 I had no particular intention of becoming an artist, but was solely prompted by the idea that if I was engaged in some creative activity during my pregnancy, it would benefit the child I was carrying in some way. Her images were not mundane images of women at Wells, but sustained by a rustic symbology, consisting of games invented, rituals performed, and folklore revisited. The intellectually and culturally pungent city of Calcutta contributed largely towards Manu's growth as a painter. A few years after leaving Calcutta, Manu had the opportunity of visiting Benaras. Each climactic moment in Manu's Benaras series spills into another, reminding the spectator of the ephemeral quality of life as well as the immortality of man. I found myself becoming more and more conscious of life, death, fear, and many such thoughts which had till now not affected me at all. In Manu's work is seen the absorption of various genres, plays, playfulness, Robin Ranath Thakur's vision, and the rugged vigor and vibrance of the German expressionists. Manu's tutored sensibility offers apt counterpoints to his wife's raw, albeit potent feel for art. Her premise seems to spring from the strong traditions of Indian society, yet there exists an affinity with Paul Clay, Miro, and others. The natural leanings of Manisha and Deepa have prompted them to choose a career which is in keeping with that of their parents. While Manisha is herself a painter, Deepa is training to be a commercial artist, profoundly different yet complementary to each other. Manu and Madhavi Parik continue in their perusal of life of art.