WINGS ACROSS THE HIMALAYAS
Where mountains rise in silence, the spirit finds its wings
Size: 39 x 51 inches
Medium: Hand cut marble, vitreous glass tiles, opaque glass tiles, golden glass tiles, smalti and stone.
iNSPIRATION
Growing up in the foothill town of Roorkee, Uttarakhand, I was privileged to witness one of nature’s grandest spectacles. Each spring, the skies would come alive with the sight of migrating geese (Hansa), rising in perfect V-formation, their wings shimmering as they soared towards Central Asia. These bar-headed geese would ascend to breath-taking heights, crossing the mighty Himalayas in one of the greatest journeys of endurance and grace ever witnessed in the natural world. This extraordinary annual migration of the bar-headed geese — their breath-taking ascent across the highest mountains on Earth — compelled me to create a mosaic that honours their iconic journey.
In the Wings Across the Himalayas, I have sought to capture the radiant moment that I regularly witnessed from the terrace of my home during springtime – the timeless flight of the geese.
In their steady climb, we glimpse our own capacity to lift ourselves toward horizons we once thought unreachable.
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eXPRESSION
Wings Across Himalayas represents a majestic flight - a flock of geese, silhouetted against the golden glow of sunset, braving the colossal peaks with unwavering resolve. Golden tiles have been used to capture the warm glow of the setting sun on the wings of the geese, creating a reflective effect that draws the eye to the flock. The geese are positioned facing upwards, symbolizing their climb toward higher altitudes and their passage across the rugged Himalayan peaks.
Surrounding the flock, conical shapes, in varying shades of white and blue, represent the snow-covered Himalayan mountain peaks, thus providing both depth and contrast to the composition. The sharpness of these mountainous forms emphasizes the scale and majesty of the terrain being crossed.
To suggest movement and atmosphere, long flowing lines, deliberately composed of different rough textures, run through the mosaic. These lines represent the powerful wind currents the birds must endure during their passage to Central Asia. The combination of glass, stone, smalti and textured surfaces creates a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, reinforcing both the physical challenge of migration and the visual rhythm of flight.
The mosaic breathes with the rhythm of ascent — a choreography of motion and stillness. Flowing bands of colour and form evoke the wind’s invisible music, capturing the exhilaration of flight and the quiet unity between earth and sky.