In the center of the canvas is the young bride-to-be with her head gently bowing down under the weight of her youthful timidity. She is dressed in a fine white sari with tiny red embellishments which the ladies of her home wrapped around her after giving her a bath with milk and rose water. Adorning her already graceful form are exquisite gold ornaments of her mother that unassumingly highlight the loveliness of the girl. A mature woman, probably her mother wearing a pair of spectacles and white sari stands behind the girl, brushing the strands of her hair off, to clear up her face for the application of Haldi. The addition of spectacles and the use of deep pink and purple on her space have accentuated the maturity and acquired wisdom of the lady brilliantly. Her lips are slightly parted, as if she is whispering something in the ear of her daughter, perhaps advising her to smile softly and enjoy the ritual. Three other hands on the right half of the canvas are painted, one carrying the bowl of Haldi and the other two in the course of approaching the girl. All the hands that feature in this acrylic artwork are shown wearing a pair of bangles- one red (Pola) and the other Shankha (white). Shankha-Pola bangles are ornaments unique to the state of West Bengal, where married women adorn their hands with sets of these bangles, marking their auspicious status. The mindful addition of this ornamental element in the painting helps us fix the geographical and cultural location of this scene. The hands, tinted with a bright yellow shade seem to be inviting the girl toward them, cajoling her to depart from her childhood home into the life of wifely duties.
In this acrylic painting by Ranjit Das, the demarcation of the canvas into two halves is done to underline two separate realms for the girl. The left half of the painting is occupied by the mother, her loving attentiveness, and a few faintly drawn books which represent the life the girl led until now. That life seems to be slowly moving behind her as she is advanced by a new phase denoted by the three faceless presences in the acrylic painting. The individual identities of these hands are not vital to the meaning of the painting. What is important is the fact that they symbolize society and cultural norms that necessitate a girl to leave her childhood and comforts behind to become a part of a new family. Standing amidst the two phases, the two halves of the canvas, the young girl who appears to be on the threshold of her youth, clutches her Haldi-smeared sari and manages to bring a smile to her moon-like face. The crowd of elements and existences on the canvas represents her mind, which is crowded by the reminiscences of the past and anxieties of the future. In a medium that is still, Ranjit Sarkar has successfully laid bare the whirlpool of innermost emotions felt by the girl, and each time you observe the painting, the smile of the girl will unveil a different sentiment.
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