English: This painting is based on Bhagat Ravidas’s Shabad in Gurbani that the life is a beautiful journey but after one dies no one knows where the person has gone.

ਮਾਟੀ ਕੋ ਪੁਤਰਾ ਕੈਸੇ ਨਚਤੁ ਹੈ। ਬਿਨਸਿ ਗਇਆ ਜਾਇ ਕਹੂੰ ਸਮਾਨਾ ।

The artist has shown a beautiful lady as puppet of clay, dancing and enjoying life but can break any time. One involves in worldly attractions like the butterflies are attracted and dance on flowers. A person takes birth in this world and runs after worldly attractions all his life. If he achieves something, he feels proud of his achievements but blames the God or his destiny & cries if he looses wealth. All his life, he is attracted towards the worldly pleasures. He forget about the ultimate reality of the life that is death.

ਦੇਖੈ ਦੇਖੈ ਸੁਨੈ ਬੋਲੈ ਦਉਰਿੳ ਫਿਰਤੁ ਹੈ । ਜਬ ਕਛੁ ਪਾਵੈ ਤਬ ਗਰਬੁ ਕਰਤੁ ਹੈ ! ਮਾਇਆ ਗਈ ਤਬ ਰੋਵਨੁ ਲਗਤੁ ਹੈ । ਮਨ ਬਚ ਕ੍ਰਮ ਰਸ ਕਸਹਿ ਲੁਭਾਨਾ ।

Bhagat Ravidas says that the world is just a dramatic play and all the worldly pleasures are of transient nature - only God’s name is the permanent Truth. So he has enshrined love for the Almighty God ie creator/ star of the show.

ਕਹਿ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਬਾਜੀ ਜਗੁ ਭਾਈ । ਬਾਜੀਗਰ ਸਉ ਮੋੁਹਿ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਬਨਿ ਆਈ ।।

In today’s time of crisis, we have got an opportunity to sit back, take a break and think about ultimate reality of our lives.

ਹੱਥ ਕਾਰ ਵੱਲ ਚਿੱਤ ਕਰਤਾਰ ਵੱਲ -

Gurbani says remember God in heart while performing our daily duties. Prayer to God to give us courage & strength to face tough situation can provide us with peace. Good deeds, service to the needy and God’s name in one’s heart must be the aim of our life. Guru Nanak says Truth is high, truthful living is higher.

This painting is work of my father Artist Trilok Singh ( 1914-1990). This was prepared in 1959.

Jotinder Singh & Harpal Kaur

Chitralok, Patiala 9779915525