Noida: When passengers walk into Noida International Airport on June 15, they will be greeted not just by the usual glitter of steel and glass, but by a 100-foot painting depicting the state’s heritage and an installation with more than 8,500 brass bells — two artworks by Padma Shri artist Paresh Maity.The works, commissioned nearly two years ago, had come with a straight brief: create something magical and immersive, something that would give the building a soul. Maity (61), a native of Tamluk in West Bengal whose career spans nearly five decades and 90 solo exhibitions across India and abroad, rose to the challenge.
Jagriti, a painting measuring 8 by 100 feet and composed of six panels, at the Noida airport
The first work, Jagriti (awakening), is a painting measuring 8 by 100 feet, composed of six panels. Completed in Oct 2025 and installed at the airport shortly thereafter, it draws its philosophical structure from Sadanga, or the six limbs of art, that form the bedrock of classical art theory.Each of its panels is devoted to a place of religious and cultural significance in UP. The first is Varanasi with its ancient ghats and temples. The second panel depicts Sarnath, where Gautam Buddha delivered his first sermon. Two others capture the Taj Mahal in Agra at sunrise and the still waters of Kusum Sarovar in Mathura-Vrindavan. The fifth panel paints Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, and the last is on Mahakumbh at Prayagraj, roiling with the energy of the world’s largest spiritual gathering.“The work reflects the idea of spiritual awakening and India’s rich civilisational legacy,” Maity said, adding that he spent nearly two years in research and travel, revisiting the six sites depicted in Jagriti, sketching and absorbing before committing anything to panel.A single thread runs through all six — the light of early morning, from where the painting also derives its name — and was conceived to capture a unified visual journey through UP’s geography at the state’s newest gateway, he added.
‘Mystic Abode,’ a large-scale installation of 8,500 brass bells by Maity at the Noida aiport
The second work, Mystic Abode, is an installation comprising 18 panels and more than 8,500 brass bells. “The installation invites visitors to pause, engage their senses, and experience a moment of calm amid the pace of contemporary life,” Maity said.Where Jagriti is panoramic and celebratory, Mystic Abode is intimate, drawing on the symbolism of the bell as an object of spiritual attention across Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Both works align with the terminal’s architecture, Maity said.While the airport’s red granite surfaces echo the region’s sandstone monuments, steps and open courtyards evoke the ghats of Varanasi and havelis of the Gangetic plain, Maity believes his paintings and installation extend that vocabulary into colour and sound. “Airports are public spaces visited by millions. I wanted the works to evoke a sense of wonder, beauty and emotional connection. It was important that they reflect India’s rich heritage, culture and spirituality while creating a memorable experience,” he said.For passengers rushing to board an early flight, or waiting out a delay, the works offer a reason to stop, look and, for a moment, feel somewhere rather than merely passing through.Maity is also credited with creating one of the world’s longest murals for the international terminal at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. His works are part of collections of Rashtrapati Bhawan, British Museum, Rubin Museum of Art in New York and National Gallery of Modern Art.
