This is a personal project of mine. Vriksha ( Sanskrit for tree ) is a desk calendar comprising of a series of six illustrations.
Inspired by the Indian mythological stories in Maneka Gandhi's book "Brahma's Hair" ; each illustration is carefully created with a lot of thought and work behind it. The theme I have taken is Indian mythology of trees. I chose the trees for the months they flower in. The style of illustration is according to the folk art of the Indian state in which the tree is predominantly found.
Cover page.
Vriksha (Sanskrit) means tree. The main theme of the calendar is the story behind each tree, hence the name. It is a desk calendar created for the year 2015.
Month: January and February
Tree: Red silk cotton tree (Bombax malabaricum)
State: Kerala
Style: Kerala mural painting
Story: The king and his soldiers chase the demon in the forest for devouring the queens. But the demon had, in desperation, climbed a tall tree. And, as he climbed, he pulled out all his sharp teeth and pushed them into the trunk so that no one could climb up after him.
Tree: Red silk cotton tree (Bombax malabaricum)
State: Kerala
Style: Kerala mural painting
Story: The king and his soldiers chase the demon in the forest for devouring the queens. But the demon had, in desperation, climbed a tall tree. And, as he climbed, he pulled out all his sharp teeth and pushed them into the trunk so that no one could climb up after him.
Month: March and April
Tree: Temple tree (Plumeria)
State: Maharashtra
Style: Warli painting
Story: The elder queen out of jealousy had murdered and buried the seven babies of the younger queen. These later grew into seven beautiful trees with fragrant flowers. These trees would shower their flowers only onto their mother's lap (the younger queen)
Tree: Temple tree (Plumeria)
State: Maharashtra
Style: Warli painting
Story: The elder queen out of jealousy had murdered and buried the seven babies of the younger queen. These later grew into seven beautiful trees with fragrant flowers. These trees would shower their flowers only onto their mother's lap (the younger queen)
Month: May and June
Tree: Tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica)
State: Bihar
Style: Madhubani painting
Story: Rama frowns upon the fact that their hut was built under the shade of the huge leaves of the tree. He tells Lakshmana that they were sent on exile to learn to live under hardships. Hence Lakshmana shot arrows to the tree, and the leaves split into thin fringes.
Tree: Tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica)
State: Bihar
Style: Madhubani painting
Story: Rama frowns upon the fact that their hut was built under the shade of the huge leaves of the tree. He tells Lakshmana that they were sent on exile to learn to live under hardships. Hence Lakshmana shot arrows to the tree, and the leaves split into thin fringes.
Month: July and August
Tree: Teak tree (Tectona grandis)
State: Madhya Pradesh
Style: Gond painting
Story: A rich arrogant merchant banished his youngest daughter to the forest because she questioned his pride. She lived with an old lady under the care and protection of a huge teak tree. The tree thought her ways of making her own fortune. She would feed the peacocks and collect their feathers to make huge fans. The old lady would sell these to the prince. This brings her fortune in her life.
Tree: Teak tree (Tectona grandis)
State: Madhya Pradesh
Style: Gond painting
Story: A rich arrogant merchant banished his youngest daughter to the forest because she questioned his pride. She lived with an old lady under the care and protection of a huge teak tree. The tree thought her ways of making her own fortune. She would feed the peacocks and collect their feathers to make huge fans. The old lady would sell these to the prince. This brings her fortune in her life.
Month: September and October
Tree: Indian Cork Tree (Millingtonia hortensis)
State: Andhra Pradesh
Style: Kalamkari
Story: During the absence of the six brothers, the evil sisters-in-law ill-treated and abused Chameli which subsequently led to her death. She was buried and the cause of her death was hidden from her brothers. A tree grew in the place she was buried. When the brothers were going to axe the tree down, it spoke and the truth was out. The brothers doted and took care of the tree while their wives blamed each other for her death.
Tree: Indian Cork Tree (Millingtonia hortensis)
State: Andhra Pradesh
Style: Kalamkari
Story: During the absence of the six brothers, the evil sisters-in-law ill-treated and abused Chameli which subsequently led to her death. She was buried and the cause of her death was hidden from her brothers. A tree grew in the place she was buried. When the brothers were going to axe the tree down, it spoke and the truth was out. The brothers doted and took care of the tree while their wives blamed each other for her death.
Month: November and December
Tree: Coral Jasmine (Nyctanthes arbortristis)
State: West Bengal
Style: Patachitra
Story: Deserted by her lover (the sun god) , Parijaata died heartbroken. Her ashes turn into a beautiful tree with fragrant flowers. But since the flowers cannot bear the sight of the sun, they only bloom when it disappears from the sky and, as its first rays shoot out at dawn, the flowers fall to the ground and die.
Tree: Coral Jasmine (Nyctanthes arbortristis)
State: West Bengal
Style: Patachitra
Story: Deserted by her lover (the sun god) , Parijaata died heartbroken. Her ashes turn into a beautiful tree with fragrant flowers. But since the flowers cannot bear the sight of the sun, they only bloom when it disappears from the sky and, as its first rays shoot out at dawn, the flowers fall to the ground and die.
