Ashok Kochhar –
A blanket from the heavens up above
Since time immemorial, people have been looking towards the Sky for various reasons.
At times it is to seek a message from the world above us, and at times it is to make a wish to the Almighty.
While some are gestures of respect, others are those of hope and belief.
There may be a deep meaning to these gestures.
This practice is not related to one religion but all have some or the other ritual requesting the Sky above to shower its blessings.
Eternal Phenomenon
Maybe it is the magnanimity of the skies. It helps us relate to the idea of a being, much greater than us, and a phenomenon that is ever present, yet hardly makes its presence apparent. We humans like to find signs in every act of nature, and sky is one of the most dramatic and theatrical displays of nature, which keeps changing every hour of the day.
At times, you cannot help but feel like a child, watching an act in a play, where many emotions are unveiled through the form of light and thunder, as if Mother Nature is putting up a show for her loved children.
Of course a clear day is beautiful and evenings are worth noticing.
Masters say there has to be dark to appreciate the stars.
In all the conditions, we are looking at sky.
If one sits for a while in solitude and concentrate on the Sky, there is a possibility of a two-way conversation.
Fascinating moods
As a visual artist and a photographer, I am always fascinated by the changing moods of Sky and clouds floating like a boat in a calm lake.
When there is no cloud, one witnesses the farthest point.
At the same time, one gets scared when the Sky gets angry, flooding lands with the frightening sound of lightning.
And then comes the serene night sky, filled with the glittering starry blanket, as if telling a story of all the eras gone by and of all that are yet to come.
Ashok Kochhar is an international photographer, in love with everything that is good on earth and the sky above.
