Queen Shivali from the Mahajanak Jataka

Queen Shivali from the Mahajanak Jataka

Ajanta Caves,Gupta Period, 5th Century CE

           Besides painting innumerable Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the Ajanta artists have left a variety of sensuous women. Queen Sivali is certainly one of them. Young, voluptuous,  bejewelled, half nude, she is the ideal of feminine beauty in Indian art. Since women were seen as representing the Nature, they had to be well endowed in their beauty. Queen Sivali belongs to the category of Yakshini  ( the fertility goddess ). 

            But the queen is not free from the pangs of life. Her husband, King Mahajanak of Mithla, has just announced his intention to abdicate the throne and to take Sanyas  ( to renounce the world and to become a buddhist monk). The Queen is perplexed by the decision.  Her well kept hair are becoming dishevelled;  her string of pearls has started swaying as she takes deep breath (notice the two pearl strings in front of her stomach ). She looks at her husband in half disbelief. 

             Life can be uncertain at the best  of the times. Sorrow can come suddenly.  The cheeze can be moved without any notice. Even the rich and the beautiful, even the powerful and regal are subject to the whims and caprice of life and Time.

Lord Indra with His Entourage

Lord Indra with His Entourage

Ajanta Caves, Gupta Period,5th Century CE

           As Buddhism spread it enveloped the Vedic Gods in its pantheon. But the mighty Vedic Gods were reduced to the status of guardians and door keepers. The Buddha and the Bodhisattvas held an exhaulted position than the Hindu Gods. From the 2nd century BCE to 6th Century CE Hinduism waned in India. 

           Here we see Lord Indra flying with his entourage of Apsaras ( divine dancers) and Gandharvas ( divine musicians ). The rippling effect in blue colors are the monsoon clouds. When the monsoon finally arrives, after the hot summer, it comes with cool breeze, like soothing music, and with dancing clouds. It just  not only brings the rains, but  more importantly ushers in joy and celebrations.  The monsoon season is the season of love and fun, of celebration and bliss. Lord Indra, as the God of rain, could not be ignored even by the Buddhist.  He is a god of Nature. 

           The monsoon has attracted the imagination of the Indian artists. Kalidas, the most  famous Indian writer in Sanskrit literature, composed Meghadoot  ( the Cloud Messenger), and celebrated the beauty of monsoon. Other poets, like Keshavdas,  have written about the monsoon in their poems on Barahmasa  ( the Twelve months ). To the Kangra painters the dark bulbous clouds were a symbol of the force of love and passion which brooks no bound. 

           Today we speak about the different kinds of clouds, but now the clouds are dry and drifting. The romantic notion, the idea about resurrection of life has been drained out. Caged in glass and concrete we are losing touch with the beauty of Nature. The great Vedic Gods are a forgotten lot in Post - modern society.

The Monkey and the Buffalo

The Monkey and the Buffalo

 Ajanta Caves,Gupta Period, 5th Century CE

          Jataka stories contained lots of wisdom in the form of folklore.  Here is the story of a mischievous monkey who would close the eyes of a buffalo who was a Bodhisattva. The monkey would play with him all day. One day another buffalo stood in place of the kind buffalo. The monkey mistook him to be the kind buffalo.  He closed the eyes of the buffalo.  The buffalo was enraged. He threw the monkey down and gorged him to death. 

           The fable is both about compassion and anger. It is also about genuine gurus and fake ones. We get entangled with fake gurus and are gorged to death. It is also about trusting and not trusting the people. One should be careful in choosing the right kind of friends. A wrong company can lead to injury and death. 

          Through simple stories complex messages were given to the common man. The stories are relevant even today as they contain the wisdom of ages. 

Dancers and Musicians

Dancers and Musicians

Ajanta Caves,Gupta Period,5th Century CE

            Dance has an ancient ancestry in India. Said to originate from Lord Shiva,  it is a sacred art which began in the temples and ended in the market.  The "Dancing Girl " from Indus Valley Civilisation  (2500 BCE) is the first glimpse of this art form in India.  In 2nd Century BCE  Bharat Muni is said to have written the first book on Dramatology called the Bharat Natya Shastra.  He dealt extensively with dance. 

            Dance is an expression of joy, of love, of celebration.  It is part of human nature. The movement of the body frees the mind from its captivity and releases myriad energies. According to the Darwishes it is a medium of communication with God. 

           To the Indian dancer, dance is a form of worship  where the dancer surrenders himself/ herself to the diety.  It is a sublime prayer. 

            But here we see a court dancer entertaining King Mahajanak in a Jataka story. While the dancer sways to the music of flutes, drums and cymbals, the ladies orchestra plays on. Although stitched clothes were an exception in ancient India,  but here the dancer is in a tunic. Surprisingly the musicians are all women. This painting is a testimony of the talents of our women and of the liberal attitude of the society to permit women to learn music. 

            But slowly the classical dance and music are fading away, just the way this painting has faded away.

Bodhisattva Vajrapani

Bodhisattva Vajrapani

Ajanta Caves, Gupta Period, 5th Century CE

          While Bodhisattva Padmpani is the embodiment of compassion, Bodhisattva Vajrapani is of power and force. According to his name, he is the weilder of the thunderbolt  (Vajra). Thus, he is the symbol of brute force of Nature.  One who destroys evil by brute force. Surprisingly for a dynamic figure, the image is rather placid. In his hand, he holds an unclear object. Although in Ajanta he is depicted as a graceful, quiet, peaceful figure, in Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese Art he is a ferocious figure. 

            Both the Bodhisattvas depicted the twin aspect of Man: the rational and the irrational or as the Greeks called it the Apollonaire  ( named after God Apollo, their God of wisdom and poetry) and Dionysian  (named after God Dionysus,  their God of wine). Psychologists also deal with these two aspects of human nature, the constructive and the destructive.  

              History too is a witness to such impulses. While Dara  Shikho, the elder son of Shah Jahan, championed compassion and unity of the Mughal Empire, Aurangzeb advocated fundamentalism and terrorism. The fundamentalist forces won the royal battle near Dholpur: the Mughal Empire was shattered in few decades. The choice is ours whether to encourage the irrational and the destructive forces, or to strengthen the liberal and constructive forces. 

Bodhisattva Padmpani

Bodhisattva Padmpani

Ajanta Caves,Gupta Period,5th Century CE

           The most famous face of Ajanta is Bodhisattva Padmpani. He is Prince Siddharth in his palace, in deep contemplation. He is the Bodhisattva of compassion.  

           The Bodhisattva has travelled the world over. When Bodhisattva Padmpani went from India to China, he underwent a sex change. In China he is the goddess of Compassion,  Kuan  Yin. The fact that Kuan Yin was a male diety is reflected by the fact that Kuan Yin is flat chested. 

           Compassion is central to Buddhism.  If the universe is created by a power, all the creation is His/ Her handiwork.  We are all created equal. We should, therefore, treat every one with same level of love, respect and dignity as we treat ourself. Compassion is what unites the universe in a single entity. It is the bonding force which keeps the civilisation united; it is the only path to peace and prosperity, the path to Nirvana. 

Visvantara Jataka ( Story of Prince Visvantra)

Visvantara Jataka ( Story of Prince Visvantra)

 Ajanta Caves, Gupta Period, 5th Century CE

          Ajanta is known more for its frescoes than for its sculptures.  The discovery of the caves in early 19th century was an eye opening event. Till then, no one knew about paintings of ancient India, though paintings were mentioned in Sanskrit literature.  The discovery of Ajanta led to the emergence of the Bengal School of art founded by the Tagore family. 

         The paintings in Ajanta depict the Jataka stories --tales about the previous births of Lord Buddha. He is said to have narrated all his previous births. The stories are moral paradigms for people. They emphasise love, compassion, sacrifice,  pity,  generosity. 

         Prince Visvantra was a generous person to a fault. When Kalinga suffered a famine, he gave away his magical elephant who could bring the rains to Kalinga.  His own people were enraged, as Kalinga Kingdom was their enemy. The people demanded that the Prince be banished from the kingdom.  

         In this painting, Prince Visvantra is shown in his palace with his wife, Madri. They are busy in dalliance. On the left side, we see the couple leaving the city. The cruel Brahmin,  Jujuka, prays to the Prince to give him the two young children of the Prince, so the children can look after the physically challenged Brahmin. The Prince parts with his children as well. 

          This is one of the finest paintings of Ajanta.  The multiple narrative is interesting.  The artist has caught different strata of society : from the Prince and the Princess to the servants in the bedchamber to the ordinary citizens looking out of the window seeing the Prince leaving the city to the Brahmin who intercepts the Prince and the Princess. The naturalness of the beetle nut trees in the background lends naturalism to the otherwise stylised painting. 

           The story highlights the importance of compassion, even for one's enemies; it emphasises sacrifice of the political leader for the welfare of the people. It stresses on equanimity  despite the sudden change of fortune: from palace to forest. These Jataka stories continue to be relevant for our modern life as well. 

The Temptation of Mara

The Temptation of Mara

Ajanta Caves,Gupta Period, 5th Century CE

            Generally the walls of a Chaitya Halls are covered with beautiful paintings.  But there is one hall which has beautiful sculptures all around the apse.  The Archeological Survey of India, which maintains the Ajanta Caves, has beautifully illuminated the sculptures. The sculptures cover various events of Buddha's life.  

            While Buddha sat in deep meditation, he was tempted by Mara, a demon. Mara sent his army of goblins to torment Buddha; he also sent his beautiful daughter to tempt Buddha. We see his army of goblins in the right; his beautiful daughters in the front. But despite the torments and temptations, Buddha was steadfast in his meditation

             Temptation is part of human nature. We easily get tempted by material things or by sexual desire. Thus, temptation finds mention in all the major religions of the world. While we meditate the unconscious fears and desires come out. This is depicted in myths, and the art as temptation.  

            A hero is one who does not succumb to temptation.  Many of us abandon our duty to be honest and yield to the temptation of material wealth. We give into corruption.  A nation, like a person, who gives into temptation, can never reach Nirvana. 

A Pillar from Ajanta Caves

A Pillar from Ajanta Caves

Gupta Period,5th Century CE

         While the three types of pillars invented by the Greeks are well known,  the variety of pillars invented by the Indian architect has hardly been explored. And what a variety of pillars we have: from the massive round pillars of Indus Valley to the simple pillars of Sanchi, from the ornate pillars of Ellora to the hanging pillars of Lepakshi Temple in Andhra Pradesh. There are pillars in animal forms in South Indian Temples to the musical pillars of the Padmanabhan temple in Trivendrum.  There is the gallery of 1000 pillars in the Rameshvaram Temple to the 1000 pillars of Ranakpur Temple in Rajasthan --and no two pillars are alike ! But the ingenuity of the Indian architect is forgotten. 

            Here is a pillar from Ajanta. The Ajanta Caves themselves have about ten types of pillars. The beauty of this pillar is not only it's simplicity,  but also the use of sculpture in the square. The sculpture depicts a young couple chatting with each other while two servants stand by. The sculpture not just captures the opulence of the golden age of Indian history, the Gupta Period,  but also contains a political message : all is well in the Gupta Empire. If couples have time to chat, then there is peace and prosperity in the Empire. Since a happy family is essential for the prosperity of the society,  the family had to be emphasised. No other pillar in the world carries a more socio-political message than this pillar in Ajanta. 

          These days we do chatting, but no longer in the cosy surrounding of a family. The family as a social unit is under danger. Perhaps we need to learn something from the ancients. 

Nagraj and His Wife ( The Royal Couple : The King and Queen of the Snakes)

Nagraj and His Wife ( The Royal Couple : The King and Queen of the Snakes)

Ajanta Caves,Gupta Period, 5th Century CE

            Buddhism borrowed heavily from Hinduism. As Hinduism spread throughout India,  it assimilated the local gods and tradition. Since the snake was a threat and a boon, it was worshipped in large parts of India, specially in the South.  The King of the Snake is considered the guardian of the village. Small shrines of Nagraj are generally found outside the villages. Since the snake has the ability to shed it's skin, he also symbolises resurrection of life, or the ability to change oneself. Since it crawls on the ground, he also symbolises desire. Thus, it stands for myriad symbols.

            Here we see a pensive Nagraj sitting with his consort. The Queen is attentively looking at the Nagraj. Perhaps, the Nagraj has decided to renounce the world and is about to take refuge in the Buddha. He too seeks enlightenment and Nirvana.  It is a crucial moment when a difficult decision is to be taken. Prince Siddharth must have undergone the same anxiety when he was contemplating leaving his wife and son.

            To achieve greatness we have to sacrifice our interests. The path to Nirvana is a difficult and arduous one. Only a few can successfully complete this journey.

                     "To be or not to be, that is the question?"--to quote Hamlet. 

Facade of a Cave in Ajanta

Facade of a Cave in Ajanta

Ajanta Caves,Gupta Period, 5th Century CE

             Indian art, at times, deals with contradictions.  Here in the facade of a cave the artist has juxtaposed Kuber sitting with his bag of gems with a large size standing Buddha. The message is loud and clear: the wealthy versus the mendicant. The grahasthi  ( the householder ) versus the aesetic.  While Hinduism has emphasised on the householder by depicting the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh  (Lord Shiva) as married gods, Buddhism has emphasised the monkhood.  Renunciation and detachment are essential  to Buddhism. Although detachment is emphasised in Hinduism,  but renunciation is underplayed. Buddhism, in a sense, is individualistic.  For each individual is on his inward journey of trying to find his own path to Nirvana. Hinduism, on the other hand, is a religion which emphasises on the community and on our duty towards the community.  Since Man is a social animal,  Buddhism is a more difficult religion to follow than Hinduism.  This may explain the decline of Buddhism in India. 

             Although Buddhism has almost disappeared from India,  it has left an undeniable imprint on Indian art and philosophy. 

Lord Kuber

Lord Kuber

Ajanta Caves, Gupta Period,5th Century CE

         With the ascendence of Buddhism, Hinduism declined for many centuries. Buddhism assimilated Hindu Gods,  but assigned them subordinate roles. Thus, the mighty Indra, an important Vedic god, was reduced to the posoition of a door guardian. But surprisingly,  Kuber, a minor Hindu diety, the Hindu god of Wealth,  was exhaulted as a major diety of Buddhism.  We find him all over the Ajanta Caves.  Here He stands at the enterence of a major cave. In one hand he holds a bag of gems. He is a young plumpish man ( a sign of his prosperity ). He stands elegantly, in the classical pose of "tribhang " ( or the body bending at three places). The  balanced  pose lends a sense of serenity to the figure. Although He is the God of Wealth,  he is not dressed ostentatiously. Despite His riches, he looks inward. And is calm and tranquil. 

          The profuse images of Kuber reveal the fact that the caves were commissioned by the business community. He is their God. His  image also reminds us that when one goes into a monastery, one has to renounce wealth. And by turning inward, by discipline and meditation,  one has to discover the spiritual wealth which lies within us.

Chaitya Hall with a Stupa

Chaitya Hall with a Stupa 

Ajanta Caves,Gupta Period, 3rd -5th Century CE

           Ajanta Caves are a honeycomb of huge Chaitya halls ( prayer halls ) and Viharas  (monasteries ) which are interlinked. Prior to the Gupta Period,  buildings were constructed in wood. Therefore we do not find remains of the wooden stryctures. During the Gupta Period we started building cave temples. But these caves reflect the wooden architecture.  Notice the ribs in the ceiling. These ribs are not really required as the ribs do not support any super - structure.  They are the imitation of wooden construction.  

           The huge halls were once plastered and painted with frescoes.  Frescoes are different from murals. While the former is done on fresh plaster, the latter is done on dry plaster. Since the fresh plaster soaks in the colours, frescoes last longer than murals. In Ajanta Caves they have lasted for almost 1800 years! 

            The architecture of Ajanta was copied through Tibet,  and China. The concept of Stupa (the structure in the middle of the hall) is central to Buddhist architecture.  These stupid were constructed in Afghanistan,  Pakistan,  Sikkim, Bhutan and China. The Chinese subsequently invented the Pagoda which subsequently speed to Korea and Japan. 

             A Stupa is basically a burial mound where either the relic of a holy person (or of Buddha) or the ashes of such holy person is kept. The Stupa at Sanchi contained the ashes of two of Buddha's disciples.  The oldest Stupa in India is in District Alwar in Rajasthan.  The largest Stupa is in Bangladesh.  In ancient India Amravati had the most grand Stupa. The new capital of Andhra  Pradesh  is also named Amravati.  Our ties with Buddhism are still alive. 

Lord Buddha Delivering His First Sermon at Sarnath

Lord Buddha Delivering His First Sermon at Sarnath

Ajanta Caves, Gupta Period,3rd -5th Century CE

        In order to understand  Buddhist art it is essential to know the use of hastamudra ( hand gestures) in the images. Here the hands are interlocked;  the hands depict the Dharma Chakra ( the wheel of Law ).  The two seated deers, at the base, indicate the Deer Park at Sarnath--the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon. The two lions symbolize both his royal lineage and the fact that henceforth Dharma shall "roar like a lion""---its message shall be carried everywhere.  It is looking at the iconography  (the image) that we know which episode of Buddha's life is being portrayed. 

         The images created during the Gupta Period had a great impact on subsequent Indian art. The images are simple, bereft of ornamentation,  elegantly proportionate, serene, inward looking, and full of harmony. This is considered the "classical" style of India. 

          These images were exported out of India both by our traders and by the Chinese scholars who visited our country during the ancient period. Such images can be found in Java and Cambodia.  Near the Indo-Afghan-China border there are 1000 caves carved by the Chinese. Interestingly the first set of caves are copies of the Ajanta Caves.  The last set of caves have Chinese figures, but Indian attire. With the spread of Buddhism, Indian art travelled throughout Asia. 

A Chaitya Hall

A Chaitya Hall

Ajanta Caves,Gupta Period,5th Century CE

          Unlike Ellora,  Ajanta is completely devoted to Buddhism. It not only traces the life of Prince Siddharth, from his birth to death, it also depicts his previous births. It is said Lord Buddha could remember all of his previous reincarnations. His previous lives are told in the form of "Jataka" stories.  Many of the stories all of us have heard as children: about King Sebi who sacrificed his pound of flesh in order to protect the pigeon who was chased by a hawk. These were moral stories about love and compassion --the two main planks of Buddhism. 

          These stories not just reveal the Buddhist morality, but most importantly unfold India of its time. The stories about traveller's journeies to far of islands tell us about our seafaring to East Indies; the depiction of the Persian  Ambassador tells us about the world of diplomacy between the Rashtrakuta kings and the outer world. These stories also tell us  about the society of its time: the Prince and the princess, the entourage of the Kings,  the humble villagers, the beggars and the monks. Despite the fact Ajanta was inhabited by the Buddhist monks who were to segregate themselves from the world at large, but the paintings and sculptures have created a virtual reality of the world for them.

          Surprisingly sensuality and early form of eroticism are also portrayed. The monks were aware both about the material world and about their spiritual journey through it. There is neither a overwhelming fanaticism, nor puritanism in these Caves.  It is a world of peace and harmony, of love and compassion,  of serenity and spirituality. 

Facade of a Cave Depicting Gautam Buddha Delivering His First Sermon at Sarnath

Facade of a Cave Depicting Gautam Buddha Delivering His First Sermon at Sarnath

Ajanta Caves, Gupta Period,5th Century CE

        The Ajanta sculptor created various images of Lord Buddha.  Here we see him delivering his first sermon at Sarnath. This sermon is called "setting the Dharma Chakra  (the wheel of Law) in motion." 

          Dharma, in ancient India, did not mean religion. It meant "righteous conduct." Buddha with his eight - fold path of righteous conduct is said to have set the Dharma into motion. Dharma also means "duty" as in your duty towards your family, community, and nation. It also meant "Law" as in Dharmashastras  ( Law Books). It was felt that if everyone performed their assigned duties, society would function without friction and factions. Unfortunately, today we are obsessed with "right". But we are least bothered about "duties" which we to our families, neighbourhood,  community, and nation. Mahabharata says, " where there is Dharma (duty or Law), there is peace and prosperity." Dharmashastras claim "those who protect the Law, the Law protects them." 

         Perhaps the time has come to restart the wheel of Dharma and to follow the Middle Path annunciated by Lord Buddha. For, in ancient wisdom lies our modern reality and practicality.

Detail of a Facade of a Cave

Detail of a Facade of a Cave

 Ajanta Caves.Gupta Period, 3rd Century CE

          Although the Ajanta Caves are said to be the pinnacle of "Gupta art", but the ruling dynasty of the area was the Vakataka dynasty.  How built these Caves,  why were they constructed in this area can only be guessed. It seems no royal patronage was their for the construction of these Buddhist caves.  According to many historians, the construction was commissioned by wealthy businessmen. According to the historians this area was on a trade route and was a prosperous area. However, there are no known city which has been discovered so far near thus locality. This raises a number of questions: since the Buddhist monks survive on alms, who gave them alms on daily basis, especially when there were large number of monks living in the monks' quarters ( Viharas)? Where did the labourers live who carved out and sculpted and painted these caved?  Who fed them? The questions about the logistics need to be explored.

            What we do have is a finished product which is unsurpassable in its beauty, serenity, and spirituality.  It is a testimony of the human genius in the fields of art and science.  The solid rocks have been transformed into intricate designs and lively sculptures.  The walls have been painted with all the variety of the social strata. It is a journey into the mind and soul of a civilisation.

Ajanta Caves

Ajanta Caves

Gupta Period, 3rd to 5th Century CE

        On a outing, in 1819, a British soldier accidently discovered the Ajanta caves.  The Caves were a shock to the British, and an eye - opener to the rest of the world. The English had convinced us and themselves that  the Indian civilisation was decadent and barbaric. It could not boast of any achievement either in science or in arts. 

         Ajanta Caves are a living testimony of our engineering, of our arts, and of our spiritualism.  Carved out of sheer rocks, at the bend of a river, the thirty caves took two hundred years to be finished. Each cave is a masterpiece of engineering. The intricate interrelationship between the 'Chaityas ' ( the prayer halls), and the 'Viharas ' ( the cells where the monks lived) is mind boggling.  Full of paintings and sculptures, the Ajanta artists have captured the minute details of the world around them. The tranquility, the serenity of the images embibes the place with great spirituality.  

Till the discovery of Ajanta one did not know the foundation of art of Asia. With its discovery, we have reached the basis of sacred art of Asia. Its style, its  iconography,  its colours and contours have travelled as far as Japan. To know Ajanta is to know Asian art. 

Lord Surya ( The Sun God )

Lord Surya ( The Sun God )

Konark Temple,Eastern Ganga Dynasty,13th Century CE, National Museum, New Delhi

      Imported by the Kushan Kings in the 1st Century CE, from Iran, Lord Surya is a late entry in the Hindu pantheon. As Hinduism developed, He was fused with Lord Vishnu and came to be called Suryanarayan. 

       His western ancestry is reflected in His attire : usually He wears a squarish crown. He is the only god who is depicted with boots. He is shown either standing or squatting.  His chariot is said to be pulled by seven  "green" horses. 

       Amongst the nine planets in Hindu astronomy,  He is considered to be the most powerful.  Praying to Him is supposed to bring good health and great wealth. Even according to science tells us that vitamin D is essential for the body.

        With the rise of scientific temper, with industrial revolution, we had forgotten the importance of the Sun. But with concept of solar energy gaining ground, again Sun has become important. The wisdom of the ancients is dawning on the moderns. 

Lord Shiva as Natraj ( Lord of Dance )

Lord Shiva as Natraj ( Lord of Dance )

Ellora Caves,Rashtrakuta Dynasty,8th Century CE

Popularly Natraj is associated with Tamil Nadu in general and with Chola art in particular.  But the popularity of Natraj is across the country. Natraj has been depicted in the temples of Khajaraho in M. P. and in Badoli in Rajasthan. 

In the Kailash Temple at Ellora we find different versions of Natraj: as performing in the assembly of the Gods, while performing the "Tandav", the dance of destruction.  Here is another example of Natraj performing the Tandav dance. With arms moving like the spokes of a wheel, with the body bent in three different direction,  with the head looking skywards, the Lord is in a frenzy. 

To the Indian mind, Natraj is a summary of Hindu philosophy.  While it is a dance of destruction, it is the birth of creation.  For the fire and the drum, the two symbols of destruction and creation are at the same level. Similarly while the skull tops the hair knot or is hidden in the Crown,  Ganges also  flows from the hair. Thus death and immortality are balanced. The dual aspect of Nature is beautifully depicted in the image of Natraj. 

Surprisingly while the Lord is in fury, Goddess Parvati is epitome of calmness and tranquility.  She quietly sits watching the dance of life and death. Nature is detached from the mundane affairs of life and death. So should we. 

Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati

Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati

Ellora Caves, Rashtrakuta Dynasty, 8th Century CE

             Lord Shiva was not only a loner, but was also the one to defy the social norms. A recluse,  an ascetic, He is the symbol of pure intellect. He is the 'mahayogi' (the great yogi). While the ancient Indian society venerated the ascetic,  it did not hold him as the ideal person. It is the 'grahasthi ' ( the householder) who is the idol. Thus Lord Shiva had to be transformed from the yogi to the grahasthi.  

             Goddess Parvati is the symbol of the benevolence of Nature. She is the beauty of Nature,  She is the opulence of Nature. She represents the concepts of peace,  harmony and beauty. She is the emotional part of the human psychology.  The task of transforming the pure intellect into something more human, thus, fell on Her. 

             Here we see the happy couple together.  Since Parvati symbolises the fertile nature, the hearth and the home, since She is mother Earth, She holds a stalk of  sugarcane.

             The sugarcane itself is symbolic. It belongs to the grass family. Yet, it is useful to mankind. Like life, it undergoes an ordeal, being crushed, to become valuable.  We too have to undergo difficulties in order to emerge as a useful person. Like sugarcane we have to lend sweetness to people, to our relationships, to the world. Like Goddess Parvati we are the providers of hearth and home. We have to maintain harmony and peace like an ideal grahasthi. For, a house divided never stands.

Lord Shiva Dancing within the Skin of an Elephant

Lord Shiva Dancing within the Skin of an Elephant

 Ellora Caves, Rashtrakuta Dynasty, 8th Century CE

       Gajasura, a demon in the form of an elephant  (Gaj), attacked Lord Shiva. The Lord killed him, skinned him, stretched his skin to the end of the cosmos and danced within the skin. Here we see the colossal form of Lord Shiva as he dances in his fury: his ten arms flaying in the cosmos, his one foot trampling ignorance, his hair dishevelled and the skin stretched to the frame of the panel. It is an image of fury,  anger, and total destruction.  Yet Goddess Parvati just turns around to see what all the fuss is about. Like her,  the Seven Mothers quietly sit as though nothing has happened.

            The cosmos may be in turmoil, but there is a sense of calmness. Even when we suffer tragedy in our lives and the world seems to be crashing down, Nature continues to be tranquil. The sculpture is, thus, an existentialist statement.

            When the Europeans saw these sculptures they mistook them to be demonic in nature.  For it was difficult to imagine divinity as having "octopus like" arms. But their art being realistic, they could neither see the concept, nor the philosophy behind the Indian art. Our art has always been "conceptual" whereas the western art was till the 20th century realistic. Our aesthetics are different.  Hence it is difficult for people to understand the mysteries of Indian Art.  To fully understand Indian Art one has to comprehend indian dance, music, myths, and philosophy. It is a complex world. 

Lord Narsimha Wrestling with Hiranyakashyap

Lord Narsimha Wrestling with Hiranyakashyap

Ellora Caves,Rashtrakuta Dynasty, 8th Century CE

             In order to get rid of evil,  the Lord has to undertake different forms: the fish, the tortoise,  the Lion.  Narsimha is considered the third incarnation of Lord Vishnu. 

            Hiranyakashyap had prayed to Lord Shiva. From Him he got the boon that he could not be killed either by man or animal, either in day or at night, either in a building or outside. Having gotten the boon, power went to his head. Absolute power corrupted him absolutely.  He became an arrogant, ruthless ruler to such an extent that he was cruel towards his own son (some claim his nephew) Prahlad.  

             He asked Prahlad to prove that God existed. For according to Hiranyakashyap,  he himself was god. From a pillar, Lord Narsimha emerged as a half man, half lion. 

            Most of the time, the sculptors have depicted Hiranyakashyap lying on the lap of Narsimha; the Lord tearing his stomach with his sharp nails. But in Ellora, the sculptor has not depicted the last gasping moments of Hiranyakashyap.  Here both are wrestling with each other. 

            Good and evil are equally matched. That is life where we struggle with the good and evil in our mind and in our society. The battle is eternal, full of struggle and fury. Every moment is ambiguous.  We do not know which of the two would win. The sculptor has caught the uncertainty of life beautifully.

Lord Shiva Dancing as Natraj in the Assembly of Gods

Lord Shiva Dancing as Natraj in the Assembly of Gods

Ellora Caves,Rashtrakuta Dynasty,8th Century CE

               According to legend Lord Shiva performed the first dance in an assembly of gods. This over life size panel depicts the said moment.  While a few gods come flying in on their vehicles, Parvati and others are already seated. In fact, Parvati is shown playing a harp in the front row, while other gods are attentively watching the performance. 

               It is said that Lord Shiva also taught dance to Bharat Muni,  who later wrote the first book on dramatology called the Bharat Natya Shastra. Written in 2nd century BCE, the book not only deals with drama, but also elaborately deals with dance. It divides dance into three parts: pure dance, part pure dance and part expression, and pure expression.  It talks about the purpose of performing arts, about the hastamudra  (hand gestures), the movement of the body or body postures. 

              All the classical Indian dances today are based on Bharat Natya Shastra. All with our art, our classical dances also travelled to other parts of Asia in the ancient period. Thus, the dance forms of China, Japan, Indo-China,  and of East Indies are all derived from Bharat Natya Shastra. Ironically, the Japanese have written the best book on Hastamudras.  We prefer not to talk about our own art and achievements.  

Natraj

Natraj

Ellora Caves, Rashtrakuta Dynasty, 8th Century CE

           We are all used to seeing Lord Shiva as Natraj ( the Lord of the dance ) dancing in a circle of fire. But here the sculptor has captured a more dynamic (Tandav ) pose of the dancer. The Lord no longer stands silently on one leg; instead he whirls around with his torso twisted to the point that while we see his broad chest from the front, we also see his hips from the side. He flays his six arms dramatically in the air. One of the hands carries his 'damaru ' ( his small hand held drum). The artist has contrasted the forceful movement of the dancer with the quietly sitting figures at the bottom.  The Lord is a huge figure compared to the small figures in the forefront.  This is one of the most dynamic image of Lord Shiva as Natraj.

          While we sit quietly at home,  we don't realise the churning that goes on either under our feet at the center of the earth, or outside in the cosmos. But the concept embodied in the figure is about the eternal cycle of life and death,  of creation and destruction.  The forceful figure of the Lord symbolises the violent cycle of creation and destruction.  We passively sit as an audience viewing this immortal cycle. But most of us ignorant of this eternal and natural cycle. 

Detail of Kailash Temple

Detail of Kailash Temple

Ellora Caves,Rashtrakuta Dynasty,8th Century CE

              If there is a marvellous piece of human engineering,  it is at Ajanta and Ellora Caves near Aurangabad in Maharashtra.  While in Ajanta, the architects have carved caves into the mountain, in Ellora an entire slice of the mountain has been carved leaving a free standing Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva--the Kailash Temple.  In the picture you can see the original mountain in the background and the carved out building in the foreground.  

            Carving a building out of a mountain is a herculean task. Firstly the building is not being constructed from foundation upward to the ceiling --as is done in conventional method of constructing a house or an apartment building. In fact the carving begins from top to bottom. Therefore,  the construction is reversed. Secondly, although the building and sculptures may be planned, but while chiselling away the stone, or while tunnelling into the mountain there is no way of finding out what lies inside the mountain.  Rocks might be missing, they may not be of the right size for sculpting an image. Thirdly, in the 8th Century one had neither electric drill, nor dinomite, nor remote sensing devices, nor computers to analyse the mountain or to blow up parts of it. The labour had to chip it away with hammar and chisel. The sheer amount of rock to be carved and carted away is mind boggling!  

           Additionally, besides the main temple there are three huge caves and a long ambulatory.  There is also a free standing pillar and a free standing image of an elephant. No wonder the Ellora Caves took two hundred years to be carved out. One wonders how the designs of the original architect were communicated to the generation of architects who followed? 

           Ironically, although Ellora Caves are a triumph of Indian engineering,  of Indian aesthetics, yet the monument is not considered one of the wonders of the world. We voted for the Taj, but not for either Ajanta or Ellora. Sadly, we fleetingly mention Ellora Caves in our history books.

The Temple of the Three Goddesses: Ganga, Yamuna and Swaraswati

  The Temple of the Three Goddesses: Ganga, Yamuna and Swaraswati

Ellora Caves, Rashtrakuta Dynasty, 8th Century CE

            Rivers have given us the fertile land and water for the beginning of civilisation.  All ancient civilisation, therefore, are river based: Egyptian on the Nile,  Indus Valley Civilisation on the Indus. Thus it was but natural for the people to venerate the Rivers. 

            In the Ellora Caves we have temple dedicated to the three famous rivers of the North: Ganga, Yamuna and Swaraswati. The temple is a unique one. For the temple faces the Kailash Temple in the Ellora Caves.  Are the three holy rivers paying their homage to the main diety of the temple,  Lord Shiva? Moreover, instead of the squat, plumpish ideal figure of woman, the River Goddesses are slim and tall nymphs.  While Ganga stands erect, in the central niche,  Yamuna and Swaraswati swagger in the left and right nitches.  The elegance of their walk is almost like a model's walk on a ramp. These women are not coy about their sexuality.  Since they are giver of life, they are confident of their role and status. 

           Today  while Swaraswati has disappeared, Ganga and Yammuna still continue to irrigate our fields. But unfortunately the super intelligent modern human beings no longer respect our rivers. We pollute them; we contaminate them; we kill them. Perhaps the ancients were wiser than us. They understood the value of water and importance of the rivers in our lives. 

Lord Brahaspati

Lord Brahaspati

East Ganga Dynasty, 13th Century AD,From Konark

             Brahaspati is the planet Jupiter.  As the largest planet in our solar system, it was well known to the ancient astronomers.  It funds prominence in ancient myths. In Hinduism Jupiter is the Guru of the demons; in Roman mythology, he is the supreme God, better know as Zeus in the Greek mythology.  

             As a 'guru' (teacher), Brahaspati is revered for his knowledge.  It is said that with his 'mantras' (chants), he could revive the dead as well. In astrology, he is considered a benign planet which influences the academic career of a person. A person with a strong Brahaspati on his horoscope is said to have a fine mind and generally goes either in academics or into administration.  

            Iconographically, Brahaspati is easy to recognise. For there are only three gods in Hindu pantheon who support a beard: Lord Brahma,  Agni ( the God of Fire), and Brahaspati.  He holds a rosary, which symbolises repetition of mantras, or in other words, meditation. The water pot he holds symbolises the ability to cleanse oneself of illusions and delusions. It is the holy water which cleans our sins. Water which is the elixir of life. He sits in the lotus position  (Padam aasan), as though he is about to reveal the secrets of life and about to unravel the mysteries of the universe.  Like a good teacher he has a beautiful smile, full of calmness and detachment.  The Guru has always occupied a central position in our society.  For it is they who convert the beast (demons) in us into divinity. He is the teacher of the demons