Goddess Swaraswati

Goddess Swaraswati 

Mt. Adu,  Dilwara Temple,14th Century AD,National Museum, New Delhi

           Considered to be the purest of the three Goddesses, Goddess Swaraswati is the goddess of learning and wisdom. Without learning there can be no creation. Thus, She is the shakti (power) of Lord Brahma, the creator.  According to Hindu iconography all goddesses are to be depicted as eternally young, bejewelled, and bare chested. Here even Goddess Swaraswati is shown as bare chested. But when M. F. Hussain painted her thus, a national outcry was raised as offending religious sentiments. Bare chest is merely symbolic of the life giving energy which is so essential for survival. Goddesses personify the life energy. Thus, they are bare from the top. 

          Despite the fact that Japan happens to be a Buddhist nation, Goddess Swaraswati is the second most popular diety in Japan , after Lord Buddha. We are progressively forgetting her as a Hindu diety.

Lord Ganesh

Lord Ganesh

Kangra School, 18th Century AD, National Museum, New Delhi



           A very unusual painting of Lord Ganesh. Generally He is shown as fair skinned person, but here He is shown in vermillion color. He rarely carries a rosary in his hand, yet here He does. He is hardly ever portrayed with a lotus, but He is carrying a lotus here. Although He does wear a serpant as a belt on his stomach, here the serpant is around his neck.

           His vermilion color points towards the strength of wisdom; the rosary to meditation; the axe to the ability of learning and wisdom to cut through every difficulty / obstacles;  lotus to beauty and reward; the snake to the ability to rejuvenate and life. He sits on a white lotus--pointing towards the ability to detach oneself from the material world. The image is as much of a God, as it is of a wise Man or a sage. 

Bodhisattva Manjushri

Bodhisattva  Manjushri

Palau Dynasty,10th Century AD,National Museum, New Delhi

            The Palate dynasty were great patrons of art and architecture. The largest stupa was built under them and can be found in what is today called Bangladesh. They patronised both Buddhism and Hinduism. The figures in their sculptures are tallish, slim, graceful and serene. In their simplicity and elegance and tranquility they carry the tradition of Gutta art. 

           Bodhisattva are Buddhist figures who forgo Nirvana in order to save the people from their miseries. We all are innate Bodhisattvas.  The need is merely to take on salvation of others on our shoulders. 

Kal Bhairav

 Kal Bhairav

 Khajaraho School, 11th Century AD,  National Museum, New Delhi

          Kal Bhairav represents the destructive side of Lord Shiva. In order to destroy evil He causes natural calamities. Although he is supposed to be ferocious looking, here he is represented as a bearded young man. He holds a bell in his left upper hand, which symbolises Time. In other hands, He would have held a bowl of fire, a severed head of a demon, and an axe or other sharp edged weapon. 

           Although we mortals live as though we are immortals, but natural calamities remind us of our fragile existence.

Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi

Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi

Pratihara Dynasty, 10th Century AD, Ajmer Museum

One of the finest sculptures of the Ajmer Museum. Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi quietly sit over Garuda. The serenity of their face, the tranquility of their pose imbibes a sense of divinity to the sculpture. The elaborate jewelry, the young bodies of the God and Goddess makes them eternally young and immortals. One can only bow in reverence to such idols

Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati

Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati

Pratihara Dynasty, 10th Century AD, Ajmer Museum

The Hindu Trinity is depicted here. While Lord Brahma sits in meditation, Lord Vishnu flies of on his vehicle, the Garuda. Meanwhile, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati sit quietly. Interestingly, while Lord Shiva is shown with his consort, the other two Gods are without their consorts. Is it that the God of destruction requires more energy than the God of creation, and the God of maintenance do? A point to ponder.

Mahadev

Mahadev

Elephanta Caves,8th Century AD

The Rashtrakuta dynasty were great builders. The Elephanta Caves, dedicated to Lord Shiva, were carved during their period. When the Portuguese came, they saw an island off the shore of Bombay, which had a sculpture of an elephant standing on the shore. Hence, the name Elephanta.

This sculpture depicts Lord Shiva in His three aspects as the creator, the maintainer, and the destroyer. He is the Supreme Being or Mahadev. The sculpture captures the eternal existence of the cosmos, where things are being created, maintained and destroyed simultaneously. The sculpture is symbolic and portrays a philosophical concept. The Europeans could not understand the deep philosophical aspect of Indian art. Seeing art from the prism of "realism", they found the Indian art as grotesque and bizzar. But these sculpture depict the essence of Indian philosophy.

Bodhisattva Padampani

Bodhisattva Padampani

Pala Dynasty,10th Century AD

Bodhisattva Padampani is known as the Bodhisattva of compassion. Hence his downward gaze at the devotees. Bodhisattvas are unique to Buddhism. Like Lord Buddha they can reach Nirvana (the final release from the cycle of life and death), but they choose not to do so. They wish to come back to this 'mrityulok' (world of death) in order to relieve the miseries of the people. They are the noble souls we see around us. We can find them in our parents and servants, in our teachers and friends. We ourselves should strive to be like the Bodhisattva Padampani, the compassionate.

Lord Vishnu with Godess Laxmi and Godess Saraswati

Lord Vishnu with Godess Laxmi and Godess Saraswati

Pala Dynasty, 10th Century AD

According to the belief prevalent during the 10th century, Lord Vishnu was married to both Godesses Lakshmi and Saraswati. Hence, both the godesses are show in this sculpture. After all you need both money (wealth ) and learning in order to maintain the cosmos.

Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati

Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati

Post-Gupta period, 6th Century AD.

The Gupta period is considered the 'golden period' of India. In the fine arts it achieved its zenith. It created an art of simplicity, harmony and tranquillity where the figures were detached, serene, and inward looking. They were simply dressed, but exuded noble souls. The iconography created during this period, set the standard for art of Asia.

Here we see Lord Shiva sitting with his wife, Goddess Parvati on Nandi, the bull. Curiously, Goddess Parvati sits on a cushion even while she is mounted on the bull ! Lord Shiva, known for his meditation and detachment, has been transformed into a loving husband, for he gently embrasses Goddess Parvati. The mind and the matter sit aloft the wild untamed Nature keeping it under control.

Lord Shiva in Meditation

Lord Shiva in Meditation

Pala Dynasty,10th Century AD

      Lord Shiva is the Mahayogi, the great Yogi, who sits in eternal meditation at Mt. Kailash, his abode. He is the ultimate symbol of a man who is able to control all his senses, who is detached from the material world, who is pure intellect or the mind. He is the ideal mendicant. In one hand, He holds the trident, the symbol of three states of consciousness--but which is controlled by the Mind--the staff of the trident. In another hand, He holds a 'damaru' , a small drum, symbol of the cycles of Time; in the third hand, He holds a rosary, symbol of deep concentration; in the fourth hand, He holds a water container, symbol of His ability to purify the world, to cleanse the world. He is the God of the gods, the Mahadev.

      But through Him, we are also warned about the adverse impact of too much of intellectualism: it is a barren, lifeless world without emotion, without warmth, without love and compassion. Objectivity has its limits. Thus He sits in the barren snowclad landscape of Mt. Kailash. In order to breath life into the cosmos, He had to be united with love, compassion, beauty, with emotions: hence His marriage with Godess Parvati.

            The world doesn't run just on pure intellectual thought, on mind; it has to be balanced with emotions, with the heart. Objectivity and subjectivity have to go hand in hand. Otherwise, it is a lifeless, a wild world, a wasteland.

Manjushri (The Buddhist Bodhisattva of Wisdom)

Manjushri (The Buddhist Bodhisattva of Wisdom)

Pala Dynasty,10th Century AD

Manjushri is the counterpart of Godess Saraswati and Lord Ganesh of Hinduism. He represents both learning and wisdom. For the latter is derived from the former. He holds a burning sword, a symbol of learning which cuts through our attachment to illusions (Maya) and makes us understand the ultimate reality, the Truth. He holds a rope to tie things together. He is, at times, shown as four headed, like Lord Brahma, as Truth can be interpreted in various different ways.

Such figures taught people to take to the path of enlightenment. They also taught the common man to respect divergent views within the society. Pluralism is in our blood.

Bhairav

Bhairav

Pala Dynasty, 10th Century AD

Born from twin locks of Lord Shiva, Bhairav is a powerful deity. Like Rudra, he is god of destruction. He destroys evil. Armed with a sword and a trident, he is ready to smite the evil in and around us. When faced with problems we beseech him to save us. Being a tantric figure, Bhairav drinks liquor as in the famous Bhairav temple at Ujjain.

Pala art travelled to Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan. Through there it influenced the sacred art of China, Korea and Japan. In China and Japan, Bhairav became door - guardians of the Pagodas in order to ward off any evil spirit.

Lord Shiva 's Family

Lord Shiva 's Family

Chola Bronze,11th Century AD

       Although Lord Vishnu represents the ideal family man, but is Lord Shiva who is depicted with his family. Here we see Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati and his son, Kartikaye. Surprisingly Lord Ganesh is conspicuously missing.

      To the Indian mind both the mendicant and the family man are important. While the former keeps the society on the path of intellect and spiritualism, the latter keeps it within the bounds of economic and social activities. In order to emphasise the family bonding, in order to stress on family ties, the gods were depicted in family groups.

     Kartikaye is not an important god in the North, but is worshiped as a popular god in the South. Called Skanda, Kartikaye or Allaapa, he is the God of war. He is the elder of the two siblings. Ganesh, of course, out does him as Ganesh is the God of wisdom.

Dancing Apsara

Dancing Apsara

Khajaraho School, 11th Century AD, Metropolitan Museum, New York

    Used to carving in soft materials like wood and ivory, the Indian sculptors took some time to understand the hardness of stone. But soon they could do wonders with the material as this sculpture testifies.

    Apsaras are the dancers at the court of Lord Indra. Here the sculptor has caught the agile movement of the dancer, with her arms flying in one direction, her torso turned in another direction. She looks down as though looking down at the world from the height of Indralok.

    Apsara is an enchantress as in Urvashi and Rambha. But they are enlightened souls who reside in heaven. Along with the Gandharvas, the celestial muscians, they entertain the gods.

Lord Kuber

Lord Kuber

Bihar, 10th Century AD

    Lord Kuber has almost faded out of Hinduism. Yet once upon a time he was an important deity as is evident from his numerous sculptures in Ajanta Caves.

     A step-brother of Ravana, a 'daitya' (an evil spirit), Kuber was worshiped as a benevolent spirit as he is the god of wealth. Since he lives under the ground, he is the lord of gems, and if precious metals. Thus, the Mongoose is his vehicle. But unlike Goddess Lakshmi, he represents a man proud and arrogant about his wealth. His arrogance gets him into trouble.

      Here he is shown as a benevolent figure: smiling and looking down at his worshippers. He holds the Mongoose in his lap. Why the seven urns at his foot and why one of them has fallen is unclear, unless they represent the seven days of the week, hence Time. The transient nature of wealth.

Ravana Lifts Mt. Kailash

Ravana Lifts Mt. Kailash

Ellora Caves,8th Century AD

   Full of strength and arrogance, Ravana tried to lift Mt. Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva. But not a pebble moved. Lord Shiva sat smiling at Ravana's childishness. Parvati, who was a bit frightened, cursed him that a woman shall be the cause of his death. In order to teach Ravana a lesson, Lord Shiva merely pressed his big toe and Mt. Kailash became so heavy for him, that he almost got burried under it. Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu sat quietly watching the entire episode.

   Arrogance is frowned upon in every religion. For it leads to our destruction and demise. This beautiful sculpture is a reminder of human folly which thinks of no end of itself. But like Ravana we are arrogant, yet weak in front of Nature. Humility is gold, arrogance is brass.

Dancer

Dancer

Hoysalawara Temple,Hoysala Dynasty, 12th Century AD

           The sculptures of dancers have preserved the legacy of classical Indian dances well. Classical dances have an ancient history and a modern rediscovery. Bharat Muni had written his Bharatnatya Shastra--a treatise on Drama--in 2nd century BC. But during the medieval period dance died out as a living art. It is only in the beginning of the 20th century that it was rediscovered by famous dancers like Uday Shankar and Rukmani Devi.

These dancers went back to the sculptures of temples at Tanjore and Chidambram to see the postures, the gestures of the dancers.

Today India has six classical dances: Kathak from Jaipur and Lucknow, Kathakali from Kerala, Bharatnatyam from Tamil Nadu, Manipuri from Manipur, Odissi from Odissa, Kuchipudi from Andhra Pradesh. The extent of dances from the four corners of the nation proves their lasting traditions and popularity.

A Princess

A Princess

Ajanta Caves, 3rd century AD

Indian painting reached its zenith in Ajanta Caves. These paintings portrayed the essence of Indian aesthetics: art work should be subdued and subtle; it should be calm, quiet and reflective; it should capture the mood or essence of emotions called the "rasa".

Here we see a princess lost in her own thoughts. With her eyes lowered, she is in a pensive mood. She is the ideal of a female beauty--voluptuous, heavily jewelled, yet she is not hankering for materialism. Instead, she is lost in her inner world of calm and tranquillity.

The Gupta art is the foundation of Asian tradition of sacred paintings. This art form travelled to Tibet, China, Korea and Japan. It also travelled to Sri Lanka, Saumatra, and into Indo-China. India has contributed as much to Eastern art, as Greece has contributed to Western art.

A Lady with a Parrot

A Lady with a Parrot

Belur Temple,Karnataka,Hoysala Dynasty,12th Century AD

The relationship between woman and a bird is an ancient one. In Sanskrit literature there are stories about women talking to a parrot. During the Mughal period these stories were translated into Persian and came to be known as "Tutinama".

Parrot is the symbol of love in Hindu mythology as it is the vehicle of Kama, the god of love. The lonely woman confined behind the walls of her palace, thus, speaks to the parrot about her loneliness, about her desires and about her love for the hero. In turn, the parrot tells her stories to keep her entertained. Through this dialogue many practical tips, many comments are made about the world at large. The parrot, therefore, is not only a source of entertainment, but is also a source of enlightenment.

The Hoysala sculptor depicts the woman elegantly attired, standing solemnly, paying attention to what the parrot has to say. The jewelery, the voluptuous figure captures the yourh of the woman who is being made wiser by the bird. It is a poignant moment of loneliness, of learning.

Lord Krishna with His Two Wives, Rukmani and Satyabhama

Lord Krishna with His Two Wives, Rukmani and Satyabhama

Chola Bronze,11th Century AD

Lord Krishna was the favourite of the 'gopis', the cowherdesses. Yet his name is attached with his two wives, Rukmani and Satyabhama. But he is most famous for his love affair with Radha.

Once both his wives wished to prove their undying love for Him. They made him sit in one of the scales of a balance and themself sat on the other scale. But the scale with Krishna would not rise. All 1600 wives loaded one of the scales with all their jewels. Still the scale with Krishna would not rise. Sage Narada came and put a Tulsi leaf, Vrinda--another name for Radha, and the scale with Krishna rose up and the balance was equal.

The love of Radha is selfless, and eternal. Others' love is selfish and temporary. This is why we worship Radha and Krishna and not Krishna with his two wives.

Dancing Ganesh

Dancing Ganesh

Pala Dynasty,10th Century AD

The mouse has an ability to burrow deep into the earth. Likewise a learned and wise man can go deep into a subject. Thus, Lord Ganesh, the God of Wisdom, rides on a mouse.

Here He dances to the rhythm of time. While He holds an axe in one hand--symbol of his ability to punish and to get rid of obstacles, He holds a bowl of Ladoos--a sweet meat--symbol of his ability to give rewards for pious and good deeds.

Pala sculptures can be recognised easily as most of them are done in black stone. The Pala art travelled to Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and through there to China and Japan. Thus, it is the foundation of the sacred art of the Orient.