Jasmeen and Arjun

Jasmeen and Arjun had a special Anand Karaj ceremony at Sri Sabha Singh gurdwara, Coventry, unique to any I’ve painted before. During the Laavan (the four sacred wedding hymns) the couple walked around the Guru Granth Sahib anticlockwise — relating to the warrior status of the family, as was their wearing blue.

Beyond photography, their painting could capture the details that made their ceremony so personal and unique — including the entire weapons display, carefully arranged by the groom’s friend. It was a beautiful part of the setting that would have been partly obscured by the couple in photographs as they walked past it during their nuptials, but could be fully brought to life in their painting.

And, of course, the baaj — the Northern Goshawk and companion of the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, aka Bajanwala — swooping into the scene to bless their marriage.

I loved painting this creative commission live on the day before taking it back to the studio to add all the intricate details of their stunning outfits.

I hope that whenever Jasmeen and Arjun look at their painting, they’re transported straight back to their Anand Karaj and remember just how special they felt on their Big Day.