# data[].attributes.body
Ephemera
K. S. Radhakarishnan, 2019
Bronze, 16" × 14"
© Exhibited at the Art Multi-disciplines Gallery (Kolkata).

Much of Radhakrishnan’s body of work uses lithe, expressive figures as their subjects. Seen here, masses of genderless figures group together towards a glowing lamp as their boats rock against a metal slope, conveying ideas on migration, loss, and crisis within a punishing world. The transient nature of ephemera is echoed in the dim glow of the lamp, a symbol of small hope for the mass of tiny figures. Graceful bodies depicted in the middle of kinetic motion posed as if in a dance is a frequent motif of his work, and the body is thus used as a means of conveying the human condition in relation to the world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
0:00 / 0:22•Watch full video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
DISCOVERING DEVI, 'Impressions of the Observer'

# data[].attributes.body
Bust Relief
Ravinder Reddy, 2011
Bronze, 15 3/4" × 20 1/4" × 4"
© Artsy/1x1 Art Gallery

Infusing elements from Pop Art portraits, religious motifs, and conventional depictions of Hindu gods and goddesses, Reddy celebrates the universality of the female figure. Evident through the use of glaring colors and features reminiscent in traditional Indian sculpture are fascination in the form of the feminine body and the local context to which the artist is rooted.

# data[].attributes.body
Discovering Devi: ‘Impressions of the Observer’
The Raadha Kalpa Dance Company, 2021
Performance, 13:43
© Raadhakalpa Dance Company

Devi is the Sanskrit word for “goddess,” and is often used in reference to the different female deities of the Hindu pantheon. The term is also used to refer to the primary mother goddess first worshiped in the Prehistoric era of India. Though she is a maternal figure, she is also prominent alongside themes of war, resulting in two sides to representations—that of Uma, the benevolent, and Durga, the terrible. In line with this, the dance in this clip is part of a larger project by Raadha Kalpa Dance Company examining the perspectives of performer and audience alike, accompanied by a series of photographs taken throughout their tour. By embodying Devi and the duality of her representations, the performer expresses a similar duality between performer and viewer.

# data[].attributes.body
The Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon (Mahishasuramardini)
India (Bhubaneshwar), ca. 8th century
Sandstone, 27 1/4" × 16 7/8" × 9 1/2"
© Philadelphia Museum of Art

Durga is one of the most revered Indian deities and famous for her slaying of the deceitful demon Mahishasura. In this way, her many-armed manifestation, representing her divine wrath as both a mother and warrior goddess, is contrasted with the evil of the shape-shifting demon. Depicted here with the air of divine benevolence and the strength of her seven arms, each holding icons denoting an aspect of her power, she embodies the rasas of heroic spirit (वीरं) and wonder (अद्भुतं).

# data[].attributes.body
Chamunda, the Horrific Destroyer of Evil
India, 10th–11th century
Sandstone, 44 1/2"
© The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Chamunda is a menacing avatar of the goddess Kali, most known for her decapitation of the demons Chanda and Munda. Her domain is that of war, disease, famine, and disasters, and she is often depicted alongside symbols of death and fear, seen here in the skulls around her headpiece and sunken features. Though fearsome in its depiction, such sculptures remain part of the devotional works of Indian culture and exemplify the power and individual natures of their various deities. The rasas of revulsion (बीभत्सं) in the decayed form of Chamunda and fear (भयानकं) for the themes she embodies add to the potency of her power, as well as that of the other goddesses she is often associated with.

# data[].attributes.body
Ardhanarishvara
Southeastern India (Rajasthan), 6th century
Stone
© Jhalawar Government Museum

The diverse nature of the symbolic meaning that the body represents in Indian art is perhaps most felt in the Ardhanarishvara, which is a composite male-female figure of Shiva and his consort, Parvati. The union of the male and female in this manner is symbolic of the power present in the harmony of the universe, evoking a sense of wonder (अद्भुतं) for the ways of the world and the manner in which supposed opposites are drawn together.

# data[].attributes.body
Krishna Killing the Horse Demon Keshi
India (Uttar Pradesh), 5th century
Terracotta, 21" × 16", 4 1/4" (diameter)
© The Metropolitan Museum of Art

In this graphic relief, Krishna the warrior-king, a famous incarnation of the god Vishnu, defeats the demon Keshi, who is depicted as deceitful in the form of a horse. Beneath the clashing subjects is the same horse, discharging lumps of manure at the moment of death. The depiction likely finds its roots in Hellenistic mythology and draws attention to the significance of horse sacrifices in the practices of Vedic cults in India. Especially notable is Krishna’s expression, a stark depiction of fury (रौद्रं) as compared to the more serene features of other works. It is this rage that brings out the grief (कारुण्यं) of impending death in Keshi, and this aesthetic emotion is seen as well in the clear depiction of the dead horse.

# data[].attributes.body
Lovers (Mithuna)
Central India (Khajuraho), 11th century
Sandstone, 29 1/8"
© The Cleveland Museum of Art

Depicted in a sensual embrace, the two lovers embody the Indian concept of mithuna, or the depiction of sexual intercourse in line with the spiritual philosophy of Hinduism. Sculptures of this nature are most well-known at the Khajuraho temples. In line with the rasa of erotic love (शृङ्गारः), its focal point is the act of sexual intercourse as a harmonic union and the body as an agent for spiritual liberation.

# data[].attributes.body
Rasa Lila (Manipuri Dance)
2016
Performance, 16:20
© WildFilmsIndia.

Among one of the most performed classical dances in India, the Rasa Lila is often danced as a devotional performance in honor and portrayal of Vishnu, specifically his avatar Krishna. The narrative of the dance depicts the story of Krishna and Radha, his consort, in which they dance together as a symbol of their sacred love, surrounded by the gopis, or those devoted to Krishna. Its name is derived from the terms rasa, denoting the notion of Indian aesthetics, and lila, meaning “play” or “drama.” Thus, the dance is known as a dance-drama of divine love, as it portrays a classic Indian story of devotion. The section of the dance depicted shows Krishna arriving at the sacred grove, as Radha and the gopis join after hearing his music. Though the dance very much embodies the rasa of love because of its narrative, the aspect of comic laughter (हास्यं) is seen here as well—in the union of Shiva, Radha, and the gopis in the sacred dance, they carry a sense of bliss and merriment in each other’s company.

# data[].attributes.body
Dancing Ganesha
Central India (Madhya Pradesh), 10th century
Mottled red sandstone, 36" × 20"
© The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The body in Indian arts and culture is not only limited to that of humanoids, but is frequently examined using that of animals as well. The most clear depictions of this are through the deities Ganesha and Hanuman, who possess body parts of an elephant and monkey respectively. Here, Ganesha is depicted in a blissful dance, adorned with his various symbols. The inclusion of animal bodies in spiritual belief is indicative of the Hindu sensibility of oneness with all things in the universe, as well as connection with different aspects of creation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Shiva Shambho: Most Watched Bharatanatyam Dance | Best of Indian Classical Dance

# data[].attributes.body
Shiva Shambho: Bharatanatyam Dance
Swathi Jaisankar, Isha Parupudi, Sophia Salingaros, 2017
Performance, 3:55
© IndianRaga

The Bharatanatyam dance is often regarded as the oldest Indian classical dance, and highly influential in the development of many succeeding forms. It is primarily based on the Natya Shastra, a foundational Hindu text outlining religious and spiritual beliefs in line with performance and aesthetics. Known for its graceful and emotive movements, many of its gestures reflect ideas present in classical theories of Indian dance. It is often performed by a group of women, in connection to its history with the Devadasis, who were female temple dancers dedicated to a single deity, and used performance as their means of worship.

# data[].attributes.body
Shiva and Parvati
Southern India (Tamil Nadu), ca. 950–960
Bronze, 8 1/2" × 31 5/16" × 9 13/16" (base), 32 1/4" × 19 3/16" (Shiva), 25 5/8" × 6 1/2" (Parvati)
© The Cleveland Museum of Art

The bronze sculptures of the Chola period are most known for their lithe forms, especially that of Shiva. Often depicted together, Shiva and Parvati here convey a sense of divine grace, with Shiva’s many-armed form and various symbols representing his role in Hindu mythology, and Parvati as his consort, embodying the maternal goddess archetype. They are posed in a relaxed stance, emphasizing the clear lines of their bodies. As divine figures, their portrayal in a physical body points to an ideal of beauty, their serenity and elegance distinct from that of worldly beings.

# data[].attributes.body
Celestial dancer (Devata)
Central India (Madhya Pradesh), ca. mid-11th century
Sandstone, 34 3/4" × 20", 12 1/2" (diameter)
© The Metropolitan Museum of Art

As a type of deva or deity, the Celestial dancer evokes the image of a heavenly being, serene and graceful as they carry out their dance. Her contorted pose reflects ancient Indian scripts on performance. This is indicative of the philosophy of dance as a sacred art and the body as its instrument, allowing the dancer to be in harmony with the rest of the universe.

# data[].attributes.body
Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja)
Southern India (Tamil Nadu), ca. 11th century
Copper alloy, 26 1/8" (height), 22 1/4" (diameter)
© The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Shiva Nataraja is a recurring symbol in Hindu culture, serving to depict the divine in a physical manifestation of beauty. Posed in the middle of a dance and surrounded by a flaming halo, Shiva is depicted along with his various symbols that point to his diverse roles in Hindu cosmology. Though iterations of the Nataraja vary, the most common element is the body of Shiva in dynamic motion, his hair fanning out to frame his face. The creature he treads on is a symbol of malicious illusions, granting Shiva an air of wisdom and erudition. Through depiction in a physical form, the body is used not only as a work of art, but as a means to convey divinity, philosophical and spiritual belief, and a rich tradition of storytelling and narrative through visual symbols that is distinctive of Indian sensibilities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Brown Minimalist Thank You Postcards (1)

# data[].attributes.body
Chauri Bearer (Didarganj Yakshi)
Eastern India (Bihar), 2nd century
Polished Chunar sandstone, 5'2" (height), 1'7 1/2" (pedestal)
© Bihar Museum

The yakshi are a type of spirit in Hindu and Buddhist mythology under the domain of nature. Holding a chauri (decorative fan) in her right hand, the yakshi stands as an early conceptualization of ideal female beauty. This is seen in the details of the sculpting—the symmetry of her figure, the delicate folds of her skin, and the elegance of her garments and jewelry. The technical skill of the early Indian sculptor similarly can be seen in the semi-transparent quality of the yakshi’s garments.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Rasa Exhibit - Study Guide.pdf

Rasa Exhibit - Study Guide.pdf