The Sun causes day and night on the earth, because of revolution, when there is night here, it is day on the other side, the sun does not really rise or sink. —Aitareya Brahmana III. 44 (Rigveda) The journey of Surya deva or the Sun god, the most prominent one among the other celestial luminaries, has…
Category: musuem
From Jara, Hariti, Jyestha/Alakshmi, to Sitala – an interesting study of the worship of folk devis
Interestingly India has seen many folk or tribal deities from ancient and medieval eras being worshipped from time to time, especially during the time of epidemics, and other physical and natural calamities. Some of these deities, which retain their primitive aspects, are still venerated by many, and temples dedicated to them are seen spread across…
The Weapons seen in the hands of deities – in terms of Hindu temple iconography
When we see a murti and try to identify it, often the first thing we do is to check the accessories in his or her hands. These include weapons, musical instruments, birds, animals, etc. These ayudhas, besides helping to differentiate and identify the different deities, are primarily used to symbolise the diverse activities of the…
Exploring the lanes of ancient Indian city architecture
After reading some of the heated debates on different Facebook forums centering on the term ‘Vedic architecture,’ I thought of exploring this subject a bit. This entailed I pull out books written by well known historians who had read and translated the original texts that dealt with topics related to ancient Indian architecture. Thanks to…
Rabindranath Tagore and a glimpse into some of his paintings
“From our very childhood habits are formed and knowledge is imparted in such a manner that our life is weaned away from nature and our mind and the world are set in opposition from the beginning of our days. Thus the greatest of educations for which we came prepared is neglected, and we are made…
Few Artefacts from the National Museum, Delhi
The National Museum in Delhi is a treasure trove, and anyone who loves history need just take a look around to vouch for this sentiment. The Museum houses almost 2,00,000 artifacts of various kinds, that cover a time span of more than five thousand years in the context of Indian heritage, both archaeological and cultural. The…
What do Ganas, Gandharvas, Mithuna Couples, and Dancing girls on temple walls tell us
When we embark on a circumambulation of a temple (pradakshina), our eyes come across many figures besides those of the gods and the goddesses. Among the ones we most frequently meet are the chubby ganas busy blowing into conch shells, or bearing heavy loads of the temple, or sometimes playing the musical instruments. Others that…
The doorway to the Hindu temple sanctum or garbagriha- Understanding the sculptures and motifs
A Hindu temple is a structure where sculptures abound on the outer wall surfaces, in the various halls or mandapas, on pillars, ceilings, and also on the shikharas/vimanas. However, such profusion of carvings end abruptly as one crosses the threshold of the sanctum, and enters it. The sanctum or garbhagriha, also known as prasada, is…
In the historical city of Alwar (Rajasthan): 5 things to see
Alwar (earlier known as Ulwar), a city in Rajasthan, is believed to have been a part of the ancient Matsya mahajanapada that had its capital at Viratnagar (now Bairat). It is said that the Meenas were the first to settle in Alwar and build a mud fort and town, remnants of which are still seen scattered…
Paintings by the colonial era Company artist: SitaRam
During the late 18th century as the East India Company expanded its control over Bengal and parts of northern India, Indian painting technique and style underwent revolutionary changes. The Mughal style of painting using natural pigments and minerals were abandoned for the newly learned watercolour technique, and old painting themes that were based on historical…
Moni Gāthā 