| |
This
powerfully executed head of the god Shiva has been chosen as Object of
the Month to coincide with Mahashivratri, a Hindu festival in honour of
the god. This representation, carved in sandstone, is thought to be one
of the most impressive of all known images of Shiva.
Hinduism & Hindu Art
Hinduism
differs from Christianity and Islam in that its content does not originate
from the revelation of one Prophet. Because of this there is no sense
of a strictly defined ‘Truth’, but rather an evolving and flexible
religion which permits numerous strands and the integration of outside
elements.
Hindu sculpture is produced for the veneration of the various Hindu deities.
It is placed inside religious temples or in the home. It can also be erected
on the walls of temples or shrines in order to illustrate the legends
of the gods - rather like the religious frescoes of western tradition.
Shiva
Vishnu, Shiva and the Great Goddess Devi form the major trinity
of widely venerated deities. Traditionally Shiva resides in Mount Kailash
in the western Himalayas or the city of Banaras (varanasi) in northern
India on the River Ganges. Both of these attract major pilgrimages. The
origins of Shiva are shrouded in mystery: he seems to be composed of a
number of different divine personalities and takes many different forms.
These forms are frequently contradictory. For example, he can appear in
human or non-human form and is renowned as both an exemplary ascetic and
as a husband and father. Such variety is typical of Shiva’s paradoxical
character. Shiva and his consort Parvati have two offspring: Skanda, the
six-headed boy, and Ganesha, their elephant-headed son.
|
