Demons Within

History

One night by Lake Manasarovar, I went through an experience that later became the foundation of this work. Feverish and half-delirious, I felt as though demons were tearing me into countless pieces. Yet these were not external creatures, but images of the passions and fears that live deep within our subconscious — forces that bite, tear, and prevent us from remaining whole.

I woke with phantom pain and aching throughout my body, stepped out of the tent, and found myself surrounded by dozens of red eyes. In the darkness, a pack of wild dogs stood around me.

For any pilgrim or traveller, such an encounter could have ended tragically. For me, with time, it transformed into an image — into colour, rhythm, and ornament. What felt that night like fear and disintegration later found its form in painting.