On the Heights (Tummo)

Nicholas Roerich, when he lived in India, often met hermits, who lived in the mountains. The word tummo (Gtum-mo in Tibetan) means "inner fire", a meditative ritual practice of Tibetan monks which is based on a special breathing technique. The idea of the unity and interconnection of all living things permeates the painting. At the top of the cliff, we see the fragile figure of a hermit immersed in meditation against the backdrop of endless skies and Himalayan mountains. The white and blue coloured mountains symbolise the original purity and infinity of the Cosmos.