Recognised as a Geographical indication by the Government of India, there is much to the Tanjore painting that sets it apart from other classical art forms. On this page, you see a Gajalakshmi Tanjore painting (Gajalakshmi is the name given to the iconography of Devi Lakshmi that features the presence of the gaja or elephant). The serene features, the luscious colours notwithstanding, the most str

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

A compactly carved figure of Devi Lakshmi. Poised within a makeshift temple on a double-layered lotus-bloom plinth. From the iconography to the style of the surrounding temple structure, this composition borrows heavily from Hoysala aesthetics. It is the name given to the art and architecture that flourished under the patronage of the Hoysala rulers in South India. The tradition dates back to the