Vahanas (Mounts) Deities of the Hindu pantheon are known to always exist with their vahanas. Like the accessories in their hands (ayudhas), the vahanas are also peculiar to each deity and signifies that particular god. Vahanas are an essential part of iconography of the Indian sculptural genre, especially from the early medieval period, and is…
Sri Someswara temple in Kolanupaka near Warangal (Telengana)
The beautifully sculpted Kakatiyan temples seen in Telengana are predominantly dedicated to Shiva, and they generally follow the Ekakuta, Trikuta, or Panchakuta plan. The sculptural art of this time gives us an idea of the socio-religious atmosphere of that era. A favourite theme in Kakatiyan temple sculptures were stories from various epics, such as the…
Surya deva or the Sun god- a long journey within the realms of Indic history
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…
A Photographic Journey of Hardwar
Scenes from Har ki Pauri ghat: the melting point of India where one gets to see people from all states The main bazaar area bordering the ghats: The Temples of Hardwar near Har ki Pauri To read on the history and other details on Haridwar please check this link : Haridwar
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 various Durga-Mahishasuramardini pratimas as seen through the ages – a pictorial depiction
The ugra aspect of the devi is best characterised by her Mahishasuramardini image, which has been depicted in various ways over the centuries. The Vedic text such as Vajasaneyi Samhita, Taittiriya Aryanaka, Kena, Mundaka Upanishads, Sankhayana grihasutras mention Durga in her various forms; the soumaya (quiet/placid) forms among them being that of Gauri, Parvati, etc….
Devi sakti and Durga in her two main forms: Katyayani and Mahishasuramardini
Listen, O Devi, I will speak concisely of the essence of yoga. The body resembles a tree, with the root above and the branches below. In the macrocosm there are tirthas (bathing places) which also exist in the body. The macrocosm is like the microcosm. ~ Todala Tantra, II Liberation comes from knowledge of self. ~ Kaula Upanishad Within…
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…
Kurmachal or Kumaun – The land of Vishnu
माटू हमरू, पाणी हमरू, हमरा ही छन यी बौण भी… पितरों न लगाई बौण, हमुनही त बचौण भी। (Soil ours, water ours, ours are these forests. Our forefathers raised them, it’s we who must protect them —Old Chipko Song ) The state of Uttarakhand, earlier referred to as Uttaranchal, is located in the northern part of India….
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…
