A glorious description of Lord Venkateshvara, a form of Bhagwan Vishnu. Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practices and an increase in irreligiosity, the Supreme Lord descends to reestablish Dharma and deliver the impious people. In Kali Yuga, Lord Vishnu appeared in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh in the form of Bhagwan Venkateshvara to attract people to God-consciousness. Today, tho

The ashtabhujadhari Lord Ganesha, the one possessed of (‘dhari’) eight (‘ashta’) arms (‘bhuja’), stands on His short, chubby child’s legs. His adorable elephant head is turned sideways, revealing the lateral profile of His face to view. But for the gold predominating this Tanjore painting, it is a bitone composition in pale pink (the complexion of His form) and scarlet (the solid-col

A supreme master of all knowledge, intelligence and wisdom, as can be analysed from his name Ganapati, where ‘Ga’ means buddhi (intelligence), ‘Na’ means vijnana (wisdom) and ‘Pati’ means master. His benevolence allows him to be honoured as the first among the celestials before the commencement of any auspicious ceremony for enlightening it to a successful finish without any obstru

The solitary Lord Shiva is seated atop the peak of Kailash, His cosmic home next to the Mansarovar. The existential destroyer has His trusty Nandi for company, the mythic bull with the power of a thousand of its mortal counterparts. He rests one hand on its head between the horns, while in the other He holds an ivory conch that He regards with half-shut eyes. Shiva Nandi Oil Painting: https://w

The lovely Devi Meenakshi is captured in the sumptuous Tanjore medium. For the devotees of Madurai’s guardian deity, such a painting would be a valuable addition to the home or office space. It depicts the Parvati-Roopa Devi standing with a soft-bellied lotus beneath Her feet. Garlands of fresh flowers of varied colors are around Her neck and Her shoulders, and over the archway of Her temple ent

Peace & Prosperity heralds escalation in artistic pursuits. During the Sikh period, art reached its pinnacle in Lahore, Amritsar, Jind, Patiala, etc. It had a unique style, standing in its own right, characterizing its own Punjabi manifestations, reflecting color scheme and ornamentation. Sobriety is the keynote of this painting. Executed in monochromes, it is a regal miniature. The pachyd

Devi Gayatri is a deity of complex origins. Mother of the Vedas (the Vedamata), She is the personification of the all-important Gayatri mantra. However, according to the Skanda Purana, She is the wife of Brahma and a roopa of Sarasvati. And according to Shaivite texts, Mahagaytri is the wife of Sadashiva. The painting of Gayatri that you see on this page depicts a fair, five-headed Devi. She is se

A glowing Ramadurbar Tanjore painting for your home or office walls. The haloed Lord Rama is at the very centre of the canvas. His smooth dusky skin sets off the glittering silken amber of His dhoti. To His left is the beauteous Devi Seeta, the brave daughter of King Janaka who never of Her own will left Her husband’s side, even during vanavasa. On the right side of the Lord is Lakshmana, br

Goddess Durga then fought Mahishasura over a period of fifteen days during which he kept changing his shape to become different animals and misled her. Mahishasura believed that there is no woman in the world who could cause him any harm. The legend continues, Mahishasura, high on the power of "immortality", attacked Trilok (the three worlds of earth, heaven and hell) with his army. He e