Transcript Hindusim last

Hinduism and the Arts and Architecture of India
2500 B.C.E Indus River Civilization
Urban centers at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
1500 B.C.E. Classical India
This era begins with Aryan invaders
Eventually blended with original inhabitants
Vedic period
The Vedas are the earliest writings
Songs to nature deities
In the Vedic pantheon there is no sovereign god
Gods assigned to function and worshipped by region
Upanishads: 6th century B.C.E. texts that explain how the individual
soul is connected to the Brahman or universal soul
Concepts of dahrma, maya, samsara, karma, moksha
more philosophical and abstract than the Vedas
2500 B.C.E Indus River Civilization Mohenjo-Daro
Dancing Girl, ca 2300-1750 BCE. 4 ½ in. bronze.
Indus River Civilization Mohenjo-Daro
Bearded Man, thought to be a priest king, ca. 2000 BCE, limestone, 7
in. Indus River Civilization Mohenjo-Daro
Ramayana
Epic tale of Rama, incarnation of Vishnu and ideal man
Recorded in 6th century B.C.E.Sita Sings the Blues
No easy distinction between religious writings and literary genres
The Ramayana contains information about the social customs of Vedic India
Mahabharata
Composed from 400 B.C.E. to 400 C.E.
Story of rivaling families 100,000 verses (4 X Ramayana, 8 X llliad)
Baghavad Gita: most popular part, focus on moral questioning of Arjuna
Rama and Sita taken to
priest to fix the wedding
date, illustrated Ramayana,
18th c., Shangri style
(Persians ruled NW India 6th- 4th centuries B.C.E.) (Alexander, Selucids replace Persians)
Maurya Period: 326 -184 B.C.E. period of centralized rule, dynasty
Strong military and extensive trade network Ashoka converts to Buddhism
Gupta Era
Collapse of Maurya Empire due to invasions
500 years instability until Gupta rule: 320 - 550 C.E., northern India
Smaller and not as centralized as Maurya
Economic prosperity, arts, religious tolerance, math (decimal system, pi, 0)
“Golden Age” with increasing attacks from the Huns
India and the Delhi Sultanate
Muslim invaders unite India, convert NW India to Islam, 8th century
In 1022 Muslim warlords took all of northern India
Islam joins Hinduism and Buddhism
Mogul Empire
Direct descendents of Ghengis Kahn
The "classic period" of the empire started in 1556 with the accession of Akbar the Great
Cultural Flowering
Rajput (Hindu) kingdoms posed threats to Moguls in NW
British overtake the remaining Mogul powers, weakened by internal separatist factions
Hinduism
Multiplicity – fundamental concept of Hindu theology
many gods with many manifestations or avatars
Absence of Dogma or reform
Hinduism developed slowly
Accumulation of layers of cult gods, theology of Uphanishads
Two natures of Hinduism
Spectacle: actual practice of worship of cult deities
proliferation of images, mythological stories
fabrication of idols, decorating or dressing idols, anointing
Spiritual: based on the path to spiritual enlightenment as explained in
the Upanishads. Essentially a dualistic system in which the illusions
of the world, Maya, must be overcome.
The two natures of Hinduism co-exist, seemingly contradicting each other.
Mother Goddess film
Hinduism Art History Film Buddhism in India Film
Hinduism
Basic Concepts
Samsara: transmigration of soul
Brahman: universal soul
Atman: individual soul- part of universal soul
Moksha: attainment of enlightenment, realization that individual soul is
Brahman
Liberation from cycle of samsara
Dharma: complicated concept that includes moral behavior, justice, cosmic
order, duty within your caste
Caste System:
Brahmin: attained highest level of spirituality, exercise spiritual power
Ksatriyas: secular power
Vaisyas or artisan, cultivators
Sudras: separate from the “twice born,” consumed with simply “living”
Untouchables
Hinduism does not exclude any path to spirituality, but is made of a hierarchy
of paths, as exhibited in its caste system*
*for more read excerpt from Mahabharata on the origin of the castes Mahabharata Castes
Buddhism in India
Historical Buddha born
Siddhartha Gautama
Sakya, ca. 563-483
B.C.E.
The Mauryan emperor
Ashoka becomes
champion of nonviolence and
embraces Buddhism
Ashoka sends
missionaries to spread
Buddhism, erects
Stupas and shrines to
Buddha
Four Noble Truths
Middle Path
Buddhism in India
The simplicity of the
stupa at Sanchi is
contrasted by the
ornately decorated gates.
The sculptural motifs on
the four directional gates
include protective
fertility deities of preVedic origin.
These are the same
Yakshis that will guard
the later Hindu temple
entranceways.
1rst and 2nd centuries B.C.E
Rock cut cave Buddhist
temples
Elaborate imitations of
wooden temples
100 C.E. Karli (near Mumbai)
45 ft high
125 ft long
Similar to western
cathedrals, a vaulted hall
leads to an apse, with
ambulatory space for
circling the stupa
Interior columns with male and female figures riding elephants
Karli rock cut Buddhist temple, 100 c.e.
Exterior, Karli rock cut Buddhist temple, 100 c.e.
Porch, Karli
Exterior, Karli rock cut Buddhist temple, 100 c.e.
As in the gates at the stupa at Sanchi
Amorous couples or Yakshi form a
protective barrier
The mark the transition from this world to
the spiritual
Porch, Karli
100 c.e.
Buddhism in India
The Mauryan empire
declined due to economic
troubles associated with its
large administrative class.
North western India came
under the rule of the heir of
Alexander’s empire, and
with them came Grecoroman sculptural styles.
Buddhism was now
becoming more like a
religion than a philosophy.
The Buddha was deified and
given sculptural
representation
Seated BuddhaDate2nd-6th C. A.D.
(Kushan)Gandhara
Head of Buddha with
undulating hair 5th
cent. Gandhara
lbasalt stone
Earliest HinduTemples
Sporadic examples of Hindu art dating
from the last centuries B.C.E but no great
monuments before the 4th century C.E.
At that time, the Hindus began to
emulate the Buddhist cave temples by
carving out icons in shallow niches.
The Boar Avatar of Vishnu at Udayagiri is
shown raising the earth goddess from
the ocean, rescuing the earth from
destruction. 5th century C.E.
The Naga represents cosmic power; they are a manifestation of the Vedic god
Agni, or fire, and as such becomes the 'fierce spirit' who is the guardian. The
cobra/naga is a mount of Vishnu and as such represents knowledge, wisdom
and eternity. As Vishnu sleeps on the cosmic ocean, he sleeps on the coiled
serpent on the primordial waters. Two serpents with downward and upward
movement represent the divine sleep and divine awakening. The Naga and
Nagni are serpent kings and queens, which are divine in their own right. They
are depicted as either fully human, fully snake, humans with cobra heads and
hoods, or as humans from the waist upwards and snake below that.
Earliest Temples were rock cut caves
Elephanta Caves, 6th century. Island in the Arabian Sea, just west of Mumbai. Carved from
living stone. Monumental sculpture in India began with Buddhist rock cut temples, which ran
parallel to free-standing ones. Hindu resurgence brought an imitation of Buddhist structures.
Hindu resurgence after Maurya decline
during Gupta period
While Buddhism was at its height in India,
Hinduism slowly gathered momentum that
was to eventually prevail
According to the Bhagavad-Gita, meditation
and reason can lead to ultimate absorption in
the godhead. The everyday practice of duties
as well as the emphasis on emotional
connection to deities led to the widespread
acceptance of Hinduism.
The three heads represent Shiva as
Mahadeva, Lord of lords and incarnation of
the forces of creation. 3 aspects of Shiva:
indifference or supreme detachment, gentle,
angry
Cave 1 (Great Cave), south wall,
center
Elephanta
Kalachuri dynasty (c. 550-620) Shiva
Earliest representations in the Hindu art of the region, iconographic complexity Cave 1 (Great Cave), south wall
from left, with Sadashiva in center panel
The cult figure is housed in a cella or gharba gria
The four doorways of the cella are flanked by
dvarapalas or magical protectors of the cult figure
inside
Shiva impaling the
demon Andhaka in the
cave temple on Elephanta
island.
The tusk, protruding eyes
and skull headdress of
the god indicate his
fearsome nature
Shiva as the Lord of the Dance in
another 6th c. cave, Badami.
Nataraja is a depiction of Shiva as
the cosmic dancer who performs
his divine dance to destroy a
weary universe and make
preparations for Brahma to start
the process of creation.
Gupta Era 4th -6th c. C.E.
The basic form of the Hindu temple
originates during this period of
relative stability
Moving from Buddhist inspired
cave temples to the free standing
temple, architects from the Gupta
period produced earthly
representations of the cosmic order
A temple was the location for
humans to come into contact with
the infinite
Sculptural mountains house the
cult figure in their deepest chamber
As the devout moves from the complex
exterior to the increasingly dark and
simple inner chamber, he experiences
the transition from the specific to the
infinite
Early Hindu Temples
In the same burst of creative
activity that produced cave
temples, other Hindu architects
were building the first structural
temples with stone.
The temple is designed from the
mandala plan, a magic squared
diagram that also stands for the
primordial man or purusha.
Dashavatara,Vishnu temple, Deogarh,
early 6th c.
Sculptural decoration of early
temples was limited. The
original cube was surmounted by
a tower.
Power of the Grid
All Hindu temple construction is guided by
Vastu shastra (vāstu śāstra, “science of
construction,"an ancient doctrine which
consists of precepts born out of a traditional
view on how the laws of nature affect human
dwellings.
EARTH (Bhumi)
WATER (Jala
AIR (Vayu).
FIRE (Agni)
SPACE (Akasha) - The Akasha provides shelter
to all the above elements. It is also considered
the primary conductor of all energy sources
within the universal context – physical
energies such as sound and light, social
energies such as psychological and emotional,
and cognitive energies such as intellect and
intuition.
There is an invisible and constant relation
between all the five elements. Thus, the
person can improve their conditions by
properly designing their buildings according to
the relationship of these energy sources.
A relief on the sancturary wall of
the Dashavatara temple show
Vishnu on Garuda liberating the
elephant Gajendra from the
clutches of a naga king and
queen, who submit to the god
with hands clasped in respect.
How Garuda became Vishnu's
mount
The Guptas initiated the first phase
of structural Hindu temple
architecture.
Small shrine generally comprised of a
square garbhagriha preceded by a
columned porch.
Gupta temple
General view from southeast
southeast ca 400-499 Bhitargaon
Gupta temple
From west, partial view of superstructure
400-499 CE Bhitargaon
Uttar Pradesh
Brick
Kandariya Mahadeva temple in Madhya Pradesh, c. 1030 slide show on
Kandariya
Kandariya Mahadeva temple in Madhya
Pradesh, c. 1030
southeast side, between the east
mandapa porches
Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, eleventh century
Madhya Pradesh
roof of mandapa southeast side of temple
Kandariya Mahadeva Temple
11th century CE, stone
Madhya Pradesh
detail of section of exterior
southeast side, between the east mandapa
porches
Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja) Chola
period (880-1279), ca. 11th century
Lost wax method, bronze
The cosmic cycle is represented by the
ring of fire
Shiva steps on the “dwarf of ignorance”
with his right foot
His left leg is raised, symbolizing
liberation from the cycles of ignorance
and corruption
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Vishnu from southern India
Chola Period 10th c.
Identified with the sun in
ancient Vedic hymns
Flaming sun disc in right hand
Conque shell in left,
reminding of his association
with the primeval ocean
Lower R. hand makes the
mudra of protection
Lower L. hand points to the
earth and sacred lotus, symbol
of the cosmic womb
Carried in processions and
decked with flowers
Lost-wax method
Pre-Mughal
Lovers. Provenance unknown. Early 16th century, Chaurapanshasika.
Muslim invasion 12th c.
First paintings with Hindu subjects in
Muslim controlled Delhi Sultanate
16th c.
Harivamsa Manuscript, The Legend
of Krishna 1590-95; Mughal. Ink and
colors on paper; 11 3/8 x 7 7/8 in.
(28.9 x 20 cm.
Emperor Akbar (r.1556-1605) had the
Hindu classics translated into the
Persian language of the court and
illustrated by his court artists. This
painting is one of the finest results of
his plans. The god Krishna protects
the people of Braj against the
destructive rain sent by the god
Indra."
Under the emperor Akbar, Mughal artists
developed a highly expressive style of
manuscript painting, which combined
Persian refinement and technique with
Indian vitality and feeling for nature.
European influences, deriving from the
study of imported prints, also began to
appear. Portraiture of the rulers and their
courtiers became an increasingly important
art, especially under Jahangir (1605-1627)
and Shah Jahan (1627-1658).
A Mughal noblewoman holding a flower is
portrayed against a conventional plain
ground. Since royal ladies were strictly
secluded within the harem and inaccessible
to court artists, this is most probably an
idealised portrait. 1620-30.
Ashmolean Museum Oxford
Many local schools of painting also
flourished at the courts of the Rajput
Maharajas or the Deccani sultans. The
Rajput royal patrons had traditionally
favoured vivid and robust styles of
manuscript illustration.
But by 1700, Mughal-inspired portraiture,
adapted to the bolder Rajput taste, had
become well established. Scenes of court
life or hunting became popular themes,
sometimes treated in large-scale
compositions that are full of lively detail.
This illustration comes from a dispersed
manuscript of the Razmnama, a Persian
translation of the great Hindu
Mahabharata epic made during Akbar’s
reign. It depicts the Pandava brothers and
their allies in a battle with the king of Anga
in Bengal. 1598.
Illustrated Ramayana of Mewar school
After the reign of Akbar, the Mughal
leaders did not have as much interest in
Hindu mythology.
Although Persian miniature styles still
influence the paintings of the Rajput
courts, there occurred a resurgence of
Hindu tradition.
Mughal themes of war, entertainment,
portraiture replaced by mythological
illustration in bold colors and crisp
outline. Mughal History Notes
Text of Ramayana Summary of Ramayana
Watch "Sita Sings the Blues“
Battle at Lanka (1649-53), from the Indian Hindu epic Ramayana by the 17th
century Muslim painter Sahibdin. It depicts monkey army of the protagonist Rama
(top left, blue figure) fighting the demon-king of the king of Lanka, Ravana, in order to
save Rama's kidnapped wife Sita. The painting depicts multiple events in the battle
against the three-headed demon general Trisiras, in bottom left - Trisiras is beheaded
by the monkey-companion of Rama - Hanuman.
Sugriva has been brought to his senses and has come with his court to Rama's cave on the Prasravana mountain. Rama,
Laksmana and Sugriva are seated on a rocky eminence of pinky brown, with a jade background, with other monkeys below
them. Sugriva divides his forces and sends them out to search the four quarters for Sita. He sends Hanuman and his nephew
Angada to search the southern region. Convinced that the sagacious and mighty Hanuman will locate Sita, Rama gives him
his ring as a token that Hanuman is his messenger.
The great monkey Hanuman has arrived on the shores of the southern ocean. His father was the god of wind, so
he has special powers. Undismayed by the width of the ocean, he has swelled himself to an immense size and
from the mountain Mahendra has launched himself across the ocean to the island kingdom of Lanka. The motherof-serpents Surasa who dwells at the bottom of the ocean, has been pressed by the gods to test Hanuman. She
has turned herself into a great sea monster with mighty fanged jaws. No matter how wide she expands her jaws,
Hanuman matches them in size: he finally sails into them, reduces his size and emerges through her ear.
Ravana had another brother, the giant Kumbhakarna, who was so terrible that Brahma put him under a
curse to spend most of his life asleep. Ravana has sent an army of his demons to wake the monster. First
they make the most enormous noise, and when that fails they hit him with weapons and hammers. Herds of
horses, camels and elephants are driven over him, and a thousand demons run up and down his body. The
artist Sahib Din depicts this episode with donkeys braying, elephants trumpeting and women singing. Great
heaps of meat including dead monkeys and pitchers of fat and blood have been placed near the giant
ready to satisfy his ravenous hunger when he awakes. He does finally awake but, after a tremendous
struggle, is killed by Rama, as are more of Ravana's sons in their turn.
Hanuman has flown to the Himalaya Mountains. The mountain peaks are covered in plants and streams rush
down their slopes to the river at their feet. The magical herbs, knowing that Hanuman had come to gather
them, have made themselves invisible. But Hanuman, in his anger at being thwarted, simply breaks off the
peak of the Medicinal Herb Mountain and flies with it back to Lanka, where its herbs cure Rama and
Laksmana as well as all the stricken monkeys and bears.
Hindustani Music
Hindustani Music Comprehensive and
Simple
Ravi Shankar 1963