Kerala-based muralist Lekha Vyloppilly is preparing to unveil her latest body of work, Emerging Buddha, a collection that fuses traditional Kerala mural techniques with Tibetan Buddhist themes. The series, which includes 17 large-scale paintings and several terracotta installations, reflects Lekha’s deepening engagement with Buddhist philosophy and iconography over the past year and a half.
A graduate of the first BFA Mural Painting batch at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Lekha’s artistic journey took a new turn when she connected with Friends of Tibet, a Kochi-based organisation. Her curiosity was reignited by the 21 meditations of Tara Devi, a Buddhist goddess, and further deepened upon encountering a Thangka painting of the Medicine Buddha (Bhaisajyaguru), depicted in lapis lazuli blue and holding symbols of healing.
Encouraged by Friends of Tibet founder Sethu Das, Lekha began translating her research into mural form. She studied medicinal plants, consulted Buddhist texts, and sourced reference materials to ensure accuracy and cultural sensitivity. Rather than replicate Thangka styles, she chose to remain faithful to her own mural aesthetic, blending spiritual depth with regional technique.
Her series includes narrative depictions of Gautama Buddha’s life—from birth to enlightenment—and mandala compositions inspired by Tibetan Buddhism. Among her most innovative pieces are terracotta installations inscribed with Tibetan mantras, a format she believes is unprecedented in mural art.
On August 15, Tushar Gandhi, advisor to Friends of Tibet and great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, visited Lekha’s studio in Eroor, Kochi, alongside Sethu Das. The visit coincided with the opening of Lekha’s Earthen Artyard Emporium, a space dedicated to her evolving practice. Gandhi and Das encouraged her to hold a public exhibition, which is now in planning.
Though the collection wasn’t initially conceived for public display, Lekha is thrilled by the response and intends to expand the series with additional installations. Her work stands as a testament to the power of cross-cultural artistic dialogue, rooted in tradition yet open to spiritual exploration.
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