The Art of Sri Chinmoy
"Art can bring to the fore the beauty of life
and the fragrance of the heart."
- Sri Chinmoy
As well as being a poet Sri Chinmoy is also an artist with an imaginative and unique style. Sri Chinmoy says that his different artistic endeavours all spring from the same source of inner creativity and spontaneity. Although the disciplines of art and poetry are in many ways different, to Sri Chinmoy they both share the common inspiration of spirituality.
“When I entered into the Sri Aurobindo Ashram at the age of eleven and a half or twelve years, I prayed and meditated and also started writing poems. Hundreds of poems I wrote by the age of thirteen. I gave value to both my spirituality and my creativity. At the same time, I felt that my poetry and my music were the creation of my spirituality. Always we have to go to the Source, which is God. Importance we shall give to creativity, but we have to give more importance, utmost importance, to the Source, which is spirituality. Again, we have to know that spirituality itself is creativity.”
From: Sri Chinmoy Library
Jharna Kala
(Jharna Kala drawing by Sri Chinmoy:
From Sri Chinmoy Centre Galleries)
Soul Birds
A significant part of Sri Chinmoy’s art is the numerous soul bird drawings he has created. These bird drawings of Sri Chinmoy are not constrained by rigid lines and conventional shapes but express a real sense of freedom that the soul bird symbolises.
Each painting contains a remarkable individuality and vibrancy but also maintains great simplicity.
As Sri Chinmoy says of his bird drawings
"Birds have a very special significance; they embody freedom. We see a bird flying in the sky, and it reminds us of our own inner freedom. Inside each of us there is an inner existence we call the soul. The soul, like a bird, flies in the sky of Infinity. The birds we see flying in the sky remind us of our own soul-bird flying in the sky of Infinity. "
Like many other activities Sri Chinmoy has created paintings with remarkable proficiency. The number of Soul – Bird drawings has now passed an incredible 13 million, all painted in the past 13 years. Sri Chinmoy says he gets his inspiration to paint so many birds from his inner pilot, his inner source of inspiration. By using the quality of the heart he is able to tap into an unlimited stream of artistic inspiration
Sri Chinmoy also doesn’t confine himself to painting on standard white paper. He has 
drawn many soul birds on a variety of objects from Books to plates and other ornamental objects. When signing his name he often adds a soul bird, it is almost part of his signature. Despite the number of birds no two are alike, each has a characteristic of its own.
As well as Soul Bird drawings Sri Chinmoy has painted many other larger paintings of abstract colours. He terms these paintings Jharna Kala, which means “fountain art”. Bold and unmistakably unique they are colourful and full of life. For one series of Jharna Kala paintings Sri Chinmoy gave the painting a spiritual word to accompany the painting such as “peace”, “love”, “Be Kind to Animals” each painting was created to complement these key words. During a visit to China Sri Chinmoy blended his style with the classical Chinese style thus he painted many soul birds with the artistic theme of China. Sri Chinmoy’s “Jharna Kala” art has been displayed in many art galleries around the world including the Sorbonne in France and JFK international airport. Many have commented on how these exhibitions create an energising atmosphere of light and peace.
Useful Resources on Sri Chinmoy's Art
- Soul Birds Tak Flight - Article by Jogyata Dallas at Sri Chinmoy Centre
- Collection of Sri Chinmoy's art at Sri Chinmoy Centre galleries
- Talk on Human Art, Divine Art and Supreme Art at Sri Chinmoy Library
