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Hinduism: Hindu deities. Ganesha, the one who removes obstacles
Ganesha in the Hindu pantheon is one of the sons of Shiva and Parvati (with Skanda). He symbolizes wealth, wisdom, luck. Ganesha is considered by his most fervent disciples as the supreme God, beyond the gods of Trimurti...
Hinduism: Indian art under the reign of the Chola
The Chola were originally installed in Tanjore (in present-day Tamil Nadu) from the 9th to the 11th century, then the capital moved to Gangaikondacholapuram, a royal city built at the time of the heyday of the Cholas under the reign of Rajendra I to celebrate the victory over the Pala of Bengal.
Hinduism and Budhism: Indian art under the reign of the Guptas
As early as Chandragupta II The Great, the religious and cultural foundations are established: this period is marked by a great refinement: the power in place ...
Hinduism : the Trimurti – Parvati
Parvati, is a complex deity, as is Shiva. She is both benevolent and terrifying (in the form of Durga and Kali).
Hinduism : the Trimurti – Shiva
Shiva is a complex deity, rich in teachings and symbols: he is ambivalent. Shiva is both terrifying and beneficial...
Hinduism : the Trimurti – Lakshmi
The primary function of Lakshmi is her quality of fertility: it is this that allows the manifestation to emerge, to be and to deploy. It is therefore the underlying, latent matrix.It is the foundation, the base of all things, without it, nothing can develop.
Hinduism :The Trimurti - Saraswati
The active principle, the Shakti, the creative energy, is manifested by the feminine side of the Hindu divinity: for Brahma, it is Saraswati: she is both his daughter and his wife.
Hinduism :The Trimurti - Brahma
« For Hindus, the Absolute exists either in a static, unmanifested form, above all, which is called "nirguna brahman" (Brahman without any attributes), or in a dynamic form, "saguna brahman" (Brahman with qualifications) which appears to us as the Creator God, Ishvara, and manifests itself in the three forms of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva «.(Arnaud Desjardins)
Indian Sculpture: Tribal Dokhra art and daily life
It is fascinating to watch the Dokra artists at work: this technique requires a great deal of know-how (which is transmitted from generation to generation), great skill and dexterity.
Hinduism: from the Vedas in search of the Absolute
Today's Hinduism is strongly impregnated with the original Vedas but its practice has greatly evolved, many currents and schools have been created. The influence of Buddhism and Jainism is not negligible.
Hindu art: daily happiness!
"The first good is health, the second beauty" Plato. Here, I would like to talk about the underestimated importance of art in professional and daily life.
Hindu art: recognizing a divinity
The Hindu gods are countless, there are said to be more than 300 million of them! How to find them, how to recognize them?
Indian statue art: the Hindu gods mounts
The mounts (Vahana) of the Hindu gods are among the most striking elements of sacred statues in India. The swan of Brahma or Saraswati, the rat of Ganesh, the bull of Shiva, the eagle of Vishnu ...
Indian statue art: the attributes of the Hindu gods 3
The attributes that accompany the deities provide us with a lot of very precious information: they are there to help the disciple on his journey and serve as factors of constant reminder.
Indian statue art: the attributes of the Hindu gods 2
Attributes, whether they are associated with a particular god or have a general value, describe qualities, powers. Some attributes have several functions, such as the conch, which can be used both as a weapon and as a symbol.
Sacred art: the attributes of the Hindu gods in Indian statues 1
Besides the postures and mudras and many other aspects that we find on statues, paintings ... the attributes will give us precious elements for understanding the message delivered by the Hindu deities.
Hindu sacred art: Indian statues, the meanings of mudras
In addition to the postures and mudras that give at first glance a deep meaning of Hindu or Buddhist sculpture, many other aspects will help us to understand its meaning.
Hindu sacred art: Indian statues, the meanings of mudras
Mudras or gestures involve the entire arm: elbow, hand and fingers. The general postures of the deities give at first glance a very powerful indication of the meaning of an Indian and Buddhist statue. The hand gestures will give us other precious indications and help to deepen the teaching given.
Hindu sacred art: Indian statues, the message of the postures
The general posture of the divinity will immediately give us valuable information about the message conveyed by the manifested form of the divine. The divinity can thus appear standing, on his two feet or balancing on one leg, or sitting, in lotus, half lotus... or even lying down. At first glance an impression is given: relaxed, combative, angry, soothing or meditative posture?
Hindu Sacred art : everything is codified
What is important in the representation of a deity in India is not the resemblance to reality but the message that is transmitted through this sacred image. Thus everything is codified, each form taken by a deity has a very precise meaning...