Title:Art as the Worship of the Divine

Author:
Dr. Simrita Singh
Assistant Professor
Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT),Mohali
!mail"singhsimrita#hotmail.com
Abstract:
From the $ery %eginning of Man&s coming on earth, it 'ould seem, art has %een an
integral (art of $irtually all cultures, gracing %uildings, clothing, %odies, utensils, 'ea(ons,
$ehicles ! almost e$ery a((urtenance of daily life. This (rime$al yearning also includes
gi$ing form and face to the Divine. In India, Art found its home in the tem(le. This meaning
and significance of the tem(le has (ersisted from age to age though its materials ha$e
changed, from the li$ing roc) to the stone, %ric) and mar%le 'hich 'ere la$ished u(on to %e
%uilt into an im(osing edifice.
It is seen that the stirrings of the soul of the artisan are rendered onto his 'or) of
art. Aesthetically and s(iritually, the innermost feelings or bhava of the artist are
ca(tured onto the gi$en (lace of 'orshi(. *rnamentations, decorations,
em%ellishments and (atterns on the (laces of 'orshi( ma)e (ossi%le a (assage into
the s(iritual 'orld %eyond the senses. Designs emerging from the multi(licity of
intricate details add to the feeling of tran+uility. *ne is mesmeri,ed %y the delicacy
of the em%ellishments in $arious hues and myriad forms. The sight in itself is
enough to trans(ort one to the heights of S(iritual and Di$ine ecstasy.& The (resent
research is an attem(t to loo) into the historical and theological roots of the 'or)s
of art so $ery aesthetically rendered on such edifices.
Keywords: Art, Decorations, *rnamentations, m%ellishments, Di$ine, -orshi(, Tem(le
References
Munshi, ..M. /010. Indian Temple Sculpture, 2alcutta" 3u(a and 2om(any.
4ro'n, P. /015. Indian architectureBuddhist &Hindu, 4om%ay" D.4 Tara(ore'ala Sons 6
2o. P$t. 7td.
3ay, N./089. An approach to Indian art, 2handigarh" Pu%lication 4ureau, Pan:a% ;ni$ersity.
4harda'a:, Surinder Mohan. /08<. Hindu Places of Pilgrimage in India. Thomson Press 7td.
Delhi.
Introduction
The Ancient ci$ili,ations %ear 'itness to man&s insatia%le desire to decorate,
em%ellish and ornament. The =reat 3i$er 2i$ili,ations of the 'orld that too) roots on the
%an)s of great ri$ers li)e the Nile and the Indus gi$e us am(le sco(e to 'onder at the
munificence of Man&s creati$ity in reaching the Su%lime through his creations. This can %e
seen in the great 'or)s of architecture li)e the gigantic Pyramids and S(hin>, the seals and
other a%undant traces of architectural magnificence found on the floor of the Indus ?alley.
This (rime$al yearning to gi$e form and face to the Di$ine through human endea$our
found e>(ression in some of the ancient and modern -onders of the -orld and a large
num%er of (laces of 'orshi( li)e the Sistine 2ha(el in Florence. The Indian e>am(les of this
form of art date %ac) to the A:anta ca$es, the .ailash tem(le at llora, the grou( of tem(les
at .ha:uraho, and the e>+uisite Sun tem(le in *rissa. In later centuries the structures that
came u( %ore a mar)ed Islamic influence 'here image 'orshi( 'as against the tenets of the
religion. Ne$ertheless, the em%ellishment of some of the distincti$ely Islamic edifices li)e the
@utu% mos+ue, the Aama Mas:id, Fateh(ur Si)ri, and the Ta: Mahal attained heights earlier
un)no'n.
This need to decorate and %eautify is a distincti$e feature of the entire South ast
Asian 'orld. The Pagodas, the ornamental gardens, the fine roc) cut images and e$en the
scul(tors& s)ill in dra(ing the images in gossamer and sil) is e$idenced in many tem(les and
(laces of 'orshi(. Thus, the ornament has %een an integral (art of life for millennia. It may
ha$e %een cele%rated and su((ressed alternati$ely for $arying degrees of time and (lace.
*rnamentation has %een and continues to %e a $ery meaningful (art of the li$es of most
(eo(le all o$er the 'orld.
Reaching the Divine
The earliest )no'n (lace of 'orshi( 'as a mound of earth around 'hich the
Bpradashina& or circumam%ulation 'as done. It is said that this mound co$ered the ashes or
the mortal remains of some %ygone seer, saint or 'ise one. This 'as the %eginning of the
tem(le from 'hich e$ol$ed the sim(lest form called the Bstupa& or funeral mound. The
earliest $ersions of these structures 'ere made of un%urnt %ric)s ha$ing the sha(e of a
domical mound. A small s(ace enclosed the rece(tacle containing a relic of the 4uddha. Its
summit 'as surmounted %y a 'ooden or (olished stone (arasol or Bchchatra !ashti" as a
mar) of res(ect and de$otion. The <CC years rule of the Sungas and the Andhras sa'
considera%le change in the construction and sha(ing of the tem(le form. There 'ere four
distincti$e (hases" D/E stone car$ingF DGE sym%olismF D<E stone construction and D9E the halls
or the B#hait!a& and the monastery or the B$ihara&.
During the earlier times the shrines connected 'ith the 4rahmanical faith 'ere the
e(itomes of sim(licity and natural surroundings. 3ituals 'ere ordinarily (erformed in the
o(en air. -hat may %e the oldest )no'n actual remains of a 4rahmanical stone structure are
the foundations of the ?ishnu shrine at 4esnagar D4ho(al, Madhya PradeshE HIPercy 4ro'n
e>(lores this (henomenon and gi$es the e>(lanation that, JThe reason for the almost
com(lete a%sence of any sta%le religious edifice, is due to the (articular character of the
%elief u( to this (eriod. 2onsisting mainly of (ro(itiation %y means of offerings on an altar of
certain a%stract (o'ers re(resenting natural forces and (henomena 'hose (resence 'as
e$ery'here, under such conditions any )ind of earthly a%ode 'ould ha$e %een meaningless.
In the course of time, ho'e$er, there gre' u( a desire for something more (ositi$e than
s(iritual essences, a need for some material inter(retation of the religious ideal. And so %y
degrees there de$elo(ed a demand for an em%odiment of these im(ersonal (o'ers, 'hich,
early in the 2hristian era crystalli,ed and %efore the fourth century A.D the o%:ect of 'orshi(
%egan to assume a $isi%le form, usually a gra$en image.I Ke thus enca(sulates the e$olution
of the tem(le as it is today ! JThe anthro(omor(hic conce(tion of the deity naturally called
for some ha%itation, and so a structural shrine came into %eing. The $arious stages through
'hich the em%ryo Kindu tem(le (assed are common to the gro'th of edifices, first a leafy
%o'er, then a reed hut, and after'ards a cella of 'ood and %ric). $entually in the =u(ta
(eriod it a((ears as a sanctum of stone, called the %arba %riha literally B'om% house&, a
small cham%er, s+uare in (lan, its interior 'alls (erfectly (lain and 'ithout any other o(ening
e>ce(t the door'ay, the dar)ness inside (ro$iding the re+uisite atmos(here of solemn
mystery. -ithin 'as (laced the effigy of the =od. 2ontrasting 'ith the %are 'alls of the
interior, the outer side of the door'ay 'as often richly car$ed and in front of this 'as usually
a shallo' (orchI.

The Divine Art
This tem(le 'as not only the (hysical core %ut the soul of the community. The tem(le
'as not seen as a monastery of the ascetic nor the fortress of the (riest claiming semi!di$ine
(o'ers %ut the em%odiment of Dharma L in effect its $ery home. The sha(es and forms of the
scul(tures and the generous yet (oignant use of colour on the tem(le 'alls only recorded the
heart%eats and the s(iritual as(irations of a $igorous life. According to Percy 4ro'n the
Joutstanding +uality of the architecture of India is its s(iritual content. It is e$ident that the
fundamental (ur(ose of the %uilding art 'as to re(resent in concrete form the (re$ailing
religious consciousness of the (eo(le. It is mind materiali,ed in terms of roc), %ric) or
stoneI. Ke continues that this characteristic is Jem(hasi,ed %y the treatment of its 'all
surfaces. The scheme of scul(ture often co$ers the 'hole of the e>terior of the %uilding
nota%le not only for the richness of its decorati$e effect, %ut for the dee( significance of its
su%:ect matter. Kere is not only the relation of architecture to life %ut transcendent life itself
(lastically re(resented. 2ar$ed in high or lo' relief are de(icted all the glorious =ods of the
age!old mythology of the country engaged in their 'ell!)no'n ceremonials, an unending
array of imagery stee(ed in sym%olism thus (roducing an Bocean of story& of a%sor%ing
interestI. This meaning and significance of the tem(le has (ersisted from age to age though
its materials ha$e changed from %am%oo to 'ood, from 'ood to the li$ing roc). From the
li$ing roc) to the stone, %ric) and mar%le 'hich 'ere la$ished u(on to %e %uilt into an
im(osing edifice.
-hen the 'orshi(er sees the s(ire of the tem(le at a distance, his s(irit is lifted, he
hea$es a sigh of relief that the :ourney&s end has come and as he comes nearer he is
o$er'helmed %y the massi$e im(osing front of the tem(le and then mesmeri,ed furthermore
%y its lofty Bshihara& or s(ire. The sha(es and figures of =ods, men, animals and foliage that
adorn the tem(le 'alls are a feast for his eyes. Kis senses are %om%arded %y the a%solute that
merges into the $i$id form and the $aried richness of the creation that is s(read around him.
As the de$otee enters the tem(le he is o$ercome %y more grandeur. Kis (ilgrimage
culminates in the Bgarba griha" or the inner shrine 'hich is the sancta sanctorum. It&s cool,
soothing interiors are so different from the race and chase of the outer 'orldly e>(erience
that he, for se$eral moments, is com(elled to e>(ress his e>cita%le emotions and e$en to
some e>tent calm the $ital mo$ements of his %ody in a $erita%le trance. *ut of the
surrounding dar)ness there rises %efore him the almost im(erce(ti%le outline of the deity as
the flic)ering lights thro' shifting shado's on it. Ke is o$er'helmed %y his o'n
insignificance in the larger scheme of things. Ke sees himself in the (resence of the
magnificent deity as one 'ho see)s eternal fulfillment of the as(irations 'hich ha$e so far
remained inarticulate. Ke feels that he is in a higher -orld surcharged 'ith Di$ine Po'er
'hen he %o's %efore the re(resentation manifested %y the creati$ity and su%lime art of the
artist. It is almost as if the a%stract of the ;ltimate Po'er has ta)en on a%solute dimensions in
a surrealistic de(iction. Ke feels himself in the (resence of =od. Then he sits or stands in
front of the image. Ke closes his eyes re(eating the incantations for in$o)ing the deity. Ke
sees in his heart the image of the *mni(resent in its form 'hich the artists& rendition and
imagination ha$e sha(ed for him. Ke says his (rayers, in$o)es the %enign %lessings and then
goes on. -hen he o(ens his eyes to the image in his heart he is a%le to gi$e %ody and form to
the flaming colours and sha(es he has en$isioned. This is the (ur(ose of the scul(tured
image. It stimulates the 'orshi((ers& (ursuit of the Di$ine, fires his imagination 'ith an
unfathoma%le ,eal, gi$es his as(irations a sha(e. 4y this single!minded de$otion is the artist
%lessed 'ith a di$ine touch so much so that the deity in a li$ing ins(iring (resence is %rought
$irtually to life. According to the Mana!sara Shil(ashastra the features of the image are
determined %y the relation %et'een the 'orshi((er and the o%:ect of his 'orshi(, they are
em%ellished 'ith the de$otional ,eal of the 'orshi((er and gi$en true life and form lo$ingly
%y the de$otees.
Worship through Art
In the genesis of Indian art it can %e seen that the significance of the si> lim%s is
(aramount" D/E &oop Bhed or the differentiation in formF DGE Pramanani or the
canons of measurement (%alance, (ro(ortion, harmony,cadence, rhythm etc.)F D<E
Bhava or the +uality of life as articulated through feelingsF D9E 'avan!a or graceF
D1E Sadarashi!am or $ersimilitudeF D5E $arnia Bhang or the tonality of colour. *f
these at least four lim%s D/, G, 1, 5 E ha$e serious im(lications for the surface
rendering of any 'or) of art. The remaining t'o lim%s (ertain to the +ualities or
(ro(erties 'hich are added (resuma%ly %y the artist and are hence su%:ecti$e.
According to Niharran:an 3ay the Jessence of the (roduct of art is not so much in
its e>ternal measura%le +ualities as in its feeling and grace 'hich are im(arted to it
%y the artist&s creati$e imaginationI. The innermost feelings or bhava of the artist
are ca(tured onto the em%ellishments.
As one loo)s at the em%ellishments of the sancto sanctorum one is truly s(ell%ound
'ith the e>+uisite %eauty and su(er% e>ecution. It e$o)es de$otion and (iety in the soul as
one sits in the inner cham%ers. *ne is mesmeri,ed %y the delicacy of the em%ellishments in
$arious hues and myriad forms. The sight in itself is enough to trans(ort one to the heights of
Di$ine ecstasy.
According to Niharran:an 3ay on the BSocial 4ase and Social 2haracter& of the human
endea$our in the use of art for edification of religion, JH a tem(le or a tem(le com(le>,
functionally s(ea)ing, 'as the main, indeed the most im(ortant centre of local social life. It
ser$ed as the main mar)eting centre as 'ell as the (u%lic meeting (lace of the community
'hich on s(ecial occasions included men and 'omen from far and near. It ser$ed as a %an)
and treasure $ault for 'hate$er $alua%les a community ha((ened to (ossess and 'hen there
'ere ci$il strifes, (olitical u(hea$als and military inroads, it 'as the securest fort 'here the
community used to see) its shelter.
Therefore a tem(le housing the Divine 'as indeed the ha%itat of all the contem(orary
muses and hence the audio!$isual communication and education centre of the community. It
'as also the main centre for all the contem(orary (erforming arts li)e those of music and
dancing, drama and dialogue in $erse. It 'as the centre for gi$ing readings and holding
discussions and dis(utations. It 'as indeed the standing (u%lic e>hi%ition ground of actuality
and imagination in terms of the $isual languages of scul(ture and (ainting de(icting the
Divine.