Divine calling

Whether you enter a tiny shop on your street or the premises of a multi-national company, you will always find an idol of God. It could be from any religion, but there is always one.

Whether you enter a tiny shop on your street or the premises of a multi-national company, you will always find an idol of God. It could be from any religion, but there is always one. "That’s how all of us have been brought up,” says Tina Chandroji, a city-based artist, whose new exhibit is a unique take on Indian culture and explores the manifestations of our respective religious influences.

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Ask Chandroji what inspired her to work on this particular idea and she explains, “This is something that I have noticed since my childhood. My mother was a very religious person, and that’s how I have the same set of beliefs. My true inspiration, however, was India itself. It’s beautiful how different cultures manage to co-exist peacefully in this country.”

Chandroji’s paintings (all made with oil on canvas) feature various settings (a bakery, a grocery store, a vegetable bazaar and a sweet mart, among others) with idols or photographs of Gods adorning the walls. “As part of my research for this project, I went to some of the most famous bazaars and stores in Mumbai, so that I would be able to capture the essence of these locations effectively,” says the artist.