The Cosmic Form of Lord Krishna | Traditional Colors with 24 Karat Gold | With Frame

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Standing in the feet of Krishna’s mighty form, Arjuna uttered words of self-prostration and devotion, which are collected in the Bhagavad. Arjuna describes the unbelievable in front of his eyes: "You are the supreme primal object. You are the final abode of this universe. You are inexhaustible, and you are the oldest. You are the maintainer of the eternal religion, the personality of Godhead.” He sees all the gods, goddesses, sages, yogis, Bhuta-Preta, and multiple levels of existence, all within the Vishwarupa. The effulgence of Sri Krishna in this form is beyond human conception and his all-pervasiveness is daunting to behold. Finding himself in awe, Arjuna prays Krishna to appear in his divine two-armed form, because Vishwarupa’s aura is otherworldly.

As the gaze moves across this four feet marvel of a Tanjore painting, one feels like Arjuna, standing in the Kurukshetra battleground, in the Cosmic Krishna’s feet. Under the shade of Adi Shesha, Krishna appears accompanied by Sapta Rishi and Surya-Chandra on the horizon, the twelve Rashis in his halo, Yogis, tirthas, and devotees in his lower body, Dashavatar in the tassels of his Shankha and Chakra, Nagas in the lower level. The use of traditional Tanjore colors such as red, green, and yellow complements the heavenly blue tone of Vishwarupa, which matches the flowing waters of the ocean of existence, from which Krishna emerges as a cosmic pillar. Kurma (tortoise) and Varaha (boar) forms of Vishnu, associated with the protection of Bhudevi, are depicted on the lowermost section, upholding the order of the universe, represented by the Vishwarupa.

Infused with Krishna's powers and spiritual teachings standing in front of Arjuna, this Tanjore Vishwarupa painting with its enthralling aesthetics and exquisite details, transforms us into Partha, drenching in the supremely potent aura of Krishna, reliving the teachings of Self-surrender and walking the path to Moksha. 

Gilded Elegance: Unraveling the Artistry of Tanjore Paintings

Tanjore painting is a traditional form of art in the South Indian style and was started by the inhabitants of a small town known as Thanjavur of Tamil Nadu. This gives it another name called “Thanjavur painting”. This painting draws its figures, designs, and inspiration from the time when Vedic culture was prevalent in India. Certain remarkable features of a Tanjore painting distinguish it from other paintings. Some of these are pure gold or gold foil coating on gesso work, the use of rich and vivid colors, and the inlay of cut-glass or semi-precious and precious stones. The subjects of most of the Tanjore paintings are Hindu Gods, Goddesses, and saints. The main devotional figure is portrayed in the central portion of the painting and is usually surrounded by various secondary figures.

The process of making a Tanjore painting

The classic Tanjore paintings are done on wooden planks and hence are also referred to as Palagai Padam in South India (Palagai = Wooden plank, Padam = Picture). Creating a masterpiece is never an easy task but the skilled artists of Thanjavur have been following the tradition of making timeless Tanjore paintings for decades.

The making process begins with preparing the wooden board or canvas. The size of the board depends upon the choice of the patron. The next step is to paste cardboard over the wooden board and then a cotton fabric is stretched and pasted upon it using Arabic gum.

Now that the cloth is attached to the wooden panel, a rough sketch of the motifs and figure is drawn onto the fabric. After this, a paste of chalk powder and water-soluble adhesive is evenly applied over the base and smoothed.

Thereafter, the outlines which were made or traced using a stencil are now ready to be beautified and decked with various add-ons. The usual materials for decoration are cut-glass, pearls, semi-precious and precious gems, gold leaf, and laces. 22 or 18 Karat Gold leaves and gems of varied hues are especially inlaid in areas like pillars, arches, walls, thrones, and dresses. In the final step, the rest of the painting is filled with rich and striking colors such as shades of red, blue, and green. Formerly, the artists used natural colors like vegetable and mineral dyes instead of chemical paints. The entire painting is then cleaned and refined to give a flawless finished look.

Since the making of a single piece of Tanjore painting requires a complex and elaborate process, the artists usually take at least one or two months to complete it. The use of pure gold foil and gems for beautification is a characteristic of an authentic Tanjore painting. Due to this, Tanjore paintings last for generations without getting tarnished and are much more expensive than general paintings. Though the art form has undergone various changes and technique modifications over the years, it continues to attract the hearts of art lovers.