"The Merciful Kali" Patachitra Silk Painting

A spectacular colour pattern and sharp and lines are manifest here as the mother goddess is trampling on Lord Shiva. 

A very powerful goddess in Hinduism, Mahakali is the repository of the ferocious nature of power. Though lot of negative attributes are associated with this goddess, worshiping her helps us get rid of evil forces. She is wearing garland of human skulls and is holding a beheaded human head. 

Kali is a Hindu goddess associated with eternal energy. Literally meaning 'black', but has by folk etymology come to mean 'force of time (kala)'. Despite her negative connotations, she is today considered the goddess of time and change. Although sometimes presented as dark and violent, her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation still has some influence. 

Kali Paintings is represented as the consort of god Shiva, on whose body she is often seen standing. She is associated with many other Hindu goddesses like Durga, Bhadrakali, Sati, Rudrani, Parvati and Chamunda. She is the foremost among the Dasa-Mahavidyas, ten fierce Tantric goddesses.

Beautiful World of Indian Madhubani Paintings

Rejoicing Birds - Madhubani Painting

 

The spectacular Madhubani painting portrays a number of birds rejoicing the beauty of nature. The joyful birds are chirping on the brunches of the tree and they create a beautiful scenery. Madhubani painting, also known as Mithila Art, as this genre of painting is centred around Mithila region in Bihar, is marked by line drawings filled in by bright colours and contrasts or patterns. Though traditionally done by the women folk of the region, nowadays men are also involved in the process. These are basically tribal art which are marked by the application of strong earthly colours.

                                              The Realm Of King Sailesh

The beautiful Madhubani painting depicts the realm of the King Shailesh with the tattoo images of the living creatures in circular pattern. Tatoos of fishes, human beings are being nicely painted in the painting. Mithila paintings, alternately called Madhubani, are a folk tradition kept alive by women in northern Bihar. Together, they draw traditional designs and depict events from epic mythology on the floors and walls of their houses using crushed wet rice and natural colors on 100% cotton fabric and handmade paper. From this age old tradition stemmed the practice of drawing Mithila paintings on a canvas of handmade paper or pure mulberry silk fabric, using natural colors and fabric dyes.

Lost Wax Sculptures

Obedient Horse-Brass Towel Ring

Crafted in the age-old dhokra technique, the brass figurine reflects gleaming artistry of this genre of style. The towel hanger shows the perfection of a handcrafted legacy in its detailed form. The figurine attests to the refined excellence of the dhokra artists, their hands guided by a desire to preserve their fine art. The figure has some sparkling designs on it and the method of lost wax is being applied in this technique of brass making. Dhokra art is largely practiced by the tribal groups of northern India, including Vindhyas and the Eastern Ghats, Bihar and its surroundings, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. Numerous images are cast in the dhokra tradition as artisans preserve their millenary culture, custom and belief through the wondrous pieces they create. 

Tree Of Life

 

Tree Of Life

Life of Warli tribe gets a vivid depiction in this beautiful painting. Trees are central to their lives. People are depicted around the tree in a circular manner.

This type of tribal paintings depicts the simple life style of the Warli tribes in Maharashtra. Major economic preoccupation of the tribal people, i.e. harvesting of rice, celebration, wedding, rituals and births are the main motifs of this genre of painting. The Warli art has a special characteristic of representing the humble life of the Warli tribe.

The basic tenet of Warli paintings is the use of geometric designs such as triangles, circles, squares, dots and crooked lines are used to depict human figures, animal figures, houses, crops etc. Warli art is known for its monochromatic depictions reflecting the folk life of socio-religious customs, imaginations and beliefs. Predominately white color is used on a red earthen background.

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The Elephant Headed God Ganesha - Wooden Large Sculpture

The elephant-headed God Ganesha is nicely carved out of wood with some elegant designs. Lord Ganesha is one of the most benevolent deities in Hinduism. Lord Ganesha at every point in time in our life plays a significant role. He is most present in the consecrated temple or roadside shrine, from which His grace radiates out from the world of the Gods. Ganesha is the Lord of beginnings, guiding the practical aspects of our lives that we may best fulfill dharma. For the Hindu, Ganesha is easily contacted, and He is thought of as lenient of our errors and shortcomings, most understanding of our humanness. So vast is Ganesha's Being that He cannot be contained by any single concept, and therefore He is portrayed in many forms. He is each of them, and He is all of them. Ganesha is a word compounded from the Sanskrit word gana, meaning "the hosts," "multitudes" or "troops" of demigods, especially the retinue of Lord Siva under the rule of Ganesha, and Isha, "ruler," "lord" or "sovereign." This is virtually synonymous with the name Ganapati, "master of the hosts." As Ganapati, Lord Ganesha is the leader of the ganas, ruling over the celestial hosts, over the benign as well as the malevolent inner-plane beings. He controls them not as Lord Murugan does, through bravery and forcefulness, but by strategy and intelligence. We follow the path of Lord Ganesha when we resort to discrimination and sagacity to resolve our difficulties, when we proceed past obstacles in a slow, prudent and well-planned manner. Lord Ganesha is not in a hurry. He is cautious. He is patient, willing to await the right time for events to take place. As Vighneshvara, Lord Ganesha is Lord of Obstacles, creating difficulties and obstructions if the time is wrong for us to proceed and removing those same obstacles when our success is assured. As Siddhidata, Lord Ganesha is the Giver of Success associated with bountiful harvests and general abundance in life. The Mudgala Purana, an ancient text on Lord Ganesha, cites eight forms of Ganesha, prevailing over eight human weaknesses or demons. Ekadanta is the Conquerer of Moda, arrogance. Dhumravarna (smoke colored) overcomes Abhimana, pride; Vakratunda (curved trunk) is the Vanquisher of Matsarya, jealousy; Mahodara (big belly) is Lord of Moha, infatuation; Gajanana (elephant face) conquers Lobha, greed; Lambodara (corpulent belly) overcomes Krodha, anger; Vikata (deformed) conquers Kama, lust; Vighnaraja (King of Obstacles) prevails over Mamata (egotism). So now we can see that our Loving Ganesha is "there" for even the lowest of the low, that there is hope for everyone, and that there really is "no intrinsic evil," only a seeming variation of the past containing all that has to be learned to live and grow from a young soul to an older one and then mature into rishi consciousness. He is "there for us." Yes, there is hope for all, and none are damned forever. It is our loving Ganesha who eventually introduces us to His brother, our Loving Murugan, the God Who sits upon the manipura chakra, center of willpower.

Buddhist Ritual Box with Ashtamangala Symbols

The Buddhist ritual box is nicely designed with astamangala symbols being inscribed on it. These astamangal symbols are the sacred symbols for Buddhism and reflect the teachings and various events of Buddha. Here eight auspicious signs of Buddhism are nicely depicted. Astamangalas are the eight jewels of Buddhism, eight pillars of Buddhism.

Astamangala (The Eight Auspicious Signs) are eight different aspects of Buddhism. They include White Parasal, Golden Fishes, Sankha, Dhvaja, Srivatsa, Kalasa, Padma, Chamaru. They appear all together or in part as a decorative motif in stone, wood, metal and painting.

Astamangalas are believed to represent the gifts given by celestial beings to Sakyamuni following his attainment of Enlightenment.

Umbrella or White Parasal gives us protection from evil desires and embodies notions of wealth or royalty. It points to the "royal ease" and power experienced in the Buddhist life of detachment.

Two Fishes or Golden Fish symbolizes beings rescued from the ocean of misery of earth. Whosoever practices dharma needn’t fear about suffering, and can swim at ease like a fish in the water.

The Conch or Sankha: The white Conch shell symbolizes the deep, far reaching and melodious sound of the teachings.

Dhvaja or The Victory Banner symbolizes the victory of the Buddha's teachings over death, ignorance, disharmony and all the negativities of this world.

Srivatsa or Endless knot or Mystic diagram symbolizes of the endless cycle of rebirth. It also represents the infinite wisdom of the Buddha and the union of compassion and wisdom.

Kalasa or The Treasure Vase represents all spiritual wealth and is a sign of the inexhaustible riches available in the Buddhist teachings.

The Lotus is a symbol of purity both for the Hindus and the Buddhists. It is a symbol of complete purification of body, speech and mind.

Chamaru symbolizes Tantric manifestations. Made of yak tail attached with silver staff, it is used during ritual recitation and fanning the deities on an auspicious religious ceremony.

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Nataraja

Nataraja is a depiction of the god Shiva as the cosmic dancer who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for the god Brahma to start the process of creation. A traditional Tamil concept, Shiva was first depicted as Nataraja in the famous Chola bronzes and sculptures of Chidambaram. The dance of Shiva in Tillai, the traditional name for Chidambaram, forms the motif for all the depictions of Shiva as Nataraja. He is also known as “Sabesan” which splits as “Sabayil aadum eesan” in Tamil which means “The Lord who dances on the dais”. The form is present in most Shiva temples in South India, and is the prime deity in the famous Thillai Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram.

The sculpture is usually made in bronze, with Shiva dancing in an aureole of flames, lifting his left leg (or in rare cases, the right leg) and balancing over a demon or dwarf (Apasmara) who symbolizes ignorance. It is a well known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture.

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"HOTEI"

Hotei (literally meaning Calico Bag Arhat) is better known in the English-speaking world as the fat Laughing Buddha. Hotei is the interpretation of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, the predicted Buddha to succeed Gautama Buddha in the future. He has become incorporated into Buddhist and Shinto culture and is based on an eccentric Chinese Chan monk. Hotei persists in Japanese folklore as one of the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichi Fukujin).

The Laughing Buddha derives from the time of Sakyamuni Buddha, where there was a monk named Angida, whose name also meant calico bag. Angida was one of the original eighteen Arhats of Buddhism. According to legend, Angida was a talented Indian snake catcher. He used to catch venomous snakes to prevent them from biting passers-by. Due to his kindness, he was able to attain bodhi. Both Hotei and Angida have similar resemblences, as they both are obese, seen laughing and carrying a bag.

The image of Hotei is shown carrying a cloth or linen sack, which never empties, and is filled with many precious items. Sometimes it can be filled with children, as they are seen as some of those precious items of this world. His duty is patron of the weak, poor and children. In some scenes he may be found sitting on a cart drawn by boys, or wielding a fan called an oogi (said to be a "wish giving" fan -- in the distant past, this type of fan was used by the aristocracy to indicate to vassals that their requests would be granted).

The brass figure depicts a stout, smiling or laughing shaved man in robes with a largely exposed potbelly stomach that symbolizes happiness, good luck, and plenitude. The stomach is also considered the seat of the soul in Chinese mythology and so the large stomach can be taken as an allegory for Hotei's Open Heartedness. Some sculptures have small children at his feet. Another item that is usually seen with the Hotei figure, is a begging bowl; to represent his Buddhist nature. All of these images display Hotei as a wandering monk who goes around and takes the sadness from people of this world, in some ways parallel to the Christian Jesus. He most certainly is a loving and cheerful character, strikingly similar to Santa Claus in the West, and is a common statuette found in homes and businesses in China and Japan.

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The Savior Goddess "Green Tara" Brass Sculpture

The beautiful brass figure of the Green Tara is nicely carved out with some exquisite and splendid carvings on it. This Buddhist saviour-goddess has numerous manifestations and is widely popular in Nepal, Tibet, and Mongolia. Tara is the feminine counterpart of the Bodhisattva (or the futue Buddha) Avalokitesvara. According to popular belief, Tara came into existence from a tear of Avalokitesvara, which fell to the ground and formed a lake. Out of its waters rose up a lotus, which, on opening, revealed the goddess. Like Avalokitesvara, she is a compassionate, succoring deity who helps men "cross to the other shore." She is the protectress of navigation and earthly travel, as well as of spiritual travel along the path to Enlightenment. The Green Tara (Sanskrit: Syamatara) was believed to be incarnated as the Nepali princess. She is considered by some to be the original Tara and is the female consort or  partner of Avalokitesvara. In this beautiful brass figure, she is shown seated on a lotus throne with right leg hanging down, wearing the ornaments of a bodhisattva.

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"The Merciful Kali" Patachitra Silk Painting

A spectacular colour pattern and sharp and lines are manifest here as the mother goddess is trampling on Lord Shiva.

A very powerful goddess in Hinduism, Mahakali is the repository of the ferocious nature of power. Though lot of negative attributes are associated with this goddess, worshiping her helps us get rid of evil forces. She is wearing garland of human skulls and is holding a beheaded human head.

Kali is a Hindu goddess associated with eternal energy. Literally meaning 'black', but has by folk etymology come to mean 'force of time (kala)'. Despite her negative connotations, she is today considered the goddess of time and change. Although sometimes presented as dark and violent, her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation still has some influence

Kali is represented as the consort of god Shiva, on whose body she is often seen standing. She is associated with many other Hindu goddesses like Durga, Bhadrakali, Sati, Rudrani, Parvati and Chamunda. She is the foremost among the Dasa-Mahavidyas, ten fierce Tantric goddesses.

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Devi Saraswati

Goddess Saraswati is the emblem of learning and Saraswati is a goddess worshipped in the Vedic religion. She is the goddess of learning and the arts (e.g., music). She is also worshipped as the goddess of thoughts of truth and forgiveness. She is mentioned in the Rig Veda as well as in Puranic texts. It is likely that She originated as a river Goddess because her name in Sanskrit means "she who has lakes or pools". She is also referred to as Shonapunya, a Sanskrit word meaning ‘one purified of blood’.

In Vedanta, she is considered to be the feminine energy and knowledge aspect--shakti--of Brahman. As in ancient times, she is the goddess of knowledge, speech, poetry and music. Vedantins believe that only through the acquisition of knowledge does one reach the final path to moksha, or liberation from reincarnation. Only by worshiping Saraswati and continuously seeking true knowledge with one's complete attention can one attain the enlightenment necessary for moksha.

Goddess Saraswati is carved out of brass as a beautiful, fair-skinned woman dressed in pure white often seated on a swan. She not only has the knowledge but also the experience of the Highest Reality.

Her four arms represent the four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness, and ego. 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 white pearls, representing the power of meditation and spirituality.

The veena, a musical instrument that represents her perfection of all arts and sciences. Saraswati is also associated with Anurag, 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.

The white, 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".

KOTA DORIA SAREE

Kota doria is one of many types of saree garments. Kota doria sarees are made at Kota, Rajasthan and Muhammadabad Gohna, Mau Utterpradesh city and its nearby area. Sarees are made of pure cotton and silk and have square like patterns known as khats on them.

Originally, such sarees were called Masuria because they were woven in Mysore. The weavers were subsequently brought to Kota by Rao Kishore Singh who was a general in the Mughal army. The weavers were brought to Kota in the late 17th and early 18th century and the sarees came to be known as 'Kota-Masuria'. Kota sarees are popularly known as 'Masuria' in Kota and Kotadoria outside the state. 'Doria' means thread.

Rajasthan Handloom Development Corporation (RHDC) is taking the lead in producing items other than sarees from the Kota Doria. They have helped produce lamp shades, curtains, skirts and salwar-kamiz. They have even helped make an all silk saree on Masuria handlooms.

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