A timeless story in three parts

Take a closer look at Anjolie Ela Menon's triptych, Yatra. Like life, it demands that the viewer embark on a journey

- SAHAYA SHARMA

My grandmother was an early collector of Anjolie Ela Menon's art. I've grown up seeing cosy, maximalist clusters of Menon's paintings on the living-room walls of her home. I felt particularly drawn to the vivid turquoise and Menon's frequent inclusion of black-and-white checks to offset earthy browns.

Yatra, made in 2006, is one of my favourites. It is inspired by the annual march of the kanwariyas to the Ganga, where they gather in the millions during Shravan (a time to remember one's ancestors) to collect water for their village shrines. The pilgrims cover vast distances barefoot, sometimes travelling as much as 500 miles.