The Artisans Blog

An Art Collection For New Homeowners

Some things in life are a big leap, like moving from a rented apartment to a new house of your own and on occasions like these, one will want to do everything in their capacity to make their new space look welcoming and attractive.

Now that you are the owner of the house, you can hammer holes wherever you want, you can hang up paintings and more, you can move/place furniture as it suits you and you can also paint as you like.

As exciting as that is, it can also be a very daunting affair- the part where you wonder “what do I do with all this space?”

Why not bring in the rich legacy of Indian Art to add character to your space?

Of late, Indian Art is coming back to its former glory. All the vibrant hues, stark motifs and exquisite figurines are loved by art connoisseurs across the globe.

Indian Art celebrates the cultural diversity between all its states and religions in much grandeur. Each region has its own style of art to bring to the table and they are all unique yet beautiful in their own way.

We have brought together here some great ideas for you to decorate your new home the Indian way.

1. Wooden, Stone and Metal Artifacts:

Indian art is all about making use of naturally occurring substances as raw material. Hence, artifacts made of wood, stones such as sandstone, pink stone, etc. and metals instantly bring in a traditional feel.

2. Figurines of deities and animals:

Any traditional interior décor is incomplete with a picture of Lord Ganesha or an idol of Lord Buddha. Similarly, it is in the roots of India to worship and give equal importance to animals and birds as well. If you notice, you can almost always find a sculpture of an elephant or a painting of peacocks in every Indian household.

3. Wall hangings:

While displaying a painting here and a picture there, traditional art offers some exquisite styles such as the Pattachitra paintings, Tanjore paintings, Mandala art, Kerala Murals, etc. They all make use of natural, vibrant colours and will instantly make your space very bright and happening.

4. Bright handicrafts:

Apart from artifacts such as sculptures and paintings, everyday handicraft product such as bed sheets, cushion covers, and door hangings also can be customized to the Indian style. Select vibrant colours with tribal prints or even make a project out of block printing them yourself!

While Indian décor can look very appealing, warm and welcoming, make sure you do not overdo it because all the bright colours and vivid prints crammed together can give off a very chaotic vibe.

While you throw in some beautiful artefacts, always balance them with plain or nude colours as and when possible.

For instance, while the cushion covers may be loud, mute them down with a sofa in nude colours such as grey, cream, etc.

Similarly, do not place two or more paintings together for they are all very detailed pieces of work and can be very overwhelming to look at when placed one beside another.

Congratulations, new home buyer!

You can find some of the artifacts featured above and more in our latest collection “New Homeowners”.

Happy decoration to you!

The Origin Of Sin

Folklore has it that long, long ago, God created his first humans and named them Adam and Eve. He built a paradise on earth called the Garden of Eden (which is believed to be in modern-day Iran) for them to inhabit and provided them with an abundance of resources.

They were however not permitted to eat the fruit of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”.

As fate would have its, Eve was one day lured by a serpent (desire) into eating the fruit and giving some to Adam.

God, furious at being disobeyed and fearing that the now polluted Adam and Eve eat the fruit of “the tree of life” and live forever, banishes them from the Garden of Eden and curses them to live a life without God and thus, began the sufferings of mankind. 

Fast forward many centuries, there lived a woman named Mary in a town called Nazareth which was a part of the then-Roman Empire. She was engaged to a humble man named Joseph. One fine night, an angel appears before Mary and informs her that she has been chosen by God to give birth to God’s own son. Joseph was informed the same in a dream and was asked to name the boy Jesus, meaning “saviour”.

As the Lord’s birth neared, a new law was passed in the Roman Empire which required Joseph and Mary to visit Bethlehem to get some formalities done.

It was 25^th of December when they reached. Joseph could not find any place so they decided to spend the night in a cattle shed. That night, Mary gave birth to a divine baby boy who would grow up to be the saviour of mankind.

Naturally, he gained popularity and was immensely worshiped. He used to often spend time with his disciples and preach.

On one such occasion, as the Lord was having his supper along with twelve disciples, he declares that one of them shall betray him and that he shall die.

That night, as Jesus predicted, a disciple named Judas informs the state authorities of the whereabouts of Jesus. The king wanted to have him executed as his growing popularity was becoming a threat to their power.

After a trail, Jesus was crucified by nailing him to a cross.

Three days after his death, Jesus was resurrected, thus symbolising that he bore the torture and punishment for the sins committed by man and by coming back to life, all sins have been washed off and that mankind has been purified and blessed once again.

Christian Art:

It wasn’t until 300 CE that Christians could worship publicly or portray any imagery of their God. As fate would have it, Roman empire started coming down due to barbaric invasions.

Christianity came into light once again. Art had immense importance at that time and was used as a medium to celebrate the religion.

Architects, sculptors and painters were entrusted with the responsibility to develop a new art form which was later named the Early Byzantine Art.

Relief structures and exquisite paintings depicting verses and instances from the Bible and the life of Jesus were often depicted in churches, chapels, etc.

The Renaissance period of art saw the most notable art pieces depicting the stories of Christianity such as the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo, The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci, etc.

This Christmas bring home beautiful depictions of Lord Jesus and remember to walk on his path of non-violence and kindness.

Check out our collection “Christ-The Saviour”. You can also place a request for custom made art. Contact us today!

Of Wealth and Glory- A Tale Of Prosperity And Goddess Lakshmi

     One very common sight in most Hindu households is a painting or an idol of a graceful, elegant woman clad in a bright red saree with heavy gold ornaments. Seated on a lotus with royal white elephants beside her is the Goddess of riches that not only Hindus but also Buddhists and Jains worship- Devi Lakshmi.

Being one of the principal deities, she forms the Holy Trinity with Goddess Saraswati and Goddess Parvati who work together to provide the universe with knowledge, wisdom, wealth, prosperity, nourishment, fertility and other aspects that make life sustainable.

We as humans are heavily dependent on these elements for our growth. We cannot imagine life without food, shelter, clothing and more. Hence, it is but obvious that we worship wealth, riches and prosperity as a form of divine power whose blessings we need to keep growing as a species.

While Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains idolized their form of wealth as Goddess Lakshmi, different civilizations and cultures that existed in their time and some that continue to do so, have come up with their own representations of power.

For instance, Greeks worshipped Plutus as the God of wealth while Chinese worship Tsai Chen, and the Romans worshipped Venus as the Goddess of fertility, love, and prosperity.

The appearance of Goddess Lakshmi:

Centuries ago, the devas and asuras decided to come together on the advice of Lord Brahma to churn the Ocean of Nectar (Ksheera Sagar) to obtain amrut or the elixir of life. For this purpose, Mount Mandara was used as the fulcrum and Vasuki, the snake, as a rope tied to the mountain. Lord Vishnu took the form of a giant tortoise to balance the mountain on his back. Devas and Asuras held either side of the snake and the churning began.

As the ocean was being milked, many things appeared from the ocean before Amrut such as the moon, a deadly poison called Halahala, some herbs, fourteen ratnas (gems), some supernatural creatures such as Kamadhenu, Airavata, etc. and along with them emerged Goddess Lakshmi seated on a lotus.

She immediately chose Lord Vishnu to be her consort. Hence, Devi Lakshmi is considered the daughter of the sea and sister of the moon. Thus came into being the goddess of wealth and prosperity- Mahalakshmi.

Significance of Lakshmi Puja:

With the much-awaited festival Diwali just around the corner, Hindu households are being cleaned and decorated to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi.

During this five-day long celebration, the goddess is worshipped in all her grandeur with much devotion asking her to bless them with prosperity, wealth, riches and success.

Most business houses consider this time to be auspicious to close their financial accounts and to start new ventures and sign more deals.

On all these days, people light lamps and place diyas in and around their houses to welcome the goddess. Elaborate pujas are performed, and many sweet delicacies are offered to her.

This Diwali, bring home an idol or a painting of Devi Lakshmi to invoke her blessings into your place and life.

Check out our collection “The Invincible Shakti” for beautiful art pieces to choose from.

Through the Nine Days of Navratri

      It is not less than a week ago that India witnessed one of the brightest and most energetic festivals of the country-The Navratri.

It is a nine-day long festival that worships Goddess Durga but also celebrates womanhood and femininity in its principles.

The folklore behind Devi Durga’s incarnation goes that a demon named Mahishasur, upon receiving a boon from Lord Brahma started creating chaos in the Trilok- Heaven, Earth and Hell. The boon he received ensured that no man would be able to harm him or kill him.

Left with no option, the three main Gods- Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma combined their powers together to create a powerful woman called Durga. She is said to be the incarnation of Devi Parvati and is a very powerful form with tremendous energy and exceptional warrior skills.

Thus, Devi Durga set out on her mission to kill the asura and engaged in a 15-day-long battle with him. On the last day of the battle, she killed him in his buffalo form using her trishul.

These nine days signify the battle between the goddess and the asura and the tenth day signifies the triumph of good over evil.

During this time people engage in various pujas and follow other rituals such as performing traditional dance forms like Dandiya and Garba, holding Mata Jagratas which are night events where devotees sing prayers of the goddess, fasting, etc.

On each day, a different form of the Goddess is worshipped:

Day 1

On the first day, the Goddess is worshipped as Shailiputri or the daughter of the mountain. She was the consort of Lord Shiva- Sati and is seen riding a bull.

She is said to be the mother of the universe and hence radiates power and energy. To symbolise this, orange colour is worn on this day.

It is believed that if a devotee offers pure ghee on the feet of Shailputri, he/she will be blessed with a long, healthy life.

Day 2

White is the colour of the day where Goddess Durga is worshipped as Brahmacharini- a lady dressed in white who walks barefoot with a kamandalu in one hand and a rudraksha mala in another.

This avatar symbolises the time when Devi Parvati performed deep penance to please Lord Shiva and get him to marry her.

Sugar is offered to the goddess on this day to pray for longevity of family and friends.

Day 3

The third day celebrates the success of Devi Parvati in getting Lord Shiva to agree to marry her. Hence, colour red is chosen for the day.

On this day the Goddess takes the form of Chandraghanta, a ten-armed goddess with a crescent moon on her head and her third eye open. This symbolises the Devi’s role as Lord Shiva’s consort.

Kheer is offered to the goddess on this day asking her to wash away all pains.

Day 4

Royal blue is the colour of the day as Devi Durga is worshipped as Kushmanda who is said to have been given the task of maintaining the health and wellbeing of earth.

Mal Pua is offered to the goddess asking her to bless them with intellect.

Day 5

This day celebrates motherhood as the Goddess is worshipped as Skandamata who is seen holding baby Kartikeya and pampering him.

People wear yellow colour on this day to signify the aspects of motherhood such as joy, warmth, energy, etc.

Bananas are offered to the goddess on this day.

Day 6

Seen riding on a lion on this day is a ferocious form of Goddess Durga called Katyayani. She is depicted carrying a sword and, on a spree to finish off all evil.

Green is worn on this day to symbolise the end of evil and of new and fresh beginning.

Honey is offered to the goddess to symbolise a sweet start.

Day 7

On this day, Goddess Kalaratri is honoured.

She is seen as a four-armed deity riding a donkey and holding a sword, a trident and a noose.

She is said to have given up on her fair skin to embrace a darker complexion to fight demons and hence, colour grey is worn on this day.

The Goddess is offered jaggery as prasad to ask her to protect them from evil.

Day 8

Ashtami or the eight day is dedicated to Goddess Mahagauri who is said to be the embodiment of peace, serenity and intelligence.

Purple is worn on this day to symbolise the same and the Goddess is offered coconuts.

Day 9

Navami- the ninth and the final day of Navratri is dedicated in the name of Goddess Siddhidhatri who is seen seated on a lotus while holding a mace, a book and a discus in her hands.

She is worshipped as the Goddess who helps her devotees attain their spiritual goals.

Peacock green is worn on this day and the deity is offered sesame seeds.

In this manner the joyous festival of Navratri is celebrated across India with great zeal and fervour. It reminds us of importance of femininity in our existence.

Ardhanareeshwara: Union of Purusha-Prakriti

Once upon a time in the Himalayan mountain of Kailash, Goddess Parvati wondered what Lord Shiva must be feeling and as to how being in any state with oneself feels like. Hence, she walked up to the Lord and asked him to suggest to her a way by which she could enter that state and experience whatever he does along with him.

In answer to her question, Lord Shiva simply asked her to sit on his lap. She did so and he immediately absorbed her into him, and she became a part of him because of which Lord Shiva became ecstatic. As Lord Shiva accommodated Devi Parvati, he had to shed half of him and that is how a complete man became half woman- Ardharaneeshwara.

This seemingly interesting mythological story however has great meaning and significance to it.

The idea that such a portrayal of a half man-half woman conveys is that anything in universe is the result of the combination of masculine and feminine energies.

Let us look at different contexts in which the representation of Ardhanareeshwara is symbolic:

Creation and Existence-

When looked from this aspect, Lord Shiva can be perceived as Purusha (a catalyst for creation) and Goddess Parvati as Prakriti (nature or the energy that nurtures creation). It is because of the actions of a Purush that creation takes place and of Prakriti that life continues to grow- be it of humans or of mere ants.

If either of these two entities are removed from the chain, life in all its forms ceases to exist and hence, their union is the force that keeps life going.

Evolution and Development-

In this context, Shiva and Shakti (Goddess Parvati) are portrayed as masculine and feminine energies respectively. Here, it is important to note that masculine energy does not essentially refer to a man and feminine energy to a woman.

This school of thought is called Tantra Yoga. According to it, masculine energies hold within themselves a sense of freedom, consciousness, purpose and awareness while feminine energies are made up of creativity, sensuality, expressiveness and the need to nurture.

Tantra Yoga says that every individual has within himself/herself both these aspects irrespective of their gender and it is when both masculinity and femininity are balanced that a person attains a state of perpetual joy similar to how Lord Shiva became ecstatic as soon as Devi Parvati became a part of him.

In today’s world, these masculine and feminine energies are often misconceived to be limited to a particular gender. For instance, any man who is soft centred and sensitive or any woman who displays strength and assertiveness are immediately berated.

However, what we fail to understand and keep in mind is that we are all a combination of both masculine and feminine and if either of the aspects go missing, life will be devoid of harmony and balance.

Hence, creative depictions such as that of the Arthanareeshwara act to remind one of this fundamental reality of life and existence.

The Invincible Shakti- Mystic Arts And The Tales From India

“She walks the planet to let many more lives walk on it. She lets herself be put through a test of time and remains serene and strong yet so. She resides in all of us as a giver of life and in universe as Shakti.”

Shakti- the power of The Almighty in Hindu religion is often personified as a female entity, i.e., a goddess. Many scriptures cite women as the source of life and of energy. Hence, it is but obvious that we worship women in as many forms as their male counterparts.

Be it the higher goddesses such as Parvati, Lakshmi and Saraswati or their incarnations such as Durga, Sita, Mahakali; each of them has played a vital role in shaping the history and mythology of India.

It is for this reason that women and men are compared on equal grounds and as two halves of one whole. The most common pictorial representation of this ideology can be seen in a portrait of Ardhanaarishwara. Such a painting depicts one half as Lord Shiva and the second half as Devi Parvati, both combined to look like one human being. This reinforces the thought that it is the combined effort of both the feminine and masculine genders that the world works on.

Through ages, many women have taken birth that set ideal examples in the form of queens, consorts and even chambermaids. The message, however, is clear- it is a woman’s world.

Sita- Embodiment of purity:

For some, Sita is the ideal wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law and to others a fearless warrior who would stand on no other grounds but of truth, purity and self-respect. She is the woman who obediently followed her husband into exile. She also put herself through Agni-pariksha or trial by fire to prove her innocence. But when she was questioned by the society and her husband did not take a stand for her, she refused to accept the mark on her character.

Hence, she dutifully united her sons with their father and disappeared from earth forever on her own terms. It is important to also note the context in which Sita’s story is set- the Treta Yuga is marked as the last period of Dharma on Earth and a king’s wife could do nothing else but to resort to public opinion.

Draupadi- A divine woman for whom life was unjust and disrespectful:

Centuries ago in the prosperous kingdom of Panchal emerged a beautiful, dark-skinned lady from the sacrificial fire. Unasked for but inevitable, she was destined to change the destiny of the world itself. She was sent by the gods to perform a task that only a woman of strong character and unwavering mental strength could do- act as a catalyst for the Kurukshetra war.

She was constantly subjected to humiliation, dishonor and injustice. Yet she refused to let herself break and give up. In fact, it is because of her humiliation that the epic war of Mahabharata between Pandavas and Kauravas took place- a war that is said to have begun the destruction of an era and beginning of another.

In contrast to Sita’s story, Draupadi never gets a chance to live up to her princely duties- by the time she is ready to be queen, her memory has been tarnished by the war she set afoot. It just goes to show the inevitable nature of fate and that those remembered as heroes later often live in very turbulent times.

Goddesses who took birth to destroy evil:

If one is aware of mythological stories, they would be able to tell that the instances of when a woman saved the day were more than one.

• A treacherous demon called Mahishasura sought a boon that only a woman could kill him as he was confident that no woman would be strong enough for the task. Hence, Devi Durga who was later named Mahishasura Mardhini was born for slaying the demon.
• When nectar was churned out of the ocean and claimed by asuras, Lord Vishnu had to take the form of a woman to lure the demons into giving the nectar to him.
• Goddess Yoga Mayi had to take birth and be replaced in place of baby Krishna in the prison in order to save his life from his evil uncle Kansa at the cost of her own mortal form.
• In another instance, Krishna’s wife Satyabhama saved thousands of women from the hold of Narakasura. He had a boon that only his mother could kill him. Satyabhama is said to be the incarnation of Bhudevi who was Narakasura’s mother. Hence, she fought the evil demon and set the women free.

It is for all this reasons that Hinduism celebrates femininity and women. Navaratri and Dusshera- festivals dedicated to the goddess are just round the corner.

Take a look at our collection of the month “The Invincible Shakti” and bring home some exquisite pieces of art that remind one of the importance of womanhood.

Bringing Home Ganesha- The Indian Way

Every year around the time of August-September, the Indian subcontinent witnesses one of the most grandly celebrated festivals in the country- Ganesh Chaturthi. However, it was not always a public celebration.

History has to say that performing puja on Lord Ganesha’s janam divas (birthday) every year was initially started by Shivaji maharaj of the Maratha empire who used to worship the Lord as Kuladevata or the family god of the Peshwas. For a long time, it is believed to have been celebrated only amongst that family.

Centuries later in 1892, as India was suffering under the British rule, freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak reinvented Ganesh Chaturthi and urged Hindus to come forward and take part in a 10-day long festival. It was his strategy to bring everyone together and instil a feeling of nationalism and patriotism.

British watched in awe as the streets were decorated and pandals set up. Different people in Mumbai and Pune sprawled the streets to celebrate the birth of Lord Ganesha.

What started as a nationalist movement in Maharashtra has grown into a nation-wide festival with each state honouring the Lord in their own unique way.

Take a look at some-

Maharashtra:

This state unarguably celebrates the festival in the largest scale. Preparations start out early as houses are cleaned and decorated to welcome the Lord. Every household here brings home an idol of the Lord with great care and pujas are performed all 10 days in a very ritualistic manner. Elaborate and exquisite pandals are set up in every locality where enormous idols of the Lord are placed, and cultural performances take place. Sweets and savouries like modak are prepared during this time

On the 10^th day, the idols are immersed in nearby rivers or other water bodies. This process is called Visarjan where Lord Ganesha is taken to the river in a huge procession along with music, dances and more. Puneri Dhol and Nashik Dhol are famous performances during this time.

Other states like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh also follow a similar suit.

Karnataka:

This South Indian state celebrates the festival in a slightly varied manner. Here, prayers are offered to Lord Ganesha along with Devi Gauri- mother of the Lord and hence, he is called Gauri Ganesha. This puja is performed especially by married woman in order to seek blessings from the goddess to fill their marital life with contentment and prosperity.

Rajasthan:

Here, people first make a visit to any famous temple of Lord Ganesha near them like the Moti Dongri temple in Jaipur and get a darshan of the Lord and then install small idols of him in their houses. The idols are washed in red Kumkum and are adorned with a garland of red flowers. Ladoos are distributed among family and friends.

Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival that brings together people that are otherwise differentiated by traditions, cultures, geographical boundaries, castes etc.

An idol of Lord Ganesha always brings in good luck and wards off evil. We house come exquisite models of the Lord that are crafted with great precision and are handmade. Select yours today from our collection “Glories of Ganesha” and get it customised to your requirements.

Buddhipriya: The God of Knowledge and Wisdom

Worshipped as the bestow-er of boons and god of wisdom, Lord Ganesha is one of the supreme gods of Hindu mythology and religion.

He has quite many anecdotes revolving around him and he makes appearances in most of the mythological stories. One such very interesting instance is when maha-muni Veda Vyasa asked Lord Ganesha to pen down the great epic of Mahabharata.

Lord Ganesha agreed to do so on the condition that once Veda Vyasa begins to narrate the story, he would not stop and if he fails to do so, Lord Ganesha would walk away from the project. Veda Vyasa being aware of the Lord’s supreme abilities put forth another condition that Lord Ganesha would not take down any narration unless he fully understood it. That way, whenever maha-muni needed some rest, he would phrase a complex sentence that would need some time for Lord Ganesha to decipher.

Thus, began the writing of one of the greatest epics of all time- The Mahabharata. This instance is a fine example of how a guru’s tactfulness can bring to order a finicky mind.

Tale also has it that as Lord Ganesha was writing Mahabhrata, the nib of his pen broke off. He did not waste another moment and broke off his tusk to continue the task.

This is just one of the many instances of the wonders and glories of the Lord.

He is also known as the Lord who removes obstacles and puts one in the path of success. It is for this reason that at least one idol or painting of the Lord is found in every Hindu household, especially in the entrance hall to ward off any evil energy. A brief puja of the Lord is also performed before commencing any function or event to ensure fruitful results.

Did you know that there are several representations of Lord Ganesha and each has its own meaning and purpose? Read further to find out.

1. Sitting posture:

An often-depicted pose of the Lord is him sitting in Lalita Aasana. He is seated either on a Lotus or a throne with one leg folded and the other resting on the ground. This pose symbolises his interest in the worldly affairs of his devotees.

2. Standing posture:

With Ganesh Chaturthi just around the corner, you are sure to find this posture of the Lord in a number of Pandals. This posture is called Abhanga Aasana which literally means “not-bent”. It represents agility and attitude.

3. Sleeping posture:

This one depicts the Lord in a luxurious state where he is shown reclining against a pillow on a grand throne/sofa. This posture represents immense prosperity and is often found in workspaces and offices.

4. Dancing posture:

The Lord here is shown merrily dancing to his music. Such idols are said to bring in vibes of joy, happiness and vibrance.

Not just his posture but the position of his trunk also holds great significance.

1. Trunk turned right:

Called the Siddhi Vinayaka, such an idol where the trunk of the Lord is turned right is said to invoke the energy of the sun. Such idols are often found in temples as these need to be properly worshipped following all rituals and procedures.

2. Trunk turned left:

Contrary to Siddhi Vinayaka, this idol is said to invoke the energies of the moon and represents Ida Nadi. These are the type of idols often found in households as they are said to bring in peace and serenity.

3. Trunk being straight:

Such idols are a rare kind and they symbolise that the central axis of the human body is open. It conveys the message of alignment with oneself.

We have curated a collection of beautiful paintings and sculptures of Lord Ganesha.

Click here to find artefacts that are handmade by traditional artisans. Contact us for customization options so you get art pieces that are curated to your wants and needs.

Bringing Home Lord Jagannath- The Story of Puri

Around 3000 years ago, there lived a king who ruled the present-day Puri district in Odisha. Named Indradyumna, he was destined to build an abode for Lord Jagannath himself which is now widely visited and worshiped as The Puri Jagannath Temple.

King Indradyumna was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu and wished to have a darshan (vision) of him. One fine day, he came to know of the Nila Madhava which is said to be an incarnation of the Lord and sent brahmins in all directions in search of it. Each one of them returned unsuccessful expect one named Vidyapati. Priest Vidyapati gained the knowledge of the Nila Madhava through his wife whose father, Vishvasu worshipped the incarnation but kept it in secrecy. When Vishvasu came to know of this, he immediately bound his son-in-law forbidding him from informing the same to King Indradyumna in the fear of not being able to worship Nila Madhava anymore. He however had to set him free at the request of his daughter and King Indradyumna was thus informed.

With much hope and excitement, the king set out to reach Nila Madhava but was unable to find it in the location that Vidyapati gave him. Just then, a voice claiming to be Lord Vishnu’s directed him to construct a temple atop the Nila Hill saying he will manifest himself in a wooden form as Daru-Brahman there.

As directed the King constructed the temple. One night, Lord Vishnu appeared in Indradyumna’s dreams and asked him to collect the Daru Brahman from the shore near a place called Bankimuhan. With the help of Vishvasu and Vidyapati, the king installed the Daru-Brahman in the temple.

A skilled sculptor called Ananta Maharana was appointed to sculpt idols out of the wood. He however had a strange request to be left alone inside the temple for twenty-one days and that no one should open the doors until then. Fourteen days down the line, the king grew anxious and broke his promise thus opening the doors. To his astonishment, he found no sculptor but three idols- each of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balram and Devi Subhadra. As a result of the broken promise, the sculptor vanished without carving the hands and legs thereby proving that the sculptor was none other that Lord Vishnu himself.

Every year in the month of Ashadha, the three idols at the Puri Jagannath Temple are taken on a grand procession called the Rath Yatra. This is a festive event in Odisha which involves the idols being mounted on elaborate and richly decorated chariots which are pulled through the streets of Puri on a three kilometres journey to Gundicha temple where they are kept for nine days and then taken back to the Shri Mandir.

This year, the Rath Yatra took place on 4^th of July and saw a number of devotees taking part in the event. On 24^th of next month, we celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna- Janmashtami. Bring home an idol of little Krishna to mark the festival and to bring peace, love and the blessings of the Lord to your doorstep.

Find some exquisite paintings, sculptures and more of Lord Krishna in our collection of the month- “Glimpses of Krishna”. 

A Tale That Transcends Time: The Krishna Bhagavatam

Centuries ago, on a tempestuous midnight in the Hindu month of Shravan was born a dark-skinned boy whose charm was such that he is, to date, revered and loved by a million devotees. He, Lord Krishna, was born to Devaki and Vasudev but due to the heinous activities of his maternal uncle, Kamsa, he grew up in the care of Nanda and Yashoda in the beautiful village of Gokul.

Throughout his journey on earth, he portrayed superhuman qualities along with being kind, smart and a great strategist. He is thus referred to as an enigma by some and a God and incarnation of Lord Vishnu himself by many.

As a kid, he defeated and slayed quite a few demons and performed activities that were otherwise very unusual for a boy his age. He however was also very mischievous and kept causing trouble to local folk. Nevertheless, he always stood by their side and stepped in to protect them whenever in need. The story goes that once, he filled his mouth with mud. When his mother came by and asked him to open his mouth, he obliged, and the whole universe appeared to her. It is testimony to Yashoda’s maternal instinct that she could look at this God, and still treat him as her beloved child.

On another fine day in Vrindavan, he lifted the mighty Govardhan parvat atop his little finger to provide shelter when a severe storm hit the villages surrounding the mountain and drenched them as a result of a curse by Lord Indra.

One oft-spoken incident in his life is the epic Raas Leela. Once, Lord Krishna began playing his flute on the banks of a river when the villagers and gopikas to be precise got enchanted by the melody and walked towards him leaving behind their daily chores. The gopikas here are not mere girls but jeevas, i.e., pure souls irrespective of gender and the occurrence in itself a symbolic representation of the ultimate unification of god and man.

After defeating his uncle Kamsa, he went on to rule Dwaraka in present-day Gujarat, and was crowned the king of Yadavs. It is said that he prayed to Samudra Devi to provide him with some land and later ordered Vishwakarma to build a city which he completed in a short span of just 2 days. Dwaraka is now submerged. However, underwater archaeological excavations suggest the existence of the Lord and a mythical city in a bygone era.

He is also the central character in the Mahabharata, and in many ways spun the story itself as its chief architect. As he reveals to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, he is the doer, the event and the consequence. That the Kurukshetra war would take place was inevitable- it was only a question of who would play which role. At one point, he travels to the Kuru kingdom as an envoy and Duryodhana in his folly tries to capture him. At this point, he reveals his celestial form. That destiny is written in stone is a recurring theme in the epic, because even the appearance of God himself does not deter mankind from fighting an ill-fated battle.

In his lifetime, he played the role of a guru, a friend, a son, a brother, preacher, king, guide and more. His preachings which are listed in the Bhagavad Gita are to this date followed by many and looked up on as guiding parameters on how to overcome and deal with a situation.

It is for these reasons that Lord Krishna is considered by some as a physical representation of the conscience that dwells in the soul of every living creature that reminds them of right and wrong.

This coming Janmashtami, bring in idols and paintings of Lord Krishna and live by his teachings to lead yourself to a better and fulfilled life.

Find them in our ‘Glimpse of Krishna’ collection.