The Mithila belt in Bihar is known for its rich unique culture, there lays the Purnea district. I am blessed to be born there. The memories of my growing years are full of lotus, be it the pond, its fragrance, the food that we ate on its leaves and the toys that we as children made of the lotus buds and seeds. The rains left behind puddles of water on the road sides, open lands and lotuses grew and bloomed there too. The life there was intertwined with abundant flourishing nature. Fishes a favourite food of the Mithila people is also linked to the pond culture. The folk paintings of Mithila are a testimony to this culture.

As an artist while working on my paintings I am concerned with life around me. In it I like to seek the beauty of life and its simplicity. This prompted me to recollect my days in Purnea or Purainea (derived from ‘Purain’ as the older generation or the rural folk still call it, which literally means lotus.) The softness plus the firmness of this wonderful plant I felt would not be experienced in any other media apart from Clay which is again a source for the lotus to grow. The plasticity, modelling ability, tactility of clay was tempting. Hence, I rolled out a series of works in terracotta.  I called it POKHAR meaning pond. From several relief panels grew a three-dimensional installation which included glass, mirror, metal etc.