Ganesha, The Master-Drummer

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Lord Ganesha has been conceived in tradition quite differently and not only as musician - the dancer and the drummer, but also as the pioneer scribe who transcribed Brahma's Vedas, the first sportsman, teacher and Brahmana. As dancer he danced to all moods and in all modes, with slow pace and violently but not for violence as violence was never the part of the auspicious Lord. He danced for auspices and to delight, pleasing all and injuring none, in devotion as well to his devotees. He played on all instruments - all kinds of drums, lyres and flutes. The versatile Ganesha is believed to have been the first to compose sound to various 'ragas' and other musical discipline, writing the ever first treatise on music and the earliest linguistics specifying sound as vowels and consonants and other linguistic formations.

It is for such reasons that Lord Ganesha has in people's mind thousands of forms representing him in as many moods and aspects. He carries with him a battle-axe but his face rarely carries on it a wrathful demeanour. In folk tradition he has been widely depicted in gentle moods and as engaged in aesthetic and intellectual pursuits - dancing, drumming, reciting the poetry of the Ramayana, reading out Vedas or other holy texts, sporting or performing a ritual.

This lively statue of the delightful Lord, carved out of a piece of fine tempered wood, represents him as the leading figure of the group of musician Ganeshas. The artist seems to have minutely studied a drummer's anatomy and translated the same into this excellent form of Ganesha. Like a well accomplished drummer Ganesha is seated holding the female drum within his inward tilted left leg and the taller one held inside the fold of the right one stretching outwardly. His pot-belly, almost penetrating in between the recesses of the two instruments, provides to them gentle but solid support. His entire figure is inclined to left, a reflection of inward energy coiling leftward for its better concentration on the female drum which needs incessant, more forceful, strenuous and louder beats. Deeper wrinkles on forehead, swelled trunk, eyes buried in their sockets and wings-like flanking ears define the ecstasy and strain which the delightful Lord is undergoing in the exercise.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of ancient Indian literature. Dr Daljeet is the chief curator of the Visual Arts Gallery at the National Museum of India, New Delhi. They have both collaborated on numerous books on Indian art and culture.

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Other Sculptures in this Series:

Ganesha, The Pupil Drummer

Ganesha, The Lyrist

His Majesty Lord Ganesha

Click Here to read the Article: Ganesha - the Elephant Headed God, Art and Mythology

Sculpting Serenity: Unveiling the Art of Crafting Wood Statues

Wood has been a preferred material for sculptures and statues since ancient times. It is easy to work with than most metals and stones and therefore requires less effort to shape it into any desired shape or form. The texture of the wood gives an element of realism to the sculpture. The selection of an appropriate wood type is necessary for carving. Woods that are too resinous or coniferous are not considered good for carving as their fiber is very soft and thus lacks strength. On the other hand, wood such as Mahogany, Oakwood, Walnut wood, Weet cherry wood, etc., are preferred by sculptors because their fiber is harder. A wood sculptor uses various tools such as a pointed chisel in one hand and a mallet in another to bring the wood to the desired measurement and to make intricate details on it. A carving knife is used to cut and smooth the wood. Other tools such as the gouge, V-tool, and coping saw also serve as important tools in wood carving. Although the wood carving technique is not as complex and tough as stone carving or metal sculpting, nonetheless, a wood carver requires a high level of skills and expertise to create a stunning sculpture.

1. Selecting the right wood

The process of wood carving begins with selecting a chunk of wood that is required according to the type and shape of the statue to be created by the sculptor. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used for making artistic pieces, however, hardwoods are preferred more than softer woods because of their durability and longevity. But if heavy detailing is to be done on the statue, wood with fine grain would be needed as it would be difficult to work with hardwood.

2. Shaping the wood

Once the wood type is selected, the wood carver begins the general shaping process using gouges of various sizes. A gouge is a tool having a curved cutting edge which is useful in removing large unwanted portions of wood easily without splitting the wood. The sculptor always carves the wood across the grain of the wood and not against it.

3. Adding detailing

When a refined shape of the statue is obtained, it is time for making details on the statue using different tools. This is achieved by using tools such as a veiner to make and a V-tool to create decorative and sharp cuts.

4. Surface finishing

Once finer details have been added, the sculptor is ready to smoothen the surface and give it a perfect finish. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are used to get a smooth surface. The finer polishing is obtained by rubbing the surface with sandpaper. If a textured surface is required, this step is skipped. Finally, to protect the statue from excessive dirt accumulation, the sculptor applies natural oils such as walnut or linseed oil all over it. This also brings a natural sheen to the statue.