A Night to Remember: Debuting Indian Pink Palace at the RACHNA Indian Art and Literature Exhibition

It started with a scroll through Instagram. I came across the Consulate General of India's page, saw the open call, and felt an immediate pull — I had to submit. Soon after, the acceptance notification arrived: out of 200 submissions, Indian Pink Palace was one of ~50 selected to be shown.

Artists arrived at the Consulate by 4pm to set up in the upstairs ballroom. At 5pm, Consul General Ambassador Binaya Srikanta Pradhan made his way around the room, stopping to speak with each of us individually about our work — it was such a personal and memorable touch. He then addressed the larger audience, sharing how encouraged and impressed he was by the level of artistic talent within the greater NYC Indian community. The evening continued with a beautiful reception in the first floor ballroom, complete with chai and tasty Indian snacks. I loved connecting with fellow Indian artists and was moved by the breadth and beauty of the art on display.

About the painting itself — Rajasthan's palaces have always captivated me. Their intricate architecture, luminous colors, and sheer grandeur are an endless source of inspiration. Indian Pink Palace is my interpretation of the beloved Hawa Mahal, rendered in watercolor with gel pen detailing.

It is also the first work in a new series I am developing called The India Collection — ten watercolor paintings inspired by my travels to India, its rich visual landscape, and my deep love for Indian art and design. This exhibition felt like the perfect debut, a first glimpse of what's to come. 💛

I've captured key moments on my Instagram pages — DivineNY and Rekha.Krishnamurthi. I'd love for you to follow along and experience the magic of the night! ✨ Also check out these video highlights on my Instagram Reel!