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Dasavatara Shrine
The Dasavatara shrine is a miniature Hindu shrine displaying the ten incarnations of the Hindu deity Vishnu, carved in ivory and wood. The Dasavatara shrine was made in the late 18th century CE in South India. It is presently displayed in the National Museum, New Delhi. The term Dashavatara refers to the ten main incarnations of Vishnu, generally displayed together in panels and reliefs. Description According to the National Museum's curator, Anamika Pathak, the Dasavatara shrine is decorated with black paint, and the screen and the base of the shrine shows the signature style of craftsmanship of the Mysore school of ivory painting. All the images are fixed on a painted stepped base made of sandalwood. The base, covered completely with ivory sheet, has the traditional South Indian design of flowers, and is decorated with several knobs fixed at the bottom step. Two pillars support the fence in the background on both sides. The backdrop of the shrine is decorated with perforated ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dashavtar Ivory Carving , a temple in Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh
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Dashavatar or Dashavtar generally refers to Dashavatara, the ten incarnations of the god Vishnu in Hindu mythology. Dashavatar may also refer to: * ''Dasavathaaram'', released in Hindi as ''Dashavtar'', a 2008 Indian Tamil film starring Kamal Hassan * ''Dasavatharam'' (film), 1976 Indian Tamil film * ''Dasavathaaram'', a 2008 Indian Tamil film * ''Dashavatar'' (film), a 2008 Indian animated film about the incarnations * ''Dashavathara'' (film), a 1960 Indian Kannada film * Dashavatari Ganjifa, ten-suited playing cards in which each suit represents an incarnation of Vishnu * Dasavatara shrine, miniature Hindu shrine from South India * Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh The Dashavatara Temple is an early 6th century Vishnu Hindu temple located at Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh which is 125 kilometers from Jhansi, in the Betwa River valley in northern-central India.Dehejia, Vidya. Indian Art. New York, NY: Phaidon Pres ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rama
Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular ''avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Being. Rama is said to have been born to Kaushalya and Dasharatha in Ayodhya, the ruler of the Kingdom of Kosala. His siblings included Lakshmana, Bharata (Ramayana), Bharata, and Shatrughna. He married Sita. Though born in a royal family, their life is described in the Hindu texts as one challenged by unexpected changes such as an exile into impoverished and difficult circumstances, ethical questions and moral dilemmas. Of all their travails, the most notable is the kidnapping of Sita by demon-king Ravana, followed by the determined and epic efforts of Rama and Lakshmana to gain her freedom and destroy the evil Ravana against great odds. The entire life story of Rama, Sita and their companions allegorically discusses duties, rights and social ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indian Sculpture
Sculpture in the Indian subcontinent, partly because of the climate of the Indian subcontinent makes the long-term survival of organic materials difficult, essentially consists of sculpture of stone, metal or terracotta. It is clear there was a great deal of painting, and sculpture in wood and ivory, during these periods, but there are only a few survivals. The main Indian religions had all, after hesitant starts, developed the use of religious sculpture by around the start of the Common Era, and the use of stone was becoming increasingly widespread. The first known sculpture in the Indian subcontinent is from the Indus Valley civilization, and a more widespread tradition of small terracotta figures, mostly either of women or animals, which predates it. After the collapse of the Indus Valley civilization there is little record of larger sculpture until the Buddhist era, apart from a hoard of copper figures of (somewhat controversially) c. 1500 BCE from Daimabad. Thus the great ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kiritamukuta
The Kiritamukuta () is a crown generally attributed to Vishnu in Hindu iconography. It is also depicted to be worn by the avatars of Vishnu, such as Rama. Vishnu is depicted with the Kiritamukuta in some of his earliest icons, identified from the region of Mathura. Description Referred to as the 'highest of all crowns', the Kiritamukuta resembles a conical cap ending with an ornamental top, its centre featuring a pointed knob. It bears jewelled discs either on the front or on all of its sides, as well as jewelled bands present around its top and bottom. Among the gods, according to T. A. Gopinatha Rao, the crown is said to be exclusively attributed to Vishnu, while among humans, those who occupy the roles of emperors or superior governors are allowed to don it. The sun god Surya is also represented with the Kiritamukuta in his iconography. Iconography of Vishnu wearing the kiritamukuta has been found in Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dhoti
The dhoti, also known as veshti, vetti, dhuti, mardani, chaadra, dhotar, jaiñboh, panchey, is a type of sarong, tied in a manner that outwardly resembles "loose trousers". It is a lower garment forming part of the ethnic costume for men in the Indian subcontinent. The ''dhoti'' is fashioned out of a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth, usually around long, wrapped around the waist and the legs and knotted, either in the front or the back. The ''dhoti'' is touted as the male counterpart of the ''sari'' worn by females to religious and secular ceremonies ( functions). is a yellow silk dhoti, worn on auspicious occasions. The dhoti which is worn around the lower waist and drawn up in between the legs, is a 5-yard-long piece of woven fabric; it must not be confused with pre- stitched "dhoti pants", which are a new ready to wear trend these days, popular among women and typical of children. Etymology The word ''dhoti'' is derived from ''dhauti'' (Sanskrit: धौती), tra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kamandalu
Kamandalu (Sanskrit: कमण्डलु, ) or kamandal or kamandalam is an oblong water pot, originating from the Indian subcontinent, made of a dry gourd (pumpkin) or coconut shell, metal, wood of the Kamandalataru tree, or from clay, usually with a handle and sometimes with a spout. Hindu ascetics or yogis often use it for storing drinking water. The water-filled kamandalu, which is invariably carried by ascetics, is stated to represent a simple and self-contained life. The ''kamandalu'' also used in Hindu iconography, in depiction of deities related with asceticism or water. It is, thus, viewed as a symbol of ascetism in Hinduism. The ''kamandalu'' is also used by Jain monks and in depictions of some bodhisattvas. Method of making The ''kamandalu'' may be made of various materials, including metal, clay, wood and dry gourd. For making the gourd ''kamandalu'', a ripe pumpkin is plucked and the inner plum and seeds are cleaned. This leaves only the outer shell, which is used ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chatra (umbrella)
The ''chhatra'' (from sa, छत्र, meaning "umbrella") "jewelled/precious parasol" is an auspicious symbol in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. The ''chhatra'' in various traditions According to Hindu mythology, it is the emblem of Varuna, also considered an embodiment of kingship. ''Chhatra'' is also a deity, yidam and ishta-devata. In various Dharmic traditions it is an accoutrement of ''chakravartin''. A number of deities are depicted with ''chhatra'', and they include Revanta, Surya, and Vishnu (in his Vamana avatar). The ''chhatra'' is cordoned amongst the symbols that approach universality within the numerous octavalent suites or sets of Ashtamangala, e.g., in the Digambar Jain tradition, and the Vajrayana tradition. In Dharmic tradition iconography, traditional Tibetan medicine thangkas and Ayurvedic diagrams, the ''chhatra'' is uniformly represented as the Sahasrara. In Vajrayana Buddhism, the umbrella or parasol is included in the 'Eight Auspicious Signs' or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Varadamudra
Varadamudra is a mudra, and it indicates a gesture by the hand and symbolizes dispensing of boons. For varadamudra, the right hand is used. It is held out, with palm uppermost and the fingers pointing downwards. Varadamudra and abhayamudra are the most common of several other mudras seen on divine figures in the art of Indian religions. Often the open hand is shown with a lotus Lotus may refer to: Plants *Lotus (plant), various botanical taxa commonly known as lotus, particularly: ** ''Lotus'' (genus), a genus of terrestrial plants in the family Fabaceae **Lotus flower, a symbolically important aquatic Asian plant also ... bud in the centre. References *''Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend'' () by Anna Dallapiccola Buddhist rituals Hand gestures Hindu philosophical concepts Mudras {{Buddhism-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abhayamudra
The Abhayamudrā "gesture of fearlessness" is a mudrā (gesture) that is the gesture of reassurance and safety, which dispels fear and accords divine protection and bliss in Buddhism and other Indian religions. The right hand is held upright, and the palm is facing outwards. This is one of the earliest mudrās found depicted on a number of Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh images. The abhayamudrā (施無畏印) represents protection, peace, benevolence and the dispelling of fear. The Hindu god Nataraja is depicted with the second right hand making the Abhaya Mudra, bestowing protection from both evil and ignorance to those who follow the righteousness of dharma. In Theravada Buddhism, it is usually made with the right hand raised to shoulder height, the arm bent and the palm facing outward with the fingers upright and joined and the left hand hanging down while standing. In Thailand and Laos, this mudra is associated with the Walking Buddha, often shown having both hands making ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sudarshana Chakra
Sudarshana Chakra (Sanskrit: सुदर्शन चक्र, lit. "disc of auspicious vision", IAST: Sudarśana Chakra) is a spinning, celestial discus with 108 serrated edges, attributed to Vishnu and Krishna in the Hindu scriptures. The Sudarshana Chakra is generally portrayed on the right rear hand of the four hands of Vishnu, who also holds the Panchajanya (conch), the Kaumodaki (mace), and the Padma (lotus). While in the Rigveda, the Chakra was Vishnu's symbol as the wheel of time and by the late period, the Sudarshana Chakra emerged as an ayudhapurusha (an anthropomorphic form), as a fierce form of Vishnu, used for the destruction of demons. As an ''ayudhapurusha'', the deity is known as Chakraperumal or Chakratalvar. Etymology The word ''Sudarshana'' is derived from two Sanskrit words – ''Su''(सु) meaning "good/auspicious" and ''Darshana'' (दर्शन) meaning "vision". In the Monier-Williams dictionary the word Chakra is derived from the root क् ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Panchajanya
Panchajanya ( IAST: Pāñcajanya) is the ''shankha'' or conch of the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu, known to be one of his four divine attributes. It is stated to have been one among the various substances that emerged during the Samudra Manthana. According to the Mahabharata, Purushottama (Vishnu) killed a daitya (a member of a clan of asuras) named Panchajana on a mountain named Chakravan constructed by Vishvakarma, and seized the conch shell in which Panchajana had lived for himself. The conch is named after the daitya. In Literature In the Bhagavad Gita, the Panchajanya is mentioned: As per the Harivamsa, Krishna, the avatar of Vishnu, is described as possessing a conch shell called Panchajanya, one of his four attributes together with the mace Kaumodaki, the disc-like weapon Sudarshana Chakra, and a lotus. The conch was used during the Kurukshetra War, and is held in popular tradition to have signalled its beginning. Origin There are two origins stated in the script ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chaturbhuja
Chaturbhuja () is a concept in Hindu iconography in which a deity is depicted with four arms. Several Hindu deities are often portrayed with four arms in their iconography, featured in Hindu literature. The iconography of four arms is regarded to symbolise divinity and power, as well as dominion over the four quarters of the universe. Chaturbhuja is also primarily employed as an epithet for the preserver deity, Vishnu. Description The earliest Vaishnava images, according to scholar Gavin Flood, are of a standing two or four-armed figure bearing a combination of the attributes of a conch, a wheel, and a mace in their iconography. This multiplicity convention, in which deities bore numerous limbs and heads in their imagery, was established in the Mathura region, before becoming a custom in later Hindu iconography. According to author Nanditha Krishna, the chaturbhuja representation of Hindu deities in their icons is regarded to depict their unlimited potential. It exhibits t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
