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Art of Asia
Course: Art of Asia > Unit 7
Lesson 8: 1857–present- Submerged, burned, and scattered: celebrating the destruction of objects in South Asia
- Photographic views of nineteenth-century India, an introduction
- Raja Ravi Varma, A Galaxy of Musicians
- Amrita Sher-Gil, Self-Portrait as a Tahitian
- F.W. Stevens with Sitaram Khanderao and Madherao Janardhan, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai
- Ganesha Jayanti, Lord of Beginnings
- The making and worship of Ganesha statues in Maharashtra
- Kathakali dance and masks
- Varanasi: sacred city
- Painting in Mithila, an introduction
- Interview with Rahul Jain
- Interview with Waqas Khan
- Interview with Noor Ali
- Zarina Hashmi on Arabic calligraphy
- Shahzia Sikander on Persian miniature painting
- Inside Manish Arora’s Studio
- Nalini Malani on “Hanuman Bearing the Mountaintop with Medicinal Herbs”
- Interview with Sheba Chhachhi
- Interview with Naeem Mohaiemen
- Dayanita Singh – ‘I Use Photography to Transform Space’
- Sheela Gowda – 'Art Is About How You Look At Things'
- The Singh Twins on the Impact of the British Empire
- Jas Charanjiva on "Don't Mess With Me"
- Sunil Gupta – ‘Being in the Dark Room is Healing’
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The making and worship of Ganesha statues in Maharashtra
The elephant-headed Ganesha is one of the most popular Hindu gods -- the creator and remover of obstacles. The main stone sculpture in the display was carved from schist around 800 years ago and was originally positioned on the outside of a temple in the eastern state of Orissa (recently renamed Odisha). The display brings this sculpture together with other more recent depictions of Ganesha created for different purposes. Among these are the temporary statues created every year for the Ganeshchaturthi festival in Mumbai, which are placed in public or domestic shrines before being immersed in water at the end of the celebrations. © Trustees of the British Museum. Created by British Museum.
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What were the chalk marks that the woman was placing on the floor at2:35?(6 votes)
That is a kind of path made for the deities like lord Ganesha,Lord Krishna and goddess Lakshmi to enter the house and spread happiness and holiness in the house.(15 votes)
What are the statues painted with? I'm curious to know if allowing the statues to dissolve produces any type of pollution for the water?(8 votes)
Even we bring lord ganesha's idol every year now see there are two types , one is made from Plaster of paris the other is made from 'saadu mati' which is organic the paints used also dont cause much pollution
and now we also have another system .We immerse the idols by making manmade tubs .the soil (saadu mati) which remains is used for planting trees :) so you see you can continue the tradition but change the rituals according to the need of the hour :)(4 votes)
How long do workers have to prepare to make the statues?(5 votes)
To make a typical 20 foot statue workers usually take around 3-4 months. However a small statue required for puja at home it requires one worker working for about 2 weeks(6 votes)
- What did they mean by putting the Ganesha in the water that it went to its heavenly abode? Does the whole statue dissolve? Does the paint come off and therefore once the paint comes off it "returns to its heavenly abode"? I know it has more to deal with symbolism, I'm just not understanding the "Returning to its abode" part.(3 votes)
- Throwing the statue in water implies that everything in this world has an origin, it has a purpose and after that it has to finish off. Throwing the statue into water symbolizes that every thing in the world is going to decay as the time passes and there is nothing permanent. Not bringing back the statue says that don't make any attachment with the world because one day it is going to be decayed .It's not the thing that if color gets off from idol means he has returned to heaven. Also lord Ganesh lives at Kailash not in Heaven. there is a lots of difference between these two places, physically as well as metaphorically.(2 votes)
How expensive are the Ganesha statues pictures in his video?(2 votes)
The Ganesha statues in India are actually very cheap. In US money, they would be about 5 to 10 dollars!(4 votes)
What sort of paint is used on Ganesha's headdress? It looks as shiny as gold leaf, but that seems unlikely as the cost would be too high.(2 votes)
Why are the statues supposed to be immersed and dissolved in water? It wold be a waste to the makers.(2 votes)
It symbolises the departure of Ganesha and the end of the festival. People pray and eagerly await his arrival in the next year(2 votes)
- Which is the more usual spelling - I always knew the deity as Ganesh, but here it is Ganesha. What accounts for the two names?(1 vote)
I believe the 'a' is silent. It would still be pronounced as Ganesh, however.(2 votes)
Why is Ganesha so important and to be made idols out of?(1 vote)- Might I suggest you read the article right above this movie? The one titled 'Ganesha Jayanti, Lord of Beginnings.' It might have the information you're looking for.(2 votes)
- What was that girl doing at2:32?(1 vote)
2:35