Shlokas, self portraits and spirituality: How a Pune artist is navigating ideas of balance

A large head of a woman with diving goggles confronts visitors to Monalisa Kalagram.

The woman’s hair gives the sense that she is floating in water.

A text refers to a shloka from the Bhagawad Gita, about how attachment breeds desire, desire breeds anger, anger creates delusion… “That’s why I have titled the work, Suspended Animation, because the idea is that, you are overtaken by anger, you are, effectively, no longer who you are,” says the artist Aditya Shirke.

Emerging from the artist’s philosophical thoughts, the work is a part of his most important exhibition.

Titled “In-Coherence”, it showcases Shirke’s intellectual and philosophical ideas that have been germinating in him since he was a postgraduation student in the UK in 2013.

Coherence indicates a sense of balance or consistency between different parts but Shirke speaks about it in deeper Sāṅkhya philosophy and the teachings of the Bhagwad Gita.

“Presence merges only against ground; coherence is relational and provisional.

Absolute coherence is unity, duality needs incoherence,” he says, the show is being held till March 22.

Among the viewers on the opening day was Prof Amitav Mallik, a former defence scientist at DRDO and member of the National Security Council.

“As a scientist who is studying spirituality, I was impressed by the theme of coherence.

The exhibition showed how an artist can look at coherence and how human beings can understand coherence in so many different terms.

The world is becoming incoherent.

All the wars and tensions are signs of incoherence,” says Mallik.

There is another painting of a large head on the show, this one is Shirke’s own.

This self-portrait is bold, not very descriptive and is titled, All of My Flaws.

Art has a rich legacy of self portraits, from Vincent Van Gogh’s to Frida Kahlo’s to Picasso’s.

Shirke, who has studied fine art at the University of Northampton and the Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in Aurangabad, has won awards for his self-portraits.

“As I moved forward, my self portraits became less about the likeness to myself and more about what I was about or what I was thinking,” says Shirke.

In this case, below the 5 ft painted head, the artist has written “A monument to the meaningless in the meaning of the answer of life, universe and everything”.

This is a reference to Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and indicates that search for meaning is itself absurd.

The exhibition comprises large diptych structures.

War images emerge in a few works.

There is a woman’s figure that appears to be asleep while World War II bombers deploy their payload of bombs near her head.

“It’s not literally bombing, it’s probably her dreams.

This work was an effort to show how dreams overwhelm her or how we are taken in or sabotaged by delusions.

These images, when put into the larger work, don’t remain war images per se but represent what is coherent in us,” says Shirke.

He comes from a family background of soldiers.

His great grandfather and uncles, among others, were in the armed forces or the air force.

“Growing up, I could cycle into Range Hill where British personnel would practice shooting.

I used to go there and still find empty shells from the colonial era,” he says.

He was on his way to becoming an architect when he met the eminent Pratap Mullick, famous for his illustrations in the Amar Chitra Katha.

“We bonded easily and I started enjoying doing figurative works.

Instead of architecture, I applied to the Painting department and didn’t tell my parents for a month,” says Shirke.

He adds that the World War imagery in his works stems from early encounters with framed black-and-white military photographs with typewritten pasted notes of his grandfather as also of the old cantonment area in which he lived.

The exhibition is being held against a background of wars across the world.

The artist does not condone or denounce any side.

“For as long as humans have existed, there has been war and that \is unfortunate,” he says.

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune.

She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life.

Professional Background
Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint.

Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series).

Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators.

Recent Notable Articles (December 2025)
Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season:
1.

Climate & Environment
"Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week.

"How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site.

"Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner.

2.

"Hidden Stories" & Heritage
"Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle.

"Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport.

"The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle.

3.

Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc"
"Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema.

"Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups.

"How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor.

Signature Style
Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach.

Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context.

Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune.

X (Twitter): @dipanitanath...

Read More