Smoking Salvation

This is a painting of a sadhu baba smoking chillum. A chillum is a conical shaped pipe, traditionally made of clay and used by wandering Hindu monks called Sadhus. The sadhus are wandering holy men who have renounced their worldly life, said goodbye to both possessions and family and now lead a life of celibacy ascetic yoga and search for enlightenment. He smokes weed because it just helps him concentrating his mind and accomplish extreme yogic practices. Every time a baba lights a chillum he says a prayer to Shiva. The ash-covered face and body of the sadhu have been captured in this original work. Special emphasis has been placed on the rustic jewellery, skin texture and smoke to give it a realistic look.