Fire and Ice | Debarpan Basak

India is known as a land of contradictions. The constant conflict between ancient spiritualism and modern materialism, friction between the majority community beliefs and those of the other great religions this country nurtures, the tussle for power between central and state governments, the coexistence of abject poverty and obscene wealth, the worship of goddesses and harrassment of women — such contradictions have tormented the country for decades. However, before event he name “India” was coined, this land has been under the influence of 6 dfifferent climatic zones that have helped created several diverse landscapes within its boundaries — the great Himalayas stretching from the North to Northeast, the Thar desert in the Northwest, the grasslands, tropical rainforests of the Western Ghats and coastal India.This illustration aims to capture all these various landscapes in harmony and present India as an almost surreal destination. The aim is to highlight the fact that here in this land (and everywhere else), fire and ice were always meant to come together, they were all meant to come together.