"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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