The Buddha is the fountainhead of inspiration for spiritual artisans across the subcontinent. His meditating figure is to be found in abundance in the art made across its length and breadth. The bhumisparsha mudra is by far the most popular of the mudras chosen by artisans. In Sanskrit, 'bhumi' means 'earth' and 'sparsha', 'touch' - it is the mudra assumed b

The Buddha contains multitudes. The life of a prince of the Shakya clan that could not prevent him from turning to mendicancy and asceticism; year after year of grave austerity and introspection; and, finally, enlightenment. It goes without saying that a life like this descends not into death as its natural course, but into nirvana: the elusive freedom from birth and death and rebirth that ensnare

Devi Durga is a feminine epitome of strength and a divine potency responsible for keeping this material world in order and decorum; she is an embodiment of ferocity as well as compassion who holds equal parts as a destroyer and creator both. This brass statue is painted in enchanting brown and golden color combination with the divinity perched in lalitasana on a ferocious lion (Durga’s vahan

There is more to the adorable laughing Buddha than meets the eye. His face bursts forth with the mirth of enlightenment. His rucksack contains the bare essentials of a Bodhisattva, which is not much, but He is supremely content. A string of prayer beads graces His ample neck. The laughing Buddha, who lived in Zhejiang during the rule of Later Liang, was reputed to be a Buddha of benevolent charact

Over the years, Buddhist-Tantric traditions have incorporated numerous elements of Hinduism. Its deities are no exception: they have varied iconographies in different, predominantly Buddhist countries. The murti that you see on this page is of the Japanese Devi Durga. She is known as Butsu-Mo or Koti-Sri and is worshipped as a wrathful protectoress. The Japanese Durga is seated in padmasana on a l

The beauty of the Devi Kali lies in her ferocity and invincibility. The very picture of her is enough to make the adharmee tremble with fear. Each of Her ten arms ('dasha' in Sanskrit means 'ten'; 'bhuja', 'arm') bears a deadly weapon of divine prowess. She uses them to slay adharmees, whose severed heads are hanging in the garland that hangs down her ne

Balaji is considered Lord Vishnu's Kaliyug Avatar. Lord Tirupati Balaji is believed to be so powerful that mere sight of the idol is enough to emancipate a man from a lifetime of suffering. Lord Venkateshwara is a full four-armed representation of Vishnu. But only two are visible from the front. Lord Balaji is shown having a U-shaped tilak on his forehead which is the signature style to descr

The Kundalini term as "the coiled power" like a serpent"- a kind of "cosmic energy" that accumulates at the base of the spine. When awakened, Kundalini is described as rising up from the Muladhara chakra through different chakras and reach the top of the head, Sahasrara or crown chakra, producing an extremely profound transformation of consciousness. Kundalini awakening th

Music is an integral aspect of life in rural India. Given how vast the subcontinent is, a wide variety of folk music has emerged from its numerous rural pockets. The ensemble that you see on this page depicts a band of four young ladies practising the music that stems from their roots. Two of them are playing string instruments, one of which features a swan sculpture at the end of its long neck (t

Salutations to Lord Ganesha -son of Uma-Mahadev, who has an elephant-head, being attended by the band of his followers (GANANATHA), dines his favourite wood-apple and rose–apple fruits, who is the cause of the destruction of all sorrows, Whose feet are like lotus. One should observe Ganesha with full devotion, feel his qualities and waves such as immensity, pride and fearlessness, immense streng

Sai Baba of Shirdi was an ethereal master, who is regarded by his devotees as a Saint and a fakir. Therefore, He is revered by both his Hindu and Muslim followers. He preached the importance of self-realization and criticized love towards perishable things with His teachings concentrating on a moral code of love, forgiveness, charity, inner peace, and devotion to God and guru. Simplicity reach