From wood sculptures to spiritual meditations, this Chandigarh-based artist speaks of a journey rooted in self-discovery, inner calling, and a decade of carving uniqueness in silence.
Q. Tell us about your journey. How did it start?
The journey began back in Class 8 when I sketched Buddha from a Hindi textbook. My parents noticed and said, “You’re good at sketching!” I then moved on to pencil portraits, including live ones of friends. But, like many Indian stories, academics came in the way. Later, some friends introduced me to woodwork — they were making wooden sculptures, and I thought, why not try? That’s when something clicked. I experimented with oil paints, acrylics, and watercolors, but none gave me the joy I felt while working with wood. That’s when I knew — this was my medium.
Q. So how long have you been in this profession?
Full-time since 2013.
Q. Do you have any side business or are you fully dedicated to your passion now?
Right now, I’m fully into art. I’ve done many jobs in my life, but currently I survive on savings — with a laugh and a lot of faith.
Q. What jobs have you done in the past?
I was meant to be an engineer. But after my father passed away when I was 17 and a half, I took up a clerk’s job in a bank. That lasted 13 years. Later, after marrying, I moved to Austria. I did everything from dishwashing to web development to SEO. Then I returned to India in 2009 and dabbled in real estate, snuff sales, and wood trading. A mixed bag, you can say.
“Wood spoke to me. It wasn’t just material — it became my language.”
“People laughed when I started, but I wasn’t doing this for them. I was doing it for me.”
Q. But ultimately, your heart led you back to art?
Yes. I had to first become financially secure. I knew art wouldn’t be easy to survive on. Once I felt stable, in 2013, I gave myself permission to do what I truly love.
Q. What was your family’s reaction to your full-time art pursuit?
Initially, everyone laughed. Friends and family thought I was being impractical. They said I should chase money like everyone else. But I wanted work that satisfied me. When I started creating more and eventually selling, they began taking me seriously. Still, I didn’t do it for their validation. This journey has always been personal.
Q. Would you say your family was supportive?
They were neutral, eventually. The truth is, art — especially unique or new kinds of art — gets very little support. People only understand what’s already been established. It takes time to build understanding around something unfamiliar.
Q. You’ve been doing this for over a decade now. Do you feel you’ve got your due?
Yes, now I do. My work is getting recognition both in India and abroad. At my exhibition in Chandigarh, people from Germany, Portugal, Brazil, and the UK expressed deep appreciation. Some even bought my work. Professors of art have acknowledged my style as something new. But it took ten years.
Q. Who has inspired your journey the most?
Osho. He shook my worldview and awakened something within. Through him, I started questioning — Why am I here? What is my role? That intensity led me to art. I also read Ramana Maharshi, Gurdjieff, J. Krishnamurti, Mooji, Baba Bulleh Shah, Nanak — all of them. But my real energy goes inward now. Q. How do you achieve that — inward energy — through meditation or study? Reading helps only to a point. You have to experience it. For instance, in the Gita, Krishna says to work without attachment to the result. I only understood that when I made art not for commissions, but because it made me happy. That’s when it made sense. Books alone don’t help — living the idea does.
Q. What about growth? Don’t you think feedback helps artists evolve?
I don’t believe in “growth” in that way. I believe I was made complete. Growth is an illusion if you’re trying to compare. And if we’re all unique, who are we even comparing with? Right now, I don’t want to waste my health and time in seeking fame or exhibitions. I want to use this energy to create. I already have over 250 ideas waiting to be carved into wood.
Q. If exhibitions aren’t your priority, how do you ensure your work reaches people?
I maintain a balance. I do participate in some exhibitions and post on social media, but honestly, I believe life is a mystery. People find my work — sometimes on my website, sometimes they walk into my gallery, and they say, “Yes, this is what I need.” I trust the universe on that.
“Recognition will come and go. But the joy of creation — that’s eternal.”
