"Chamunda and Ambika" by Vineet Aggarwal

That is absolutely amazing. This is a masterpiece. The lion and the woman have beautiful shading and depth, and are realistically done. This is my favorite of your entire gallery.

Vineet Aggarwal replies: "Thanx so much Brooke!!! m glad u liked my new work "

india sounds like such a great place to be. i should like to go there one day should i ever have the time and resources. the mythological background would be a lifetime of study i’m sure.

Vineet Aggarwal replies: "Oh yes!! I have been reading and listening and telling these stories since my childhood but still dont know everything about it!"

Very skilled work, as always Vineet! probably had i not understood about the protective nature of Kali I might have found this picture disturbing, even frightening. But considering She is slaying evil demons- it has a different meaning altogether.

Are those the Himalayas in the background?i am curious about how people of your faith feel about the Gods and Goddesses, please forgive me if i sound ignorant. I know the Hindu faith is Monotheistic, believing in One god. Yet my understanding is that the gods and goddesses are reflecting various manifestations of God- Love, protectiveness, Preservation, creation and so forth.

So, I guess my question is , are these manifestations considered separate Entities unto themselves, or as part of The Godhead? And are they considered as literal beings or Symbolic? you mentioned the Temple is on the actual spot where the battle took place, so is it a historical event?

Vineet Aggarwal replies: "Hey thanks a ton Tom!! Yeah the temple is believed to have been built on the actual site of the battle.. there are even fossilized footprints of the goddess kept in the temple..

All the demigods and goddesses are just different manifestations of the same Supreme Whole Who takes different roles to perform different functions.. As Brahma, He is the Creator of everything that exists.. as Vishnu, He is the Preserver of this entire creation and as Shiva, He destroys it at the end of time so that a new beginning can be made.. These three form the Holy Trinity and the other gods and goddesses are similarly expansions of the same Supreme Being and are considered to be very much real!!"

P.S. I mean these questions with respect, Vineet. i feel the best way to understand the beliefs of another is to ask them directly. Also, as an old Muralist myself i was curious about the size of this mural.

Vineet Aggarwal replies: "I understand totally and appreciate ur curiosity the entire mural is about 5 feet high and the goddess statues take up most of that space.."

Thanks for the explanations, Vineet. A fossilized footprint- how cool! And you have helped me to better understand your faith.is this a large temple? I know some are really very large.

Vineet Aggarwal replies: "Well this temple is not very large in size but it is definitely large in terms of its following... there are 51 major Shakti (Goddess) temples in the country and this is one of the principal nine ones "

Incredible work!!

Vineet Aggarwal replies: "Thanx so much for d appreciation and the tag!!"

Way to go: auspicious image! Awesome Duo eliminating the surplus Asuras who happened to "screw up" the Cosmic Order! Have you ever thought of depicting the fabulous Vaishno Devi, situated near the town of Katra in Jammu? You certainly are talented enough to undertake this endeavor if you´d like to do it. Please, give it a thought, will ya?

Vineet Aggarwal replies: "Hmmm thanx so much for saying that!! M still learning u know but ya wud try and do my best to depict Vaishno Mata as soon as i can find sm time!!! Btw ur name is intriguing "

Omigod...!! This one looks like its printed... Ur best one Man..!!! Long Live d Artist Vineet..

Vineet Aggarwal replies: "Hahaha don’t flatter me yaar.. thanx anyways!!"

wow thats amazing amount of detail. the way in which you’ve coloured it has given it an almost 3d effect as if it were a carving mural. so much story behind each of your pictures, i guess being a westener (i live in the uk) i’m not too familiar with the mythologies of India-doing them in this form is a great way to convey them.

Vineet Aggarwal replies: "Thanks a lot Kimberley it actually IS a 3 D mural m glad u liked my art and my style.. it is infact my wish to be able to bring the tales of ancient India to in front of the world in a way thats easy to understand and appreciate so m glad u liked it "

I know almost noting about indian mythology (hmm, is that the right word or should I use another?) so I’m only looking through an artistic view.
It’s really beautiful, the two godesses create a balance balance between the chaos and the peace, making it restfull to look at.
What medium have you been using here?