RA – Page 6 – Ankahi. Unsaid.

Happy Birthday Your Holiness

July 6, 2025Posted in Art, book-review, Delhi, ishtihaarTagged Birthday, Blessings, book, BookRelease, DalaiLama, HisHoliness, ishtihaarLeave a comment

With his hand on my head we walked together three steps closer to the chair he was to occupy. I couldn’t lift my neck to watch that roohani face and dreamt of rubbing my nose against his. Reading my mind, he smiled. At the edge of the table he picked up a packet and unwrapped the book showing it to the audience in the packed IHC hall. My head was still bent when he came and handed me ‘that copy’ of the Tibet House book which had been designed by me – and printed at #ishtihaar His Holiness The Dalai Lama smiled while looking at me and patted my shoulder on the way back as we walked the aisle together – a dozen Rimpoche’s alongside. Thanks Your Holiness, may you live forever and see a peaceful world. Years earlier I was blessed to get a private audience with him at McLeodganj. He is charming and his face glows. More images on our website.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama releasing the book 'Tibet House' designed and printed by Rajinder Arora-Ishtihaar

The Crocodile Who Carried the Moon

July 3, 2025Posted in Art, SeasonsTagged cloud, clouds, crocodile, monsoon, moon, saavan, skyLeave a comment

Remember the story, “The Crocodile Who Carried the Moon”, a folktale where a crocodile carries the moon over its tail, highlighting a time when the moon wasn’t in the sky. Here is the real picture complimenting the story – the moon at noon, unreal blue of the sky and the shapely cloud perfect illustration.

Gurgaon, 2 July 2025

Lado Bai

July 2, 2025July 2, 2025Posted in Art, Delhi, ishtihaarTagged 2025, Art, ladoLeave a comment

If you don’t know Lado Bai, you won’t know how maternal love can transform art. Lado churns the very earth and its souls with her visuals. Simplistic to a tee, yet stunningly profound, her art and the Bhil form are nothing short of poetry in visuals. Designing these kinds of indigenous art projects satiate me to the core. Salutes to the master artist Lado Bai.

Clouds

July 2, 2025Posted in Delhi, English, Poetry, SeasonsTagged 2025, clouds, Delhi, monsoon, Rains, Tears, veilLeave a comment

The sky has tear drops dressed as clouds

what colour is its veil that hides the eyes

-R

Jama Masjid – मस्जिद-ए-जहाँ-नुमा

June 23, 2025Posted in DelhiLeave a comment

उर्दू बाज़ार खत्म होते ही कबाड़ी बाज़ार शुरू हो जाता है जहां जामा मस्जिद में आने जाने वालों की अपनी रौनक बाज़ार की भीड़ को और बढ़ा देती है। बाज़ार में बैठने वाले छोटे-बड़े कबाड़ी सड़क पे ही अपना सामान और औज़ार फैलाये ठोका-पीटी करते दिखते हैं। उनके इस शोर के साथ होता है आने जाने वाले टेम्पो, लारियाँ के हॉर्न, झल्ली वालों की ‘हटियो भाई’ ओर रिक्शा वालों की ‘ओए, बच के’ का अपना शोर जो किसी शाही क्लासिकल ऑर्केस्ट्रा से कम नहीं। ज़िंदगी की अपनी जद्दोजहद, इंसानी जरूरतों और सड़क की अहतियातों के रहते भी ज़ुहर की नमाज़ कानों पे सावन की फुहार का काम करती है। हजारों बार देखने के बावजूद मस्जिद-ए-जहाँ-नुमा हर बार नई दिखती है, अपना एक नया चेहरा लिए। दो गुंबदों के बीच खड़ी ये मीनार उस मासूम और हठी बच्चे सी लगती है जो अपनी नई धारीधार कमीज़ दिखाने के लिए सामने आ खड़ा होता है। मटिया महल वाले जाने क्यूँ मस्जिद पे अपना हक़ जमाना चाहते हैं! अरे भाई, इमाम साहब को किताबों से भी उतना लगाव है जितना कोरमे से।

​​The sky has tear drops dressed as clouds​

what colour is its veil that hides the eyes

The sky has tear drops dressed as clouds