Table Of ContentRELIGION AND THE ARTS
Series Editor: John Hinnells, University of Derby
The arts have always been one of the primary means of communicating religious
traditions; indeed, visual or performing arts may complement, predate or supplant
many scriptural sources. This series explores how the visible has been used to express
the invisible, and is designed to provide an understanding of the world's religions
through the various art forms associated with religious practice and experience.
Already published
Art and Religion in Africa by Rosalind I. J. Hackett
Arts in the Religions of the Pacific by Albert C. Moore
Ganesa, Orissa, thirteenth century.
Hinduism and the
Religious Arts
Heather Elgood
CASSELL
London and New York
Cassell
Wellington House, 125 Strand, London WC2R OBB
370 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017-6550
First published 1999
First published in paperback 2000
© Heather Elgood 1999
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including
photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system,
without prior permission in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 0-304-70739-2 (paperback)
ISBN 0-304-33820-6 (hardback)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Elgood, Heather, 1950-
Hinduism and the religious arts / Heather Elgood.
p. cm.—(Religion and the arts)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-304-33820-6 (hardcover)
1. Art, Hindu—India. 2. Art, Indie-India. 3. Hindu symbolism.
4. Art patronage-India. 5. Art and religion-India. I. Title.
II. Series: Religion and the arts series.
N7301.E38 1998
294.5'37-dc21 98-24595
C1P
Designed and typeset by Ben Cracknell Studios
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Redwood Books Ltd,
Trowbridge, Wiltshire
Contents
List of Illustrations vi
Acknowledgements viii
CHAPTER i Introduction 1
CHAPTER 2 Sacred Imagery 13
CHAPTER 3 Hindu Deities 44
CHAPTER 4 Hindu Sacred Architecture 93
CHAPTER 5 Royal Patronage of the Religious Arts
and Its Historical Development and
Objectives 135
CHAPTER 6 Village and Tribal Patrons and Their
Religious Arts 187
CHAPTER? Conclusion 227
Glossary 232
Bibliography 237
Index 241
List of Illustrations
Frontispiece Ganesa, Orissa, thirteenth century CHAPTERS
Figure 3.1 Siva Lingodbhava, South India. Chola,
COLOUR PLATES
900
Plate 1 Modern painting of Siva.
Figure 3.2 Trident in a secondary shrine, in
Plate 2 Narasimha, Basohli, c. 1700.
a temple at Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu
Plate 3 Krishna offered milk by the gopis,
Figure 3.3 Siva Nataraj, Tamil Nadu. Chola, 1100
Basohli 1740.
Figure 3.4 Dakshinamurti Siva from Kailasanatha
Plate 4 Sculpture of Durga in worship, shrine at
temple. Kanchipuram, early eighth century
Gingee, Tamil Nadu.
Figure 3.5 Vishnu, Kanauj, Central India. Late
Plate 5 Priest of Adivaraha temple, Mamallapuram,
tenth century
mid-seventh century.
Figure 3.6 An original drawing of Vishnu
Plate 6 Goddess Mariyamman, Tamil Nadu.
Figure 3.7 A modern painting of the baby Krishna
Plate 7 Aiyanar shrine, Tamil Nadu.
Figure 3.8 A modern painting of the goddess
Plate 8 Wall painting, Orissa.
Lakshmi
CHAPTER 1 Figure 3.9 Village shrine in Tamil Nadu
Figure 1.1 Cauri bearer, commonly known as the Figure 3.10 A modern painting of Kali
Didarganj yakshi, third-second century BC Figure 3.11 Terracotta female figurine, Indus
Valley. 2600-1500 BC
CHAPTER 2
Figure 3.12 A seal from Mohenjo Daro, Pakistan.
Figure 2.1 A stone linga, Indus Valley. Harappan
Harappan period, 2300-1750 BC
period, c. 2300-1750 BC
Figure 3.13 Naga kals shrine, Tamil Nadu
Figure 2.2 Yantra
Figure 3.14 Nandi, temple in Tamil Nadu
Figure 2.3 Seal showing a horned cross-legged
Figure 3.15 Cow carving in a cave temple,
figure, Mohenjo Daro, Pakistan. Harappan
Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu. AD 700-800
period, c. 2300-1750 BC
Figure 2.4 Male figure (possibly a yaksha) from CHAPTER 4
Parkham, Uttar Pradesh. Sunga second-first Figure 4.1 The elements of a temple
century BC Figure 4.2 Drawing of Kirtimukha
Figure 2.5 Sacred tree hung with cradles. Figure 4.3 Mithuna, Visvanatha temple, Khajuraho.
Tamil Nadu Chandella dynasty, eleventh century
Figure 2.6 Linga from Gudimallam, Andhra Figure 4.4 Mithuna. Lakshmana temple,
Pradesh, c. First century BC Khajuraho. Chandella dynasty, tenth century
Figure 2.7 Hand gestures: the mukula mudra Figure 4.5 Surasundari figures, Lakshmana temple,
(closed lotus), padmakosha mudra and the Khajuraho, Chandella dynasty, tenth century
alapadma (open lotus) Figure 4.6 Radial plan of images
Figure 2.8 Nageswara temple, Tamil Nadu. Figure 4.7 Drawing of Makara
Kumbhakonam, 886 Figure 4.8 Purna Kumbha - a pot overflowing
Figure 2.9 Vyala with flowers and plants
List of Illustrations
Figure 4.9 The characteristic features of northern CHAPTER 6
(right) and southern (left) temples Figure 6.1 'Seven sisters' at a village shrine in
Figure 4.10 Kandariya Mahadeo temple, Tamil Nadu
Khajuraho. Eleventh century Figure 6.2 A village shrine with tridents and
Figure 4.11 Muvarkovil temple, Kodumbalore. spears, Tamil Nadu
Early Chola, ninth century Figure 6.3 Sacred termite mound, Tamil Nadu
Figure 6.4 A priest of Aiyanar shrine, Tamil Nadu
CHAPTERS
Figure 6.5 A crudely made terracotta Aiyanar and
Figure 5.1 Narasimha Mamalla I, Patron of the
his two consorts. Rural shrine, Tamil Nadu
Adivaraha temple, Mamallapuram. Pallava
Figure 6.6 Women decorating pots, Jhun Jhunu
dynasty, mid-seventh century
district, Rajasthan
Figure 5.2 Trimurti temple, Mamallapuram. Pallava
Figure 6.7 Kolam. Tamil Nadu
dynasty, early eighth century
Figure 6.8 Brahman celebrating Pongal, Nepattur
Figure 5.3 Portrait of Narasimha Mamalla I, on the
village, Tamil Nadu
Dharmaraja Ratha, Mamallapuram. Pallava
Figure 6.9 An image of Lajja Gauri
dynasty, early eighth century
Figure 6.10 Terracotta horses offered to Aiyanar
Figure 5.4 Princess on Nagesvara temple,
Figure 6.11 Women at a tree shrine
Kumbhakonam. Early Chola, AD 886
Figure 5.5 Portrait of Rajendra Cola, CHAPTER 7
Brihadishvara temple, Gangikondacholapuram, Figure 7.1 Brahmans at Srirangam
Tamil Nadu. Mid-eleventh century
Figure 5.6 Lion tank, Gangikondacholapuram,
Tamil Nadu. Mid-eleventh century
Figure 5.7 Carving of a figure offering his own
head, Varaha cave, Mamallapuram, Late seventh
century
Figure 5.8 Gajalakshmi, Varaha cave,
Mamallapuram, Late seventh century
vn
Acknowledgements
This book is conceived as part of a series and Alix Lawrence for her help and en-
inspired by Professor John Hinnells couragement My own original contribution
(formerly at the School of Oriental and to my writing has been inspired over many
African Studies, University of London and years by working alongside and by listening
now at the University of Derby) and to many of my friends who have given me
originally under the aegis of Pinter encouragement and advice. Of these I
Publishers. I am grateful to Professor would like to mention, in particular, Dr
Hinnells personally for his support and Anna Dallapiccola, Robert Skelton, Dr
encouragement and more generally for George Michell, Dr Stephen Huyler, Dr
initiating a project which is so close to my Vivek Nanda, Dr Michael Willis, Dr Angela
own interest in an area where art, religion Hobart, Richard Blurton, Dr Giles Tillotsin,
and anthropology meet. In the research for Dr Linda Leach, Alastair Shearer, Rosemary
this text I have drawn on the ideas of many Crill, Dr Don Stadtner, Dr Adam Hardy,
scholars from these disciplines and have John Burton Page, Vena Gheerawo, Stella
attempted to form these into a seamless Marsden, Dr Julia Leslie, Professor
whole. For this research I am grateful to Piatigorsky and Dr Rashmi Poddar. I would
SOAS whose library resource was a vital also like to thank my many students from
component. the Asian Arts Programme, who are
Amongst those who helped me to write responsible for inspiring some of my ideas
this book I would like to give special mention and who have read selected chapters of the
to Dr John Marr, not only for suggesting manuscript. I would also like to thank staff
that I should work on this series but for and students of the Bharat Vidya Bhavan
being a constant source of encouragement, for so often providing me with insight into
support and inspiration over many years. I the practical demonstration of the visual
am also profoundly grateful to him for a arts, and the Director Nanda Kumar, and
critical reading of the text prior to Dr Shastri. I would also like to thank Janet
publication. For a valued contribution, Joyce as Director of CasselPs Academic
welcome criticism and support in the Division who showed understanding,
reading of the chapters at an early stage I patience and gave much needed encourage-
would also like to thank Dr Stephen Huyler. ment and enthusiasm. With regard to the
In the final editing I would like to thank illustrations I would like to thank Pat
Veronica Brinton for her patience and time, Barylski, Madhuvanti Chose, Naman Ahuja,
Acknowledgements
Robert Skelton, John Marr and Stephen selected during a field trip to India in 1997.
Huyler who were kind enough to lend me I would also like to thank Chris Glanville
some of their slides. I would also like to for his line drawings.
thank Debbie Swallow at the Victoria and This book is dedicated to my husband
Albert Museum and Michael Willis at the and family. My husband showed unfailing
British Museum for their kindness in patience and encouragement in helping
allowing me to use some of the photographs with the editing of this book; without him
in the collection. Finally, I would like to it would never have been completed, and
thank my husband who took many of the my children who put up with my work on
pictures of shrines and temples that I this book for several years.
ix
