Mani Agarwal, Head of Contract Compliance & Optimization Operations, Capgemini.

Portrait of Mani in pencil colors on handmade paper 11.8’ x 10.2’. On 13th September 2018, I reached home early from office as there was no much traffic due to Ganesh Chaturthi holiday (Working day for Capgemini). it's been a long time, I didn’t touch my brush/pencil hence thought of doing a new work. Just tried to sketch a portrait of Mani.

About Mani Agrawal

Mani advises clients on commercial and contract management transformation initiatives.

He helps organizations transform their contract lifecycle and contracts portfolio by implementing the right machine learning/AI tools.

Also use his expertise in optimizing the performance of contracts to ensure maximum value through all contractual opportunities and avoid any revenue leakage.

Birds...

Red-whiskered bulbul

This snap clicked from Wayanad, Kalpetta near to home on 19th May 2017 in Nikon D3300, AF-P NIKKOR 70-300 mm 1:4, 5-6.3G ED.

The red-whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus), or crested bulbul, is a passerine bird found in Asia. It is a member of the bulbul family. It is a resident frugivore found mainly in tropical Asia. It has been introduced in many tropical areas of the world where populations have established themselves. It feeds on fruits and small insects. Red-whiskered bulbuls perch conspicuously on trees and have a loud three or four note call. They are very common in hill forests and urban gardens within its range.

Verditer flycatcher

This snap clicked from Wayanad, Kalpetta near to my home on 22nd April 2017 in Nikon D3300, AF-P NIKKOR 70-300 mm 1:4, 5-6.3G ED.

The verditer flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus) is an Old World flycatcher widespread in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, especially in the Lower Himalaya ranging across Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam. This species is named after its distinctive shade of copper-sulphate blue and has a dark patch between the eyes and above the bill base. The adult males are intense blue on all areas of the body, except for the black eye-patch and grey vent. Adult females and sub-adults are lighter blue.The verditer flycatcher is also interesting among the flycatchers in that they forage above the canopy level and perching on electric wires or exposed tree top branches. This species was earlier placed in the genus Muscicapa and it has been suggested that it is closer to the Niltava flycatchers.

Flying Egret

Clicked from Avalahalli (Near to KR Puram, Bangalore) on 23rd June 2017 in Nikon D3300, AF-P NIKKOR 70-300 mm 1:4, 5-6.3G ED.

An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes (usually milky white) during the breeding season.

Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which also contain other species named as herons rather than egrets. The distinction between a heron and an egret is rather vague, and depends more on appearance than biology. The word "egret" comes from the French word "aigrette" that means both "silver heron" and "brush", referring to the long filamentous feathers that seem to cascade down an egret's back during the breeding season.
Several of the egrets have been reclassified from one genus to another in recent years: the great egret, for example, has been classified as a member of either Casmerodius, Egretta or Ardea.

In the 19th and early part of the 20th century, some of the world's egret species were endangered by relentless plume hunting, since hat makers in Europe and the United States demanded large numbers of egret plumes, leading to breeding birds being killed in many places around the world.

Several Egretta species, including the eastern reef egret, the reddish egret, and the western reef egret have two distinct colours, one of which is entirely white. The little blue heron has all-white juvenile plumage.

Courtesy: Wikipedia for write-ups and description for each photo 

Butterflies...

These snaps were clicked from Avalahalli (Near to KR Puram, Bangalore) on 23rd June 2017 in Nikon D3300, AF-P NIKKOR 70-300 mm 1:4, 5-6.3G ED.

Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises the large superfamily Papilionoidea, which contains at least one former group, the skippers (formerly the superfamily "Hesperioidea") and the most recent analyses suggest it also contains the moth-butterflies (formerly the superfamily "Hedyloidea"). Butterfly fossils date to the Paleocene, which was about 56 million years ago.

Chip Wagner, CEO, Alsbridge

Portrait of Chip in Oil Pastel on handmade paper 11.7’ x 16.5’. This portrait was presented to Chip Wagner on the occasion of Alsbridge’s first annual day.

Chip Wagner, CEO, Alsbridge. He is a recognized outsourcing industry expert, committed to helping clients understand and respond to emerging trends and disruptive technologies, such as the nascent field of Robotic Process Automation (RPA).  An industry thought leader, Chip is inspired by the principles of Sam Parker’s 212: The Extra Degree, and is a regular speaker and panelist on the impact of innovation and the myriad challenges of change management.

Awake

It was on a Saturday (31st Jan 2015), last Saturday of January, I have started sketching Budhha around 3:40 pm. I have taken 4 hours to complete this painting in 18’X24’ size canvas with Acrylic colors. Prussian Blue, Titanium White and Black are the only colors used.  This is the third painting done in 2015. I thought of naming this work as “Awake” as name Budhha means the awakened one or the enlightened one.

“Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.”

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

The word Buddha means "awakened one" or "the enlightened one". "Buddha" is also used as a title for the first awakened being in an era. In most Buddhist traditions, Siddhartha Gautama is regarded as the Supreme Buddha (Pali sammāsambuddha, Sanskritsamyaksaṃbuddha) of our age. Gautama taught Middle Way between sensual indulgence and the severe asceticism found in the Sramana (renunciation) movement common in his region. He later taught throughout regions of eastern India such as Magadha and Kosala.

According to the early Buddhist texts, after realizing that meditative dhyana was the right path to awakening, but that extreme asceticism didn't work, Gautama discovered what Buddhists call the Middle Way a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification, or the Noble Eightfold Path, as was identified and described by the Buddha in his first discourse, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. Courtesy Wikipedia

Synergy

In 2015, I again resume my painting works. It is my plan to complete at least one paintings in every weekend. As a part of my plan I completed this painting on 24th Jan 2015, I took 3 hours to do this. This is the second picture I have painted in 2015, first one will be posted soon. 18’X14’ canvas/Acrylic/

Mural Paintings

My latest mural work Acrylic on Canvas 14'x18', completed on 10th Sep 2016.

Mural Paintings, Last year I had been there with my family to Guruvayoor Temple, Kerala, the mural arts on the wells of the temple inspired me to paint this type of paintings. This is a recopy of mural paintings on the Guruvayoor temple. I have started sketching on 15-Sep-2012 and stopped on the same day after the first tone. It was kept on pending for more than six months. A fine day morning in April 7, 2013, I thought of completing the painting and started in the early morning 6 O’clock (Sunday). It has taken 4 hours to complete and the last touch up is still pending.  This is done by Acrylic color on canvas (35.56 cm x a5.72 cm (14 x 18)).

Kerala mural paintings are the frescos depicting mythology and legends, which are drawn on the walls of temples and churches in South India, principally in Kerala. Ancient temples, churches and palaces in Kerala, South India, display an abounding tradition of mural paintings mostly dating back between the 9th to 12th centuries CE when this form of art enjoyed Royal patronage.

Some wall paintings are painted on large canvases, which are then attached to the wall (e.g., with marouflage). Whether these works can be accurately called "murals" is a subject of some controversy in the art world, but the technique has been in common use since the late 19th century.

Murals of sorts date to Upper Paleolithic times such as the paintings in the Chauvet Cave in Ardèche department of southern France (around 30,000 BC). Many ancient murals have survived in Egyptian tombs (around 3150 BC), the Minoan palaces (Middle period III of the Neopalatial period, 1700-1600 BC) and in Pompeii (around 100 BC - AD 79).

In modern times, the term became more well-known with the Mexican "muralista" art movement (Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros, or José Orozco). There are many different styles and techniques. The best-known is probably fresco, which uses water-soluble paints with a damp lime wash, a rapid use of the resulting mixture over a large surface, and often in parts (but with a sense of the whole). The colors lighten as they dry. The marouflage method has also been used for millennia.

Murals today are painted in a variety of ways, using oil or water-based media. The styles can vary from abstract to trompe-l'œil (a French term for "fool" or "trick the eye"). Initiated by the works of mural artists like Graham Rust or Rainer Maria Latzke in the 1980s, trompe-l'oeil painting has experienced a renaissance in private and public buildings in Europe. Today, the beauty of a wall mural has become much more widely available with a technique whereby a painting or photographic image is transferred to poster paper or canvas which is then pasted to a wall surface (see wallpaper, Frescography) to give the effect of either a hand-painted mural or realistic scene.

*Courtesy:  Information taken from WKIPEDIA

Flowers.

These frames I have captured from the Green Paradise, Wayanad.
Some famous quotes about the flowers……
“The earth laughs in flowers.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
“I will be the gladdest thing under the sun! I will touch a hundred flowers and not pick one.” ― Edna St. Vincent Millay
“I must have flowers, always, and always.” ― Claude Monet

 

Lantana Camara (Kongini Poovu)
 

Lantana camara is called as Kongini Poovu(Ari Poovu) in Malayalam. Lantana camara, also known as Spanish Flag or West Indian Lantana, is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family, Verbenaceae, that is native to the American tropics.It has been introduced into other parts of the world as an ornamental plant and is considered an invasive species in many tropical and sub-tropical areas.
 

L. camara is sometimes known as "Red (Yellow, Wild) Sage", despite its classification in a separate family from sage (Lamiaceae), and a different order from sagebrush (Asterales).
 

The native range of Lantana camara includes Mexico, Central America, the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, Colombia, and Venezuela. It is believed to be indigenous to the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the United States. It has become naturalized in tropical and warm regions worldwide. In the Kenyan highlands it grows in many areas that receive even minimal amounts of rainfall. It can be seen in the wild and along footpaths, deserted fields, and farms. West Indian Lantana has been naturalized in the United States, particularly in the Atlantic coastal plains, from Florida to Georgia, where the climate is close to its native climate, with high heat and humidity.
 

It was introduced into the Philippines from Hawaii through the Makiling Forestry School (now the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Forestry and Natural Resources), as part of botanical academic exchanges between the United States and the Philippines. It escaped into the wild and has become naturalized in the islands. It is referred to by a number of common names including coronitas ('coronet'), utot-utot ('fart [flower]'), and baho-baho ('smelly [flower]'), the last two referring to its distinctive pungent odor. It has also become a major weed in Sri Lanka after escaping from the Royal Botanic gardens of Sri Lanka in 1926.  

Description from Wikipedia- Courtesy  

The Petal

This snap I have clicked on May 1, 2009 from my sister’s house in Calicut. The object is a petal of Ixora coccinea flower. Ixora coccinea (or Jungle Geranium, Flame of the Woods, and Jungle Flame) is a species of flowering plant in the Rubiaceae family. It is a common flowering shrub native to Southern India and Sri Lanka. It has become one of the most popular flowering shrubs in South Florida gardens and landscapes. Its name derives from an Indian deity. In Malayalam it is called Chethi Poovu. Mainly petals of this flower used for offering to the God in all most all temples in India. It has been reported to possess a number of medicinal properties. It has traditionally been used for the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery. However the claims of Ayurveda have to be validated by suitable experimental models. The present study was therefore undertaken to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of I. coccinea for its antidiarrheal potential against several experimental models of diarrhea in albino Wistar rats. Here, we report the effects of aqueous extracts of flowers of I. coccinea in the castor oil induced diarrhea model. The gastrointestinal transit rate was expressed as the percentage of the longest distance traversed by charcoal divided by the total length of the small intestine. Weight and volume of intestinal content induced by castor oil were studied by the enteropooling method. Loperamide was used as a positive control. The plant-extract showed significant (P<0.001) inhibitor activity against castor oil induced diarrhea and castor oil induced enteropooling in rats at the dose of 400 mg/kg. There was also significant reduction in gastrointestinal motility in the charcoal meal test. Results obtained in this study substantiate the antidiarrheal effect of the aqueous extract and its use by traditional practitioners in the treatment of diarrhea.

Bride

Rajasthani Bride wearing Gharga Choli, I have painted this painting in 2009 by Acrylic color on canvas (72 x 48 inches).

Indian wedding dresses are very different from Western style wedding attire. Understated is definitely not a word that could be ascribed to an Indian wedding outfit. Indian brides are expected to sparkle and shine and this expectation is fulfilled in brightly colored and intricately embroidered ensembles. Indian wedding dresses are usually red, as white is considered to be a color of mourning in many regions. Red is the traditional color of Indian brides and is considered to bring good luck and happiness to the prospective couple.

There is such an incredible amount of cultural and religious diversity in the Indian sub-continent that the exact style of Indian wedding dresses will vary from region to region. However, some common styles include the sari, Ghagra Choli and shalwar chameez.
Ghagra Choli usually consists of a very long skirt and short blouse. A lengthy scarf called a dupatta is draped across the chest.

Gagra choli, which is also known as Lehenga choli, is the traditional clothing of women in Rajasthan andGujarat.Chaniya choli is another term commonly used to refer it. It is a combination outfit of a Lehenga, tight Choli and a Dupatta.

Lehenga or Ghagra is a form of skirt which is long, embroidered and pleated. It is worn as the bottom portion of a Gagra choli. It is secured at the waist and leaves the lower back and midriff bare. It was introduced by the Mughals. Lehenga is a typical feminine silhouette that epitomizes style, craftsmanship, quality and class of Indian clothing.

The lehengas are made of a number of fabrics such as Silk, Cotton, Georgette, Crape, Net, Satin, Brocade and Chiffon. Even though designers have successfully used the various kinds of fabrics for making the lehenga, silk is still the most preferred fabric. Silk Lehenga is considered to be the most beautiful version of old traditional attire, as it used to be in Mughal era. Silk lehengas are timelessly classic. They have been in vogue since olden times and will always remain so. They own a special place in the fashion world as they are suitable to be worn for all occasions.
Apart from the fabric, decorative stitching patterns also play a role. Lehengas come with a wide variety of decoration work like zari, zardozi, embroidery, diamante work, beads embroidery work, kundan work,mirror work, etc.

The Tiger

I have painted this painting on 9th September 2011, on Onam day, Acrylic in canvas board (35.56 cm x a5.72 cm (14 x 18))

Tigers appear on many flags and coats of arms, as mascots for sporting teams, and as the national animal of several Asian nations.
The Bengal tiger has been a national symbol of India since about the 25th century BCE when it was displayed on the Pashupati seal of the Indus Valley Civilisation. On the seal, the tiger, being the largest, represents the Yogi Shiva's people. The tiger was later the symbol of the Chola Empire from 300 CE to 1279 CE and is now designated as the official animal of India. The Bengal tiger, or Royal Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), is a tiger subspecies native to India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

Its coat is a yellow to light orange, and the stripes range from dark brown to black; the belly is white, and the tail is white with black rings. A mutation of the Bengal subspecies, the white tiger, has dark brown or reddish brown stripes on a white background, and some are entirely white. Black tigers have tawny, yellow or white stripes on a black background color. The skin of a black tiger, recovered from smugglers, measured 259 cm (102 in) and was displayed at the National Museum of Natural History, in New Delhi. The existence of black tigers without stripes has been reported but not substantiated.

The total body length, including the tail, of males is 270 to 310 cm (110 to 120 in), while females are 240 to 265 cm (94 to 104 in). The tail measures 85 to 110 cm (33 to 43 in), and the height at the shoulder is 90 to 110 cm (35 to 43 in). The average weight of males is 221.2 kg (488 lb), while that of females is 139.7 kg (308 lb).
Tigers do not live in prides as lions do. They do not live as family units because the male plays no part in raising his offspring. Tigers mark their territory by spraying urine on a branch or leaves or bark of a tree, which leaves a particular scent behind. Tigers also spray urine to attract the opposite sex. When an outside individual comes into contact with the scent, it learns that the territory is occupied by another tiger. Hence, every tiger lives independently in its own territory.

Mountain Mist

I feel Mountain Mist will be the best suitable Title for this post. Wayanad is known for its lovely mist clad hill stations, sprawling spice plantations, luxuriant forests and rich cultural traditions. These snaps I have clicked on 20th August 2011, it was around 5’o clock evening full of mist and I was not able to drive due to heavy mist (fog). All the vehicles slowly started parking near to the view point, only red indicators were visible at that time. About half an hour I spent watching the chilled weather of Green Paradise.



The distance from the mean sea level and the amount of forest cover creates a pleasant climate in the region. Generally the year is divided into four seasons; cold weather (December to February) hot weather (March to May) South West monsoon (June to September) and North East monsoon (October to November). During the hot weather the temperature goes up to a maximum of 35 °C (95 °F) and during the cold weather the temperature goes down to 07 °C (45 °F). The greater temperature variation in the last 5–6 years is in the range of 18 °C (64 °F) to 28 °C (82 °F). The average rainfall is 2,500 millimetres (98 in) per year.



Lakkidi: One of the highest locations in Wayanad, Lakkidi also commands a picturesque scenery. It is about 58 kms. north east of Kozhikode and five kms. south of Vythiri. Lakkidi, the gate way of Wayanad, lies atop Thamarassery, a ghat pass at an elevation of 700 m. above mean sea level.The lofty mountain peaks, the gurging stream, luxuriant vegetation and the bird's eye view of the deep valley on the south, with its winding roads, are breath taking. The 12 kms.long journey from Adivaram to Lakkidi through ghat road with nine hairpin bends amidst thick forests, is a fascinating experience.

Ulsoor Lake

Halasuru Lake one of the biggest lakes in Bangalore, is located on the eastern side of the city. It derives its name from the name of the locality it is situated, namely, Ulsoor, close to M G Road, Bangalore. It is spread over 50 ha (123.6 acres)) and has several islands. Even though the lake is dated to Kempegowdas’ time, the present lake was created by Sir Lewin Bentham Bowring, the then Commissioner of Bangalore.

These snaps I have clicked on 25th January 2009

The village of Halasuru is said to have been gifted to Kempe Gowda I (1513–1569), the founder of Bangalore, by the Vijayanagar emperors. The Ulsoor Lake was built by his successor, Kempe Gowda II, and is the only surviving tank built by the Gowda kings in Bangalore. The first British military station was set up in Halasuru in 1807

There used to be a jackfruit orchard near the Ulsoor Lake, and the Kannada name for jackfruit being ‘Halasina Hannu’ the area came to be known as Halasuru. During the British rule, the name was anglicised to 'Ulsoor', but in 2004, the neighbourhood was officially renamed 'Halasuru'.

Lal Bagh

These snaps I have clicked on 23rd January 2009 a Flower show day
Lal Bagh is a well known botanical garden in Bangalore, India The garden was commissioned by the ruler of Mysore, Hyder Ali. It has a famous glass house which hosts yearly flower show. It also has an aquarium and a lake, and is one of the tourist attractions in Bangalore.

Lal Bagh is a 240 acre (971,000 sq.m. - almost 1 km².) garden and is located in south Bangalore. It holds a number of flower shows, especially on the Republic Day (26th January). The garden has over 1,000 species of flora. The garden also has trees that are over 100 years old.

The garden surrounds one of the towers erected by the founder of Bangalore, Kempe Gowda. The park has some rare species of plants brought from Persia, Afghanistan and France. With an intricate watering system for irrigation, this garden is aesthetically designed, with lawns, flowerbeds, lotus pools and fountains. Most of the centuries old trees are labeled for easy identification. The Lal Bagh Rock, one of the oldest rock formations on earth, dating back to 3000 million years, is another attraction that brings the crowds.

The Lal Bagh Gardens are based on the design of the Mughal Gardens that once stood at Sira, at a distance of 120 km from Bengaluru on the main NH4 at Tumkur District in Karnataka. This is amply supported by ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) and other historical records. At that time, Sira was the head-quarters of the strategically important southernmost Mughal "suba" (province) of the Deccan before the British Raj.

Lal Bagh remains open daily from 6.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. throughout the year. For the benefit of joggers, tourists and fitness enthusiasts, entry is free from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. At other times, a fee of Rs.10/- is charged. Entry for school children and the disabled is free all day

Flower shows are conducted every year to educate people about the variety of flora and develop public interest in plant conservation and cultivation.