03 Oct Carved Creatures: Mammals in Indian Sculpture and Folklore
In this episode, we explore Animals in Stone: Indian Mammals Sculptured Through Time by Alexandra van der Geer, a detailed examination of how animals are portrayed in Indian stone sculptures. The book delves into the zoological characteristics of these animals and their deep-rooted connections to Indian society, religion, and folklore. Drawing from archaeological findings, historical records, and personal insights, van der Geer offers a fascinating look at how various animals were depicted across different artistic periods and styles in Indian art. Join us as we uncover the cultural and spiritual significance behind these sculpted creatures.
FAQs:
- What is the significance of animals in South Asian stone sculptures?
Animals play a crucial role in South Asian art and mythology, extending beyond mere decorative elements. They serve as vehicles (vahanas) for gods and goddesses, embody symbolic meaning, represent different virtues and vices, and narrate religious stories and epics. The sculptures provide a glimpse into the rich tapestry of beliefs, traditions, and the relationship between humans and animals in South Asia.
- How does the depiction of the rat differ in its representation of a common pest and its association with Ganesha?
While rats are generally considered pests, the rat associated with Ganesha, often depicted as a bandicoot rat, is revered. This difference stems from the rat’s role as Ganesha’s vehicle, symbolizing his ability to overcome obstacles and representing intelligence and wisdom. This reverence is evident at the Karni Mata temple in Rajasthan, where thousands of rats are protected and considered sacred.
- What distinguishes zebus from Eurasian cattle, and what roles do they play in South Asian society?
Zebus, distinguished by their hump, long head, large ears, and dewlap, are adapted to the South Asian climate. Used primarily as draught animals, they also provide dung for fuel and manure, and their bones and horns are used for tools. Zebus holds religious significance, symbolizing strength and virility for Shiva and representing the Jina Rishabhanatha in Jainism.
- How does the depiction of the water buffalo in stone sculptures reflect its varied roles in mythology and religion?
The water buffalo’s depiction varies based on the context. As Yama’s vehicle, it represents death and the underworld. However, it also symbolizes strength and fertility, particularly as the goddess Durga’s adversary, Mahishasura, and as a mount for some mother goddesses. This duality highlights the complex symbolism of animals in South Asian beliefs.
- What insights do narrative reliefs provide about societal values, such as the Story of the Woodpecker, the Turtle, and the Deer?
Narrative reliefs offer valuable insights into societal values, moral principles, and the role of animals in conveying these messages. The Story of the Woodpecker, the Turtle, and the Deer, depicted in Bharhut, emphasizes the importance of friendship, loyalty, and the consequences of deceit. Often rooted in Jataka tales or Buddhist teachings, these stories served as moral guides and reinforced cultural norms.
- How do stylistic interpretations of animals, like the dolphin-based makara, demonstrate artistic license and cultural understanding?
The dolphin-based makara in Bharhut’s stupa gateway highlights how artists blended observation with mythological interpretations. The misinterpretation of the dolphin’s features, like the waves as wrinkles, reflects an artistic license informed by cultural understandings and the integration of real-life observations with mythical imagery.
- What does the absence of certain animals, like bats, in South Asian sculptures suggest about their perceived significance?
Despite their abundance and ecological importance, the lack of bat depictions may stem from their association with negativity, like crop raiding. This absence highlights how cultural beliefs and practical considerations influenced the selection of animals deemed worthy of representation in stone.
- How does the book, “Animals in Stone,” contribute to a broader understanding of South Asian art and culture?
Animals in Stone provides a comprehensive study of animal representations in South Asian sculptures, moving beyond mere identification to unravel their symbolic meanings, religious contexts, and cultural significance. The book serves as a valuable resource for understanding the interconnectedness of art, mythology, and the natural world in South Asia.
Glossary of Key Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Ajatashatru | King of the Magadha empire in ancient India, known for his initial opposition to Buddhism, which later transformed into patronage. |
| Aravali | A mountain range in northwestern India, running approximately 692 km from Gujarat to Delhi. |
| bandicoot | A large rat native to India, often associated with Ganesha. |
| Bhagavadgita | A 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic Mahabharata. |
| Bharhut | An archaeological site in Madhya Pradesh, known for its Buddhist stupa and intricate carvings dating back to the Shunga period. |
| bodhisattva | In Buddhism, a person who is on the path to enlightenment. |
| Brahma | The creator god in Hinduism. |
| Brahmin | A member of the highest caste in Hinduism, traditionally priests, teachers, and scholars. |
| browser | A herbivorous animal that primarily feeds on leaves, shrubs, and woody plants. |
| Buddha | Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. |
| Buddhism | A religion and philosophy originating in India, based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. |
| Chandella | A Rajput dynasty that ruled central India between the 9th and 13th centuries, known for their magnificent temples at Khajuraho. |
| Charan | A caste in India traditionally associated with bardic traditions, genealogy, and storytelling. |
| Deshi | A term used to describe indigenous or local varieties, often referring to cattle breeds in India. |
| dharma | In Hinduism, the principle of cosmic order, often translated as “duty,” “ethics,” or “righteousness.” |
| dharmashastra | Ancient Hindu texts dealing with law, ethics, and social conduct. |
| Dilwara Temples | A complex of Jain temples located in Mount Abu, Rajasthan, known for their intricate marble carvings. |
| Durga | A Hindu warrior goddess, often depicted riding a lion and slaying the buffalo demon Mahishasura. |
| Ganesha | The elephant-headed Hindu god of beginnings, wisdom, and remover of obstacles. |
| Ganga | A sacred river in Hinduism, personified as the goddess Ganga. |
| gaur | The largest extant species of wild cattle, native to South and Southeast Asia. |
| grazer | A herbivorous animal that primarily feeds on grass. |
| Hanuman | The monkey god in Hinduism, known for his strength, devotion to Rama, and role in the epic Ramayana. |
| Harappa | One of the largest cities of the Indus Valley Civilization, located in present-day Pakistan. |
| Hinduism | A diverse religious and cultural tradition originating in the Indian subcontinent, characterized by a belief in reincarnation, karma, and dharma. |
| Hoysaleshvara Temple | A 12th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Halebidu, Karnataka, known for its intricate carvings and Hoysala architecture. |
| Indra | A Vedic deity in Hinduism, associated with thunder, lightning, rain, and war. |
| Indus Valley Civilization | A Bronze Age civilization that flourished in the northwestern regions of South Asia between 3300 and 1300 BCE. |
| Jainism | An ancient Indian religion emphasizing non-violence, self-discipline, and liberation from the cycle of birth and death. |
| Jataka | A vast collection of Buddhist literature, consisting of stories about the previous lives of the Buddha. |
| Jina | A term used in Jainism to refer to a spiritual conqueror who has achieved liberation from the cycle of birth and death. |
| Kabha | A term used in the Karni Mata temple to refer to the black rats believed to be vessels for the souls of departed devotees. |
| Kali | A Hindu goddess associated with time, creation, destruction, and power. |
| Kappiliyam | A rare breed of zebu cattle from Tamil Nadu, historically considered sacred. |
| Karni Mata Temple | A temple in Rajasthan, India, dedicated to the goddess Karni Mata and famous for its large population of revered black rats. |
| Khajuraho | A group of Hindu and Jain temples in Madhya Pradesh, known for their intricate carvings and erotic sculptures. |
| Khondalite | A type of metamorphic rock commonly found in eastern India, often used for sculptures. |
| Krishna | A major deity in Hinduism, often depicted as a cowherd, a trickster, or a divine hero. |
| Lakshmi | The Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, and beauty. |
| langur | A type of monkey native to the Indian subcontinent, often associated with the monkey god Hanuman. |
| linga | An aniconic representation of Shiva, often depicted as a cylindrical stone. |
| Mahabharata | One of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, narrating the Kurukshetra War and the fates of the Kauravas and the Pandavas. |
| Maheshvari | A Hindu mother goddess, often depicted with a buffalo head and associated with strength and protection. |
| Mahishasura | A powerful buffalo demon in Hindu mythology, slain by the goddess Durga. |
| makara | A mythical sea creature in Hindu and Buddhist mythology, often depicted as a hybrid of different animals. |
| Mammalapuram | A town in Tamil Nadu known for its ancient rock-cut temples and UNESCO World Heritage Site. |
| Manjushri | A bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism associated with wisdom, knowledge, and insight. |
| Mara | In Buddhism, a tempter deity who personifies unskillful emotions and the forces that oppose enlightenment. |
| matrika | A term used in Hinduism to refer to the Mother Goddesses. |
| Mohenjo-daro | An archaeological site in Pakistan, one of the largest settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization. |
| mriga | A Sanskrit term meaning “wild animal,” often used to refer to deer or antelope. |
| muntjac | A small deer species found in South and Southeast Asia, also known as “barking deer” due to their bark-like calls. |
| musk deer | A small deer species found in the Himalayas, prized for its musk gland secretions used in perfumes. |
| mythology | A collection of myths, especially belonging to a particular religious or cultural tradition. |
| Naga | A deity or semi-divine being, often depicted as a serpent, in Hinduism and Buddhism. |
| Nagarjunakonda | An archaeological site in Andhra Pradesh, known for its Buddhist ruins dating back to the Ikshvaku dynasty. |
| nilgai | The largest Asian antelope, native to the Indian subcontinent. |
| Pala | A dynasty that ruled Bengal and parts of northern India from the 8th to the 12th centuries, known for their patronage of Buddhist art and culture. |
| Pali | A Middle Indo-Aryan language in which the Theravada Buddhist scriptures are written. |
| Pandava | The five sons of Pandu, protagonists in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. |
| Paramara | A Rajput dynasty that ruled Malwa and parts of central India from the 9th to the 14th centuries. |
| Parvati | A Hindu goddess, consort of Shiva, and mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya. |
| pedestal | The base or support on which a statue or sculpture stands. |
| Prakrit | A group of ancient and medieval Indo-Aryan languages used in northern and central India. |
| Puranas | A genre of important Hindu texts, usually written in the form of stories relating cosmology, genealogy, and legends. |
| Rajput | A member of a Hindu warrior caste from northwestern India, known for their chivalry and tradition. |
| Rama | A major deity in Hinduism and the protagonist of the epic Ramayana, considered the seventh avatar of Vishnu. |
| Ramayana | One of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, narrating the life of Rama and his wife Sita. |
| relief | A sculptural technique where the sculpted elements remain attached to a solid background of the same material. |
| Rishabhanatha | In Jainism, the first Tirthankara (ford-maker) and founder of Jainism in the present time cycle. |
| sambar | A large deer native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. |
| Sanchi | An archaeological site in Madhya Pradesh, famous for its Buddhist stupas, monasteries, and pillars, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. |
| Sangam literature | A corpus of ancient Tamil literature, believed to have been composed between 300 BCE and 300 CE. |
| saptamatrika | The seven mother goddesses in Hinduism. |
| Sarnath | A Buddhist pilgrimage site in Uttar Pradesh, where the Buddha is believed to have delivered his first sermon. |
| shakti | The primordial cosmic energy in Hinduism, often personified as a goddess and representing the feminine principle. |
| sharabha | A mythical eight-legged beast in Hindu mythology, often depicted as part lion and part bird, with the ability to slay elephants. |
| Shiva | A major Hindu deity, representing the aspects of destruction and transformation in the universe. |
| Siddhartha | The given name of the Buddha before his enlightenment. |
| Sita | The wife of Rama and a central figure in the Hindu epic Ramayana. |
| sloth bear | A bear species native to the Indian subcontinent, known for its long claws and shaggy fur. |
| soapstone | A soft metamorphic rock, also known as steatite, often used for carving sculptures due to its malleability. |
| Sri Lanka | An island nation south of India, with a rich history and culture influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism. |
| stele | An upright stone slab or pillar, typically bearing inscriptions or relief carvings. |
| stupa | A dome-shaped Buddhist monument, often containing relics or marking a sacred site. |
| Surya | The Hindu sun god. |
| Tamil Nadu | A state in southern India, known for its ancient temples, rich culture, and Dravidian language. |
| Tantras | Esoteric Hindu and Buddhist traditions that emerged in India between the 5th and 11th centuries CE. |
| Theravada Buddhism | One of the two major branches of Buddhism, prevalent in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. |
| Tirthankara | In Jainism, a savior and spiritual teacher who has achieved liberation and guides others on the path to enlightenment. |
| Uttar Pradesh | A state in northern India, home to significant religious sites and a rich cultural heritage. |
| vahana | The animal companion or vehicle of a Hindu deity. |
| Varaha | The boar avatar of Vishnu, who rescued the Earth from the depths of the cosmic ocean. |
| Varahi | A Hindu mother goddess, often depicted with a boar head, associated with prosperity and abundance. |
| Vedas | The most ancient sacred texts of Hinduism, consisting of hymns, prayers, myths, and rituals. |
| vehicle | In the context of Hindu mythology, the animal companion or mount of a deity, often symbolizing a particular attribute or power. |
| Vishnu | A major Hindu deity, representing the aspects of preservation and sustenance in the universe. |
| vyala | A mythical creature in Hindu mythology, often depicted as a composite beast with leonine features. |
| yaksha | A nature spirit in Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist mythology, often depicted as benevolent guardians of treasures and fertility. |
| yali | A mythical creature in South Indian art and architecture, often depicted as a composite beast with leonine features. |
| Yama | The god of death in Hinduism and Buddhism. |
| yogini | A female practitioner of yoga or a female attendant of a deity in Hinduism. |
| zebu | A species of domesticated cattle originating in South Asia, characterized by a fatty hump on their shoulders. |