Varanasi: 

Being a French chef does not take away from her the seeker she is, and the ardent devotee of Lord Shiva she is. From the day Lea from France reached Kashi and made it her second home, she has transformed. Clad in a salwar kameez and dupatta, a Rudraksha mala wrapped around her neck, and a photograph of Shiva on her lap, she sits cross-legged to meditate on the steps of Pandey Ghat daily. As she hums Om Namah Shivaya with closed eyes, she seems being in a state of trance where the tranquil Ganga water and rustle of the morning breeze give her company.

Living a seeker's life for the past month and a half, Lea's routine starts early during sunrise when she walks barefoot to the ghats. Her regime includes yoga, prayer and art. After an hour or more in meditation, Lea gets her daily dose of peace to pursue the fine arts she so ardently does on the banks. And all her paintings with normal paint and brush revolve around Lord Shiva — sometimes on paper, sometimes directly on the ghats. By now she has made quite a few which she distributes among other devotees.

For Lea, France had become a reason of her unrest. "The growing fanaticism, particularly tension between communities in France made me fearful, emotionally disturbed. I felt lost,” explains Lea. The disquiet forced her out to venture eastward, to the banks of the Ganga. She hoped she would immerse herself in devotion on the banks of Ganga, the narrative she had only heard from others who had already experienced bliss.

Lea who has been painting since childhood says she never learnt the art from any school. "It was a spontaneous overflow of offering to the Lord. I bring the Lord to my art and connect with Him in many ways,” explains she.

Since arriving in Varanasi, Lea has adopted to the ways and customs of Sanatan Dharma. Though her arms are tattooed, her forehead would often be seen applied with sacred ash. So locals, initially curious, have now started accepting her as one of their own, greet her with affection and admiration. Some sit to watch her paint, and others remain in awe when she meditates.

On her visit to India and plans of staying here, Lea says, “I have not come to visit India like a tourist. I am here to surrender and achieve stability of mind and peace. Hinduism is something I can relate to, Sanatan draws me. So I do not know what is in store for me tomorrow."

Her transformation has reaffirmed her faith and keeps her rooted to the religious traditions of the place. Her emotional connect to Sanatan Dharma is clearly visible in the way she conducts herself. “In France, I live life in fear. Here, I feel protected. I feel complete. I feel one with myself here,” she says.

For her, Kashi has been life changing. “I had heard that Mahadev grants peace and salvation here and I have experienced it,” says she as she gets engrossed in painting. "I love to paint Shiva and want to paint myself in his colours," she concludes.

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