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…
Tag: india
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 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…
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…
Vishnu temples in Kanchipuram- A Photo journey
The temples in Kanchipuram are numerous, and it’s not surprising that the place is known as ‘the city of temples’. A walk through the roads spring up temples at all possible nooks and corners. Pretty colourful temples, some appear quite old, while some look newer possibly renovated, and they give a very unique look to…
Brihadesvara Peruvudaiyar temple in Thanjavur – an architectural marvel by the dynamic Raja Raja Chola I
“When we recall the nature and extent of the efforts and sacrifices that must have gone into the construction of this magnificent temple… and the manner in which numerous villages all over the empire were linked with the daily routine of the temple… when we consider further, how all the learning and the arts that…
Airavatesvara temple in Darasuram: A beautiful stone carved verse from the later Chola period
The Imperial Cholas The Imperial Cholas of South India hold the record for being the longest ruling dynasty in Indian history, and is undoubtedly one of the grandest empires that the country has ever seen. Historically their rule goes long back into the pre-Christian era, and while there is no exact date of their origin, the dynasty…
Moni Gāthā 