The beautiful images of Lord Shiva, one of the Trinity Gods in Hinduism, the other two being Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma, is crafted out of a piece of wood in a most refine and detail manner with some spectacular exuberance of sculptural excellence.
Dakshinamurti literally means 'one who is facing south' in Sanskrit. South is the direction of Death, hence change. In every Siva temple the stone image of Dakshinamurthy is installed, facing south, on the southern circumambulatory path around the sanctum sanctorum. Perhaps, of all Hindu Gods, he is the only one sitting facing south. The great seer Ramana Maharshi,has interpreted the name as "Dakshina-amurty", meaning one who is capable but without form.
The Lord is sitting on a royal chair and the dwarf beneath his feet represents ignorance thereby the image signifies victory over ignorance.
The beautiful wooden figure of Lord Shiva killing the demon is beautifully crafted with some spectacular carvings on it. Lord Shiva is one of the Trinity in Hinduism, the other two being Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu. Lord Shiva is responsible for the destruction of the universe. But this also has a positive element to it as destruction is also the prelude to new creation.
The beautiful image of Lord Vishnu with all his incarnations have been nicely painted in the traditional Pata style. The infinite power and energy of the God is manifest in his incarnations. The omnipotent God is being surrounded by the big snake. The painting reveals a greater degree of gracefulness and accomplishment. A number of dazzling designs have been painted in the painting. The tall and standing figure of the Lord is shown standing on a big lotus.
The beautiful figure of the Goddess of Learning is given a refine and detail treatment in the wooden figure. The goddess is depicted as a beautiful woman dressed in pure white often seated on a white lotus, which symbolizes that she is founded in the experience of the Absolute Truth. Thus, she not only has the knowledge but also the experience of the Highest Reality. She is mainly associated with the color white, which signifies the purity of true knowledge. She is generally shown to have four arms, which represent the four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness, and ego. Alternatively, these four arms also represent the 4 Vedas, the primary sacred books for Hindus. The four hands also depict this thusly - prose is represented by the book in one hand , poetry by the garland of crystal, music by the Veena. The pot of sacred water represents purity in all of these three, or their power to purify human thought.She is shown to hold the following in her hands:A book, which is the sacred Vedas, representing the universal, divine, eternal, and true knowledge as well as her perfection of the sciences and the scriptures. A mala of crystals, representing the power of meditation and spirituality. A pot of sacred water, representing creative and purificatory powers. The veena, a musical instrument that represents her perfection of all arts and sciences. Saraswati is also associated with anuraga, the love for and rhythm of music which represents all emotions and feelings expressed in speech or music. It is believed that children born with that name will prove to be very lucky in their studies. A white swan is often located next to her feet. The sacred swan, if offered a mixture of milk and water, is said to be able to drink the milk alone. The swan thus symbolizes discrimination between the good and the bad or the eternal and the evanescent. Due to her association with the swan, Goddess Saraswati is also referred to as Hamsa-vahini, which means "she who has a swan as her vehicle".She is usually depicted near a flowing river, which may be related to her early history as a water goddess. The swan and her association with the lotus flower also point to her ancient origin.Sometimes a peacock is shown beside the goddess. The peacock represents arrogance and pride over its beauty, and by having a peacock as her mount, the Goddess teaches Hindus not to be concerned with external appearance and to be wise regarding the eternal truth.
The beautiful figure of Goddess Lakshmi is shown in a dancing posture. The goddess is wearing a lot of ornaments and a number of beautiful carvings and designs have made the wooden figure a piece of beauty and respect. Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity and she is one of the most worshipped-goddesses in Hinduism. Whereas the upper part of the body is relatively less-adorned, the lower part is covered with rich ornaments and clothes. An aesthetic sense of beauty and sensuality is manifest in the figure with her prominent breasts.
Magic of Mithila, the beautiful Madhibani painting depicts a simple goddess in human form. Madhubani is a refine form of painting popular in the Mithila region of Bihar and the painting uses natural dyes. Simple local as well as mythological motifs are being regularly used in this form of painting by the artists. Madhubani is mainly practised by the female artists. He eyes are prominent and there are some beautiful floral motifs.
The vibrant colour in the painting and the strong sense of colour gradations have made the Batik painting of royal elephant safari a most beautiful piece of art. The mohout, the elephant and the king as well as his bodyguards all have been treated in a most artistic manner. The black colour of the elephant has given it a most attractive appearance. The method of dewaxing has given the painting a very vibrant look. The trees and the grasses have also been treated with a rare sense of artistry.
Batik form of art is one of the oldest art form in India, which can be traced back to around 2000 years back. Batik paintings normally contain murals, wall hangings, paintings, household linen, and scarves are treasured possessions of any household in India. This genre of paintings on cotton cloth is found in West Bengal, Orissa and Tamil Nadu and have been known for their originality, uniqueness and fineness. Images such as one in the above painting on the battle of Kurukshetra that is considered a battle for dharma (religion) is created on the cotton cloth using wax resist method. This huge painting could be very useful for wall hanging because of its bi size. The chariot, Lord Krishna, who is riding the chariot and his associate Arjun and the horses have been treated in a most majestic manner. In the battle of Kurukshetra a war was raised between the forces of evil (Kaurab) and the forces of truth (Pandav) whereas the Lord Krishna takes side of the Pandavas. Indeed a most gracious painting.
The Batik painting of Godddess Sherawali on a roaring tiger has been beautifully painted by the artist and the art piece has reflected a rare sense a artistic excellence and his mastery over colour formations. Her red dress as well as the eight hands with different weapons on each hand have been beautifully painted. The roaring tiger has also been nicely painted in traditional Batik style. Every part of the painting, even the nails of the tiger has been minutely treated.
The lonely man is looking in desperation. He is filled in loneliness. A beautiful combination of colours has made the painting an attractive one. Orange, maroon, black and yellow have created a resplendent impact. A batik artist needs to have a good sense of colours and patterns. Line formations is also important to yield a beautiful impact. Though the motifs used in batik are simple, knowledge of color gradations and tack to remove wax finely are required.
The traditional Batik work on Mandals has revealed some of the basic characteristic features of this style of painting popular in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Orissa. Use of geometric motifs along with an intelligent depiction of line formations and colour patterns have made the Batik painting a real treat for eyes. The use of square and circular motifs has made the painting very attractive.
The abstract painting depicts some human figures and a number of colours such as white, yellow, red are being used to portray the special effect. Batik is an ancient form of art and the method of waxing and then again dewaxing gives a special effect to this kind of painting. Hand made designs are batiked on the cotton cloths.
The beautiful painting of the Lord of Wisdom riding on a chariot, driven by eight mice is a masterpiece in traditional Batik style. Lord Ganesha is one of the most popular gods in Hinduism and he is worshipped at the beginning of any ritual or before undertaking any journey. Colours and lines have been combined in the painting in a most accomplished and detail manner. The method of waxing and dewaxing gives rise to a special effect to the painting.
The painting on cloth is a vivid depiction of the tranquil natural of mother earth where the co-existence of different animals and trees is possible. The painting is a testimony of the natural craftsmen of the artists. Kalamkari form of painting is centred around Andhra Pradesh and the popularity of this exquisite form of art crossed the shores of the country during the 17th and 18th centuries.
One of the most popular gods in Hindusim, Lord Ganesha is worshipped at the beginning of any ritual and he is known as the remover of obstacles because of his benevolent nature. The painting reveals a greater degree of simplicity and devotion. The method of waxing and dewaxing gives a special effect to the painting.
Seated on a bird, the Indian god of Love and goddess of desire are infusing a keen desire for making love among the onlookers. The purity of physical relation is manifest. Set on Kalamkari painting, the bow on her hand is the medium through which love is spread. Made on a cotton cloth, the painting reflects the astute manner in which the master painter has depicted a picture of love. The birds are looking down in an amorous manner.
The Spring season, the queen of all seasons, has found a vivid portrayal in the Kalamkari painting. A paradigm of beauty, the art work is fine blending of sharp lines and colours. Light pink has been aptly used by the painter. The beautiful tree and its branches have been painted with a masterstroke. The peacocks have also been treated beautifully. Kalamkari is a traditional Indian craft predominantly related to cotton fabric. In this craft, fabric is patterned through the medium of dye rather than loom. Ochre is one of the few colors which cotton would take on easily The prominence of colours and the characters that emerge on cotton fabric, help create a resplendent spread in this form of art work. Kalamkari art is unique in its use of colour as a medium to portray mythological as well as mundane characters. Kalamkari is the art of painting cotton fabrics with a kalam i.e. pen, a sharp pointed pierced bamboo that regulates flow of colour on the fabric. Kalamkari colours are made from vegetable dyes. In addition to themes from the epics, Kalamkari leitmotifs comprise different forms of the lotus flower, the carwheel, parrots, an interlacing pattern of leaves and flowers.
The beautiful peacocks dancing in full glow under the resplendent tree is indeed a masterpiece in the traditional Kalamkari style of painting. The effulgence of colours and the characters that emerge on cotton fabric, help create a resplendent spread in the painting. Kalamkari art is unique in its use of colour as a medium to portray mythological characters. As the name suggests, Kalamkari is the art of painting cotton fabrics with a kalam i.e. pen, a sharp pointed pierced bamboo that regulates flow of colour on the fabric and this form of painting is centred on Kalahasti of Andhra Pradesh.
The spectacular wall hanging glorifies the beauty of the village with some beautiful dress designs being patched together. Mustard colour dazzles in the wall hanging with some rich embroidery works, sparkling beadworks, dazzling mirror works and spectacular sequins shine the beautiful wall hanging. A number of beautiful floral designs have been patched together in a most amazing manner.