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.

A Rani Watching a Dance Performance

A Rani Watching a Dance Performance

Sunga Dynasty,  2nd Century BC

         A very  interesting piece of sculpture which permits us to look into the inner chambers of a Rani's palace. The Rani sits at the top. She is being fanned by a maid. The orchestra of female musicians plays different musical instruments : the harp, a mandolin like instrument --looking like a Sarod, a flute, a drum. The dancer sways to the music with her hands swinging and her feet in rhythm.  

         The sculptor has almost caught the perspective right. Since the Rani is sitting further away from the viewer, she is smaller in size. The dancer in front looms large. The sculptor, thus, does not depict the figures from the point of view of the social status of the figures. But portrays the figures from an artistic or visual angle. 

          Surprisingly the entire orchestra is of women. This shows that women were trained in music and dance. But this may also indicate that men were not allowed in the Rani's palace. Hence, this may reveal the segregation of women and their confinement in a palace. This piece reveals more than just a dance performance. 

A Woman Painting Her Foot with Aalta

A Woman Painting Her Foot with Aalta

Khajaraho School,10th Century AD

          The Khajaraho temples are replete with sculptures of women at their daily activities. The theme of women adorning themselves is a popular one. Here we see a woman painting her feet with 'aalta', a redish colored liquid used to paint one's hands and feet. Before henna came to India, aalta was used for coloring the body. 

          Human beings love decorating their bodies. The fashion continues even today. But here the decoration has a philosophical concept. We 'decorate ' our lives with psychological constructs. With our likes and dislikes, biases and prejudices, we construct a world of our own. But the world we construct with our emotions and intelligence is merely cosmetic. The deeper reality lies somewhere else. Now notice the small nude figure to the right.  He stands like a Tirthankar,  the Jain Saints. Having abandoned the material world he stands and meditates. Behind him stands a divine figure. That is the path we must take, rather than adorning our feet with aalta.

Lady Writing a Letter

Lady Writing a Letter

Khajaraho School,10th Century AD

         No other School paid as much attention to the world of woman as Khajaraho did. The Khajaraho sculptors have captured her every nuance, her every turn and twists, her grace and power.  She is the Apsaras,  the Goddess, the  queen, the common woman. 

         Here we see a woman who is busy writing a letter. To whom she writes, we do not know: her husband, or a lover, her parents, or a petition to the King? But her grace, her attention to her work captures our imagination.  

         This sculpture is a classic piece of the Khajaraho School.  It has all the trademarks of the school.  The arched eyebrows, the curls on the forehead,  the loose bun, the jewelled belt, the bare chest, the see through sari as the lower garment, the broad hips, and the bare feet. Her curved body lends a sense of grace and a sense of other worldliness.  She is one of us, yer she is divine.

Musician

Musician

Konark Temple, Eastern Ganga Dynasty,13th Century AD

             The roof of the Sun Temple at Konark is decorated with lady musicians. Here is a woman playing the cymbals. The sun rays spread over the sky like music wafting through the air. The sunrise and music are intermixed in our mind and  soul. For, both represent life, energy and creativity. Hence, the presence of musicians and dancers in Konark.

         The Konark sculptures are easy to recognise with their large almond like eyes, with their beautiful upturned smiles and their ornaments, especially the two large earrings in the ears. The grace, the style, the jewellery is also reflected in Odissi dance. To see an Odissi dance is to see these Konark figures come alive.

Dancing Ganesh

Dancing Ganesh 

Khajaraho School,11th Century AD

        While an orchestra plays the flute, two large drums, Lord Ganesh sways to the music. Surprisingly a child in the nude, seen from the back, looks in awe at the huge figure of Lord Ganesh.  The inclusion of the child is highly unusual. For he cannot symbolise the donor, as a doner would be depicted as an adult. Does the child then symbolise the infantile Mankind looking at the vast universe? Or does the child stand for the innocent and pure soul looking at divinity? The sculptor has left all of us guessing at the meaning of the child in this masterpiece. 

The Drunken Courtesan

Mathura School,1st Century AD

      Drinking by both the genders was quite popular in ancient India.  Although not approved as a civil behaviour,  but it was popular nonetheless.  Here we see a courtesan deadly drunk who needs to be supported and carried off to her bedroom.  Such sculptures tell us not only about the jewellery and clothes worn at that time, but also inform us about the life - style.  The man with his fingers on his face symbolises the disapproval of such drunken state.

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 Vishnu

Lord Vishnu 

Gupta Dynasty . 5th Century AD

          Gupta art is world famous for its Buddhist sculptures,  paintings and architecture.  The foremost example being the Ajanta caves. But the Gupta age also saw the beginning of Hindu art as in this example.  A few art historians have suggested that Hindu iconography comes from Buddhist art. 

          Gupta art is easy to recognise both from its style and spirit. Its figures are well proportinate,  lively yet calm and serene. Stylistically,  the ornamentation is simple. Pearls and pearl strings tend to dominate rather than gold jewellery.  

           Here Lord Vishnu stands looking at the devotes below him. There is a sense of tranquility, and gentleness in his glance. Just looking at his divinity, the devotee forgets his troubles.

Lord Harihhar

Lord Harihhar

Khajaraho School, 10th Century AD,  National Museum, New Delhi

            One of the most unique gods in India is Lord Harihar. According to the Puranas Lord Shiva was struck by the beauty of Mohini  (Lord Vishnu in a female form). They had physical relationship.  Harihar is the child of that union. He is half Hari--Lord Vishnu, and half Har--Lord Shiva. Thus he has the quality of both: he meditates, yet he maintains the world with his powers. 

            Historically it was important to invent him. For in ancient India disputes regularly erupted between Vaishnavs,  the followers of Lord Vishnu , and Shaivites,  the followers of Lord Shiva. It was better to assimilate them than to annihilate each other. 

            Although Harihar is hardly worshipped now except at Bhuveneshwar, but he is the symbol of Hinduism ' s ability to absorb and resolve conflicts. He is also an example of fluidity of sexual identity in Indian mind.  He is relevant for the post - modern world.