Monumental Art of South Asia Flashcards
Multivalence
having many values, meanings such as one temple that allows multiple different religions such as hinduism and budhism
iconography
the visual images and symbols used in a work of art or the study or interpretation of these
Example: Christian religious painting there is an iconography of images such as the lamb which represents Christ, or the dove which represents the Holy Spirit.
Vishnu, Shiva, Devi
Known as the preserver, Vishnu maintains the precious balance of power between good and evil.
Shiva is worshiped as the destroyer, for it is he who destroys the imperfections of the world. However, we need to try to grasp that Hindus believe this destruction is not without purpose. Although the blue-headed Shiva can be full of careless passion and extreme emotion, he destroys the imperfect things of the world in order to make way for perfection.
Bringing a bit of the female presence into our lesson, let’s now discuss the great goddess, Devi. As a mother figure for Hindus, Devi is seen as tender and welcoming.
Devi Sati was a Hindu goddess and wife of the god Shiva. She was known to be especially devoted to him, even sacrificing herself in a ritual fire to uphold his honor against her father Daksha, who opposed their marriage
she is also a cosmic force, addressing the creation and destruction of worlds. On occasion she is voluptuous and alluring — a playful temptress, a passionate lover. Before exams, Hindu pupils pray to her, incarnated as Sarasvati, the goddess of music and learning. Devi blesses her devotees with fortune and success.
Mount Kailesh/Meru
In Antarctica, next to two lakes dedicated to Shiva
Locals worship the mountain
Pilgrimage -> where they walk to the base of the mountain
Diverse as many people come to it
Shikara
Mountain peak found in many Hindu temples
Represents a sense of eternity
holes to represent mountains
The Sacred River (Ganges)
The Ganges (Ganga) River runs through northern India and is sacred to those who follow Hinduism.
The sacred river flows through rock-cut temples ex water flowing through shiva ->symbolism
flows through Mahabalipuram
The Descent of the Ganges
The “Descent of the Ganges” is a well-loved Hindu story about the origins and religious significance of the sacred Ganges river. The story tells how the gods allowed the Ganges to descend from the heavens to reward a sage named Bhagiratha, who had practiced many years of spiritual devotion. The water from the river was meant to purify the ashes of Bhagiratha’s deceased ancestors while providing life-giving water to all creatures, great and small. To prevent the force of the cascade from destroying the earth, Lord Shiva (one of the primary deities of Hinduism) manifested under its fall and allowed the water to get caught in his long, matted hair so that it trickled out in gentle tributaries.
On the Mamallapuram relief, Shiva is depicted as one of the largest figures along with an ascetic (a holy man in a yoga pose—see image below). We know that this is Shiva because he is shown with the common attributes of the god: four arms, a crown of hair piled atop his head, and holding his favored symbol, the trident.
Examples of multivalent places include
Mahabalipuram
Borobudur
Avatar
refers to the descent of the deity to the earth
In Hinduism, the incarnation of a deity in human or animal form to counteract an evil in the world
to restore cosmic order
Such an example includes Vishnu
Mandala
Square geometric form related to a geometric circle
Spiritual tool
A sacred mountain
By planning it you are meditating
Levels of Borobudur
1st level: The world of desire - (Where we are)
2nd level: The World of Forms - (Starting to become aware of the spirituality
3rd level: The World of formlessness - (The highest sense of enlightenment - Spiritually highest level)
You are meant to follow the reliefs as they guide you - You are not allowed to go straight up - walking around is an act of worship & endurance
takes time and dedication
Reliefs
Stones carved in a way where they interlope with each other to resist earthquakes
Stupa
Bell like shapes that hid the statues like a veil
Borobudur
was really symmetrical so no matter where you moved you would see the same thing -> evenness
It was meant more for Buddhist people but it was multivalent so it worked for both Hindus and Buddhists
Hinduism
they emphasized more on the water, air, fire, …
primal deities
Descent of the Ganges
Mahabalipuram, Pallava dynasty, late seventh-early eighth century CE
Borobudur
Java Indonesia, Shailendra dynasty, early ninth century CE
Shiva Nataraja
Chola, 11th-12th century CE. Bronze. 82 cm high.
Indianization
Beginning around 400 CE, Indian traders began to expand their reach into SE Asia. The resultant contact and
influence is known as Indianization. Since India was not one country but consisted of many states, often in
competition with each other, and with different religious emphasis, the process of Indianization was not monolithic.
Nor was it one-sided. Local chiefs embraced Indianization as a way to expand their own control. The advantage of
Indianization to both sides was that it was a coherent model of political, social and religious integration. The
successful political growth of the Guptas (320-550) in particular provided a powerful, coherent and attractive
ensemble of religious motifs and bureaucratic mechanisms. Beginning in the mid-first millennium, the elements of
this ensemble were combined with local Southeast Asian traditions, resulting in syncretisms that varied in their
content from place to place.
Hinduism
Hinduism is formed of diverse traditions and has no single founder. It is constructed around a series of
mythological figures and tales representing a variety of human conditions. While Hinduism is often described as a
polytheistic faith, in fact Hindus ultimately believe in one god whose infinity is beyond human perception. A variety
of gods and goddesses, therefore, are needed to represent different aspects of the One God.
The three most important figures are: Brama (Creator of all); Vishnu (Preserver) and Shiva (Destroyer). All of
these deities, however, have a complex and even contradictory set of associations and forms.
In India, between 400 BCE and 1000 CE, Hinduism expanded at the expense of Buddhism. The transition was for
the large part peaceful in that aspects of Buddhism were incorporated into Hindu beliefs.
Hindu beliefs span monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, monism, atheism, agnosticism, gnosticism.
Hindus believe that if proper care is not taken of a temple’s images, the deity will abandon the temple. Hence
priests reside at the temple and take care of the gods’ needs. Priests perform puja at sunrise, noon, sunset, and
midnight. For a layperson, however, visiting a temple every day or even regularly is not mandatory, and many
devout Hindus worship at home. The essential aspect of puja is not congregational worship but an individual’s
offering to a deity.
Temples are normally dedicated to one primary god. Mythological scenes are juxtaposed with scenes of everyday
life and important political events, such as royal coronations, conquests, and celebrations, or with portraits of royal
and secular patrons. These divine images and mythological scenes on the outer walls of the temple help
worshipers recall the sacred stories they have heard or read
