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Arrowheads have been found in archaeological excavations of ancient sites, where they were placed as protective offerings. Consecrated arrows were thought to possess the power to destroy an invisible enemy. To serve this function, an amulet in the form of an arrowhead was tied around the neck of the wearer. Simulated arrowheads retained the form of the original, functional one and were believed to

This exquisitely remarkable and stunning creation from the region of Swamimalai truly awes the viewer, whether for its artistic presence or religious sentiment. This skillful work of art truly encapsulates how a god’s image, or its ‘murti,’ rivets the devotee to the ground, making him lose his material bondings and wholeheartedly devote his life to the service of this benevolent and majestic

The emergence of goddess Durga marked the power of feminism; she was created by the cosmic powers of the trinity and other gods to defeat the Buffalo demon Mahishasura. Goddess Durga is revered as Durga Nashini, which translates as ‘the one who eliminates suffering’, as she is the Shakti or Mother goddess in Hinduism. She is sculpted here with a single piece of white marble in lalitasana postu

Karttikeya, also known as Murugan, Skanda, Kumara,and Subrahmanya, is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, brother of Ganesha, and a god whose life story has many versions in Hinduism. He is a philosopher-warrior, who destroyed evil in the form of the demon Taraka while teaching the pursuit of ethical life and the theology of Shaiva Siddhanta. After many exploits which proved

A kingly Lord Ganesha sits on the throne. From the lalitasana of His limbs to the ample regalia of His person, He looks every bit the ruler of paraloka and ihaloka alike, over the hearts of numerous devotees who consider Him the jewel of Shiva-Parvati. He is shashtabhujadhari: conchs and the Sudarshan chakra and the gesture of blessing in His hands, and of course a freshly made laddoo in the anter

Renuka Mahar, also referred to as Renuga Mahar and Renumata Mahar, is a Hindu goddess worshipped predominantly in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and southern Indian states of, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh ancient Renuka Mahar / Yellamma Devi temple at Savadatti is one among the prominent Shakthi peetas in Karnataka, Mahar Renuka's temple at Mahur in Maharashtra is one of the shakti peet

Sri Hanuman is one of the most widely revered gods of the Hindu pantheon. This imposing, bejeweled statue of the Lord captures His divine appeal to perfection: the resplendence of all three looks pours forth from the skin, while His muscles give away His superhuman strength. The clenched fist, the parting of His legs, and the angle of His mace - without which His iconography is incomplete - are in

Lord Shiva forms the part of the cosmic trinity and holds the position of being the destroyer of the impurities and evils prevailing in the universe. Lord Shiva is the darkness, which is always there. Light is a limited happening as it will eventually lose its ability, but darkness is eternal, it is everywhere, just like Lord Shiva. This Lord Shiva wooden sculpture depicts the supreme being as the

Much has been written about Ganesha. As Hindu dharma's most adorable boy-deity, He has inspired countless artisans and painters, and poets across the subcontinent since time immemorial; and how could He not? So overcome by love are His devotees - and so widespread His followers - that His form is ubiquitous on the streets, inside homes, and across commercial establishments in India. This is b

Garuda is said to be the devourer of all the evils on earth; it is an immortal mythological bird revered by Hindus and Buddhists alike. This king of birds is the vahana of Lord Vishnu and is said to exterminate the entire oceans full of snakes. In Mahabharata, he is invoked as a symbol of impetuous force, speed, and martial prowess. This statue shown here is carved out of superfine teak wood by ex

Lord Krishna is as handsome as Lord Gopala, His Baala-Roopa (infant form), is adorable. Since His arrival in Vrindavan from Mathura, He had won the hearts of the local mothers and maidens alike. The murti that you see on this page captures Him in the signature tribhanga stance and, as such, is a visual narrative that explains the amorous aspect of His leela (divine conduct). Muralidhara Krishna

Godhead of Hindu trinity deities and the most popular incarnation of Lord Vishnu- Lord Krishna or Murlimanohar is the leader, hero, protector, teacher, and a friend of all. He is the ruler, not only of religion and philosophy, but also mysticism, literature, and all aspects of Indian folklore. Here he stands on a flourishing carved multilayered leveled-up inverted lotus in his run-of-the-mill cros

Lord Hanuman sits down balanced on a single knee. He sets the mace down to His right, and gathers His hands in the namaskaram mudra. This mudra conveys an acknowledgement of the divine contained within the entity afore oneself. In the case of the great Hanuman, it is none other than Lord Rama before whom He bows. The face with the protruding jaws that bear striking resemblance to a monkey.

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

Rajarajeshwari is one of the most beautiful female figures in all of the three worlds. She is a royal manifestation of Shakti and personifies grace and balance. Trailokya Sundari or Tripura Sundari, as she is often named, is the presiding deity of Sri Chakra. Hers is the path of transcendence through the material world of senses. She presides over the Sahasrara as well the Swadhisthan Chakra. Her

Lord Ganesha's nature is to shower fortune and bliss wherever he is worshipped and here also he is holding a traditional lamp via chain by his twisted trunk. Well, in this illustration, Shri Ganesha's sweet face represents all the attributes of his personality, such as; his smartness, cuteness, attentiveness, childish expressions along with the lotus eyes, all these features are filled i

Maryada Purushottam Rama has been the 18th incarnation of Lord Vishnu. When Rama returned to Ayodhya with Sita, Lakshaman, and his foremost Sevak-bhakt Hanuman after killing Ravana & affecting his 14yr-Vanwas, his Rajyabhishek was solemnized and crowned as the Maharaja of Ayodhya. These mesmerising Shri Rama Durbar brass statues of Sri Ram – Lakshman- Janki & Bhakt Hanuman Statue are in

Amalgamated in beautiful smoky grey and gold colors, Nataraja, while dancing in ecstasy rules over his conscious fearful yet caring nature. This rare Nataraja posture triumphs joyfully on the demon dwarf Apasmara, who embodies ignorances of the world and here sits with his implements in his hands on a three-layered heightened pedestal carved in mesmerizing highlighted lotus petals. Nataraja Bra

In Hinduism, Religion Rasaleela is an interesting phenomenon. It refers to the ihalokiya (earthly) conduct - ‘leela’ - of the Vishnu-avatara Krishna. The word ‘rasa’ translates to aesthetics. As such, ‘rasaleela’ refers to the aesthetic depiction of Krishnaleela. The painting that you see on this page is of the image that first occurs to the mind when a devotee hears the word rasaleela

Krishna or Kanhaiyya is the major deity in Hinduism. He is revered as the God of love, compassion and tenderness. He is also regarded as the eighth avatar of God Vishnu. He is reflected through the legends of Mahabharata, Bhagavada purana and Bhagavad Gita, portraying him as God's child, a lover and a divine hero. Janmashtami, his birthday, is celebrated, with great enthusiasm, as son

Such was the depth of Mirabai's devotion that it commanded the living presence of Lord Krishna. She was a mystic of the highest order and belonged to the bhakti cult of North India. Her composure of countenance betrays the loverlike nature of her reverence, which is one of the many schools of bhakti. For the resplendence of the oils and the spiritual ethos of the theme alone would this painti

Murals distinguish the folk art of Kerala. A fine tradition to be found in the temples and palaces dotting the Malabar Coast, the earliest examples are to be found in Tirunandikkara and Tiruvanchikulam, dated from the ninth to the twelfth centuries. The one you see on this page is a contemporary specimen of this ancient means of art, and conforms to the post-fifteenth century style of Kerala mural

This remarkable sculpture is made of special bronze from Swamimalai, a town in an Indian State of Tamil Nadu. The ancient technique by which it is made is called as Madhuchista Vidhana (Lost-wax process), which is the specialty of the heritage of South Indian sculptors. Sri Vallabha Ganapati, also known as Maha Vallabha Ganapati is one among the 32 forms of Lord Ganesha. The leader of the Ganas of

The majestic Lord Ganesha is seated on an upturned-lotus throne. This chaturbhujadhari (the one possessed of four arms) figure seated in lalitasana is a widely loved and worshipped roopa (form) of the deity. What makes this a unique work of art is the medium in which it is fashioned and the finesse with which it has been executed. It is a panchaloha sculpture handpicked from the finest studios of