Lord Ganesh

Lord Ganesh

Chola Bronze,11th Century CE,Chennai Museum

Chennai Museum has a large collection of Chola Bronze.  And naturally so as Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu and Tamil Nadu was the seat of the Chola dynasty. 

India has an ancient tradition of bronze casting. The oldest metalic statue comes from Indus Valley Civilisation : the Dancing Girl. But there are also beautiful bronze sculptures from the post - Gupta Period from Bihar and Bengal. In fact, there is a life - size Buddha in bronze from Sultanganj, Bihar. The Pala Dynasty of Bengal has also produced fine bronze sculptures.  Even today Tamil Nadu continues to produce exquisite bronze sculptures following the ancient method of lost wax technique in casting the figure. 

The figure is first made in wax, then covered with clay. When the clay is fried, holes are left through which the melted wax would escape and the impression of the sculpture would be left inside the hardened clay. Thus the wax is lost.  Then molten bronze is poured inside the cavity of the mould. After the mould cools down, the baked clay is broken, revealing the bronze statue. The Rough edges are filed, the finer details are carved, the statue is polished, and sold. Chola Bronze are considered to be masterpieces of Indian art.  

Lord Ganesh is a popular God of the South.  During the Vedic period, Lord Vishnu in the form of a horse headed god was considered the God of Wisdom. For according to the Vedic people, the horse was the most intelligent animal. Till they domesticated the wild elephant. As elephants became important, the God of wisdom changed from being horse headed to an elephant headed. Most likely, some tribes in Maharashtra used to worship the elephants as a tribal God. The Aryans adopted him as their God of wisdom after the post - Gupta Period.  For the oldest statues of Lord Ganesh are discovered in Maharashtra from the post - Gupta Period.  

In South Indian art Lord Ganesh is depicted either standing, sitting or dancing. He is a jovial god who amuses us with his childish images and inspires us with his wisdom. Since wisdom can solve all the problems, He is considered to be the God who solves our difficulties. Since no task can be achieved without knowledge, He is the first God to be worshipped. For action without knowledge and wisdom leads to chaos. Thus, He creates harmony and order. He maintains the universe.  

While we all worship him, at times, we forget the importance of knowledge and wisdom in our life.

Lord Ganesh

Lord Ganesh

Chola Bronze, 11th Century AD, Thiruvananthapuram Museum

 

          Recently visited the Government Museum at Thiruvananthapuram. Although the Museum has an excellent collection of Chola Bronze,  but the collection is hopelessly displayed. There are even mistakes about the identity and importance of the images of the Gods of Hindu pantheon.  This figure of Lord Ganesh is described as holding a "horn" in his front right hand. Wish they knew it is a broken "tusk" which He holds and not a "horn". 

          The image is a beautiful one with Lord Ganesh standing on a lotus pedestal. Since the sculpture was meant to be carried,  it has two prongs on the side. Images of the Gods are still carried in many parts of the country so as to permit the devotees to have a glimpse (a darshan) of the Gods. It is also a social means of conveying that all is well in the city. Such social festivals not only permit us to be together, but also allow us to celebrate the joys of life, itself.

Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati

Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati

Chola Bronze, 10th Century AD

          One of the finest pairs of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati amongst the Chola Bronze.  The Chola sculptors introduced a new concept of male and female beauty.  While the rest of India has plump squat figures as in Khajaraho and Konark,  the Chola figures are lean and thin, supple and graceful.  The female ideal is no longer buxom and broad. She is figure conscious and elegant. The male figure is not muscular figure of Gandhar School; he too is well proportinate, tallish and slim. 

           Lord Shiva stands in the posture of holding a Vina,  an instrument said to be invented by him when he saw Goddess Parvati sleeping.  He holds the deer in one hand, as he is the God of wilderness, or of animals as He is Pashupatinath.  In the other hand, He holds an axe, to destroy our obstacles, illusions, pain and agony. To free us from our worldly bonds. 

           Goddess Parvati holds a lotus (missing in the figure), to symbolise the bounty of Nature which she represents,  to symbolise harmony, beauty and peace. 

         This world needs both of them to achieve peace, prosperity and liberation.

Lord Krishna Dancing on Kalia

Lord Krishna Dancing on Kalia

Chola Bronze, 11th Century AD

          Generally Lord Krishna is shown as a young child dancing on the Serpant Kalia. But here He is shown as a teenage boy. The serpant has been given a human form. Thus, this is a unique Chola Bronze. 

          The story of Kalia, of a deadly snake having polluted the Yammuna River,  is pertinent today. For the story teaches us to preserve our rivers, lakes and oceans. It is a lesson on conserving our environment.  

Lord Shiva Dancing within the Skin of an Elephant

Lord Shiva Dancing within the Skin of an Elephant 

Chola Bronze,11th Century AD

          Gajasura, a demon in the form of an elephant attacked Lord Shiva.  Lord Shiva not only killed him, but also flayed him. Dancing within his skin, He stretched the skin as far as the end of the universe. He punctured the skin with His thumb and/or fingers.  Astonished,  Goddess Parvati stands and stares at his infinite height and at His feat. 

       The story has a philosophical meaning: divinity is beyond the material world. The mind can travel beyond matter. Beyond the realities of the finite world, there still exists the realities of the infinite. 

         The Chola artist was not merely depicting a dancing God, he was portraying a complex metaphysical concept.

Lord Shiva as Veenadhar

Lord Shiva as Veenadhar

Chola Bronze, 11th Century AD

         Having looked at Godess Parvati sleeping, Lord Shiva was inspired to invent the Veena, called the Rudra Veena  (one of  the oldest known string instruments of India). Here although the Veena part is missing, but the two front arms are held in a position as though the Lord is playing the Veena. 

         Veena is a symbol of language, of creativity, of civilisation.  For language is an essential element of civilisation and of being civil.

Kaliya Dahan ( Lord Krishna Dancing on the Serpant Kaliya

Kaliya Dahan ( Lord Krishna Dancing on the Serpant Kaliya

Chola Bronze,  11th Century AD

Yammuna River was polluted by a large multi - headed King Cobra, Kaliya. Due to the poisoning of the water, Krishna's herd of cows died. Krishna jumped into the river, fought with Kaliya, and in triumph, danced on its hood. This sculpture depicts Krishna dancing on the hood.

This simple story works at different levels: it is as much about us conquering our inner demons, as it is about keeping our lakes and river free of pollution, as about Gods quelling our troubles for us.

Artistically this statue is a fine example of Chola Bronze.  The figure stands on one leg. In order to depict Krishna as a child, He is shown in the nude, but for his waist band.

Dancing Ganesh

Dancing Ganesh

Chola Bronze, 11th Century AD

            Interestingly, here Ganesh ji holds a bunch of Mangoes in His left upper hand: it symbolises fertility, the creative power. It is balanced by His holding an axe in His right upper hand: it not only symbolises the power of destruction, but also depicts the power to cut through obstacles. Om Ganeshaya Namaha 

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.

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.

Lord Hanuman

Lord Hanuman

Chola Bronze,11th Century AD

Hanuman was the best devotee of Lord Ram. For he never asked Lord Rama for a favour. He is, thus, the symbol of selfless worshiper, something most of us are not. For each prayer we ask a favour from the Lord. Though we worship Lord Hanuman, yet we do not follow in his footsteps. What a great difference in our preaching and our practice.

Lord Shiva

Lord Shiva

Chola Bronze,11th Century AD

Although the stance of this sculpture is more like that of Lord Krishna, but notice that the turban is made up of coiled snakes. A dead give away, it is Lord Shiva.

The Chola sculptor does not present Lord Shiva as a grown up man, but as a young lad. With his right arm resting on his Bull, the Nandi, he holds his left arm near his thigh, signifying that he is a devotee of Lord Vishnu. This sculpture is of a calm, handsome, young God who looks down at humanity. He is the deliverer. He is the saviour. Yet He is detached. He is the Mahayogi, Mahadev.

Goddess Uma

Goddess Uma

Chola Bronze, 11th Century AD

After the death of Sati, Lord Shiva went into deep meditation. The control of his mind, his indifference to the cosmos freighted the Gods. Something had to be done. He had to be married. But with whom?

Goddess Parvati or Uma was born. After a long and arduous fasting, she convinced Him to marry Her. Mind and matter were united. It is She who taught Him the finer things of life, the Laasya dance, the ability to enjoy life. She is the symbol of womanhood: the creator of civilizations. She is the Great Goddess.