Original artwork description:

The power of speech (Vak), the intent and effect of the spoken word, the ability to communicate and the evolution of language has been one of the pillars of civilization. Words are used to both express and conceal our thoughts, feelings and emotions, our needs and desires. Words are used to lead as well as mislead others. Words convey kindness, compassion, solidarity and empathy but can also hurt and cause immense pain and misery. Words can reveal the truth or conceal it in a cloud of untruths and half truths. Lies repeated over time can be made to appear as the truth through the spoken word. Words can enlighten through sharing of knowledge or it can drown us in ignorance through circulating misinformation and superstitions. Words can be reassuring and kind or threatening and violently abusive. Words can cause a revolution or oppress us through continued denigration. Words ultimately are motivated by our intent. It is our mind motivating the ‘tongue’, and that is where Bagalamukhi finds her reasons to manifest.

She acts as a harness or a restraining power that absorbs the chaos and uses its energy to restore order. The storm is the incarnation of the chaos in our mind caused by opposing turbulent thoughts. She stills our mind with heightened concentration. She illuminates and guides us through contradictions to find peace and inner strength. She also teaches us that the spoken word has the power to do both good and harm. She constantly reminds us that words must be used wisely and our intentions and thoughts behind those words affect the cycle of cause and effect.

Bagalamukhi renders our delusions and misconceptions inert. She stops the toxic cycle created by manufactured misinformation which spreads misery and violence. She paralyses the wagging tongue. She exposes the charade of lies masquerading as truth. She demolishes the notion of invincibility. She is the power that we require the most, in the world we live in now, where the combined greed of the rich and powerful, politicians, law makers, and media keeps injecting us with conceit and deception. No wonder she is not a mass favourite for the civilized society whose foundations are built on pretence, lies and manipulations of the patriarch; where domination is the only form of governance and that domination is achieved through curtailing personal liberty of others, obstructing knowledge, circulating propaganda and instilling fear of violent reprisal if anyone dares to question the imposed norms and dissent.

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Materials used:

Watercolor and pen drawing with waterproof ink on textured acid free paper

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