guru Purnima in their work such as honoring one’s guru (teacher) and the wisdom they impart to their students.
Enjoy and please leave a comment!
The Scribe
Jahnavi Shukla
North Creek High School
11th Grade
“Today I will be discussing my painting, which I have titled "The Scribe", and its connection to Guru Purnima, the Hindu festival.
Guru Purnima is also known as Vyas Purnima, after Ved Vyas, an esteemed teacher and sage who compiled the Vedas, the foundational texts of Hinduism. He also dictated the Mahabharata, a famous epic in Hindu mythology, which was transcribed by Lord Ganesha.
In my painting, Lord Ganesha has broken one of his tusks to use as a quill in his right hand, which is how he is often depicted in Hindu culture, writing the Mahabharata. In front of him, Mooshak (Ganesha’s divine vehicle), the mouse, holds out a pot of ink for him to write with. Behind him, I have written a prayer in Hindi that is dedicated to Ganesha and Mooshak.
For me, this painting is a celebration of teachers (Gurus) who inspire us to do amazing things (like write the Mahabharata, as in the case of Ganesha), even if Gurus themselves may work behind the scenes (Ved Vyas ji is not pictured in my painting). Finally, I would like to thank my teacher, Ms. Deepti Agrawal, for being my Guru in my art journey.”
- Jahnavi
Ganesha’s Symphony
By Meenakshi Iyer
Redmond High School 11th Grade
“My painting, which depicts Ganesha, is inspired by the spirit of Guru Poornima, symbolizing learning, wisdom, and devotion. Ganesha holds a veena, which is an Indian musical instrument, and is seated on a lotus with a swan beside him, representing knowledge and the arts. In the background, I have featured the script Vinayaka Agaval, written in the oldest Indian language, Tamil. The script is a devotional and poetic hymn dedicated to Ganesha, tying musical knowledge and spirituality together to honor the guiding role of a guru.”
- Meenakshi
