Panch bhoota, Pancha Tattva or the Five Elements that is basis on the belief that every existing object and living form is the composite of five elements. I explored these through the formation of the shabd or word Bhagavan, symbolizing as it does Bhu-earth, gagana-space, vayu-air, agni-fire and neer-waters. I started to paint metaphors and images of these different elements: Earth, Space, Air, Fire and Water.


From acid free paper I shifted to cotton silk for the paintings. I could paint on a large scale, the figure and forms appeared very calm and quiet, gentle and soft on the silk surface. The linear quality improved and the gradations in vegetable dyes appeared highly sophisticated, like wash paintings. I started to use gold and silver foil extensively in this series of paintings.