THE STORY OF DIPKARPAS, CYPRUS

23rd September, 2021

I will be honest and admit my ignorance here. Till I was 24 I didn’t know that Cyprus existed. Was it because I was bad at Geography in school? Was it because it’s a tiny island country no one talked about? Or was it just because no one can really remember every country in the world, or can they? Whatever the reason may be, I didn’t know and if I hadn’t met my dear friend Elif, I may not have learnt of its existence or its history for a long time to come.

I met Elif in Milan in 2015. We became fast friends and close ones even faster. We swapped stories of our cultures, families, life growing up and how the British rule resulted in a partition of both countries – India & Pakistan far more formal than the current divide between Turkish & Greek Cyprus. She told me about the history of Cyprus and how different the two halves were. I was immediately intrigued, and I knew this would be one place I would have to visit.

The summer of 2019 gave me that opportunity. A couple of friends and I visited her beautiful land, we spent all our time in the Turkish part of the country – Northern Cyprus. Being there, I learnt more about the divide, walked the streets with similar colonial buildings I had seen growing up in New Delhi and absorbing how different this wonderfully beautiful place was.

One of the highlights of this trip was driving upto one of the northern most beaches – Dipkarpas. We spent the evening lying on the beach, sipping rosè, laughing and catching up (it had been three years since we all had seen eachother).

The Water of Dipkarpas

View of the beach & water from atop (left); Sunset hues (middle); The clear blue/green water (right)

The sunlight sparkled over the sea, the tones of blue & shades of green merged so seamlessly and as the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea, the (slightly inebriated) artist in me felt a surge of emotions. I was inspired by what I saw but my mind was yet to develop what this would become.

We went back to Elif’s home. We met her friends, we spent time on and in the sea, we ate delicious food and saw the sights. I loved my time there - the people & the places were rich & warm and that trip will always hold a special place in my life. I knew it would inspire art.

I came back home a few days later, a year older and two shades darker than when I left. The sights of sunny warm Cyprus lingered in my mind as I readjusted to home and the cold grey monsoon of Pune. I was aching to paint but what?

One morning it struck me – I remembered these beautiful, fragrant Jasmine flowers that grew in Elif’s backyard. Suddenly, all those sights clicked in my mind and ten weeks of overworked, dedicated labour produced a piece that is my homage to Dipkarpas, Cyprus, my loving friend and her family.

Views from Elif's home

Fresh Jasmine flowers growing (left); Breakfast on the patio while enjoying the freshness around (right)

As an artist, I am always looking for inspiration. Sometimes I find it in an image a friend has posted (whom I will beg to send it my way), sometimes it’s in the view outside my window, sometimes a lyric in a song triggers an image in my mind but more often than not it’s something I see somewhere – especially on travels.

Many of my pieces are inspired by places I have visited and things I have seen. These artworks are always more personal to me than those that just find their place in my mind.

This artwork is one such piece – it is an ode to a tiny island country that welcomed me, to my childhood connection to the Mediterranean Sea and to my wonderful friendship with a genuine and warm human being who I know will be in my life forever!