Lord Shiva Dharbar with Ganesha & Kartikeya Tanjore Painting with Frame | Traditional Colors with 24 Karat Gold

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A thin golden outline surrounds the image depicting Lord Shiva positioned in a majestic archway which is adorned by two stylistically designed peacocks and the Kirtimukha (face of glory) in the center. Small cut glass and stones in red and green shades are nestled in the golden embrace of 24 Karat gold in the ornamentation of this whole Tanjore painting.

Shiva’s throne has a cream-pink silk cover and a large green bolster to support the regal posture of Bhagwan Shiva. Mahadeva is in his form as “Pashupati” (Lord of Animals), which is the visualization of the great Hindu god as the master of all living beings. Adorned by a crown, golden ornaments, Sarpa-aabhushana (serpent ornament), Pitambara (yellow dhoti), Baaghacharma (tiger hide), and a lotus garland, Lord Shiva’s aura in this Shiva Darbar Tanjore painting surpasses the glory of the full moon.

His two-tiered lotus throne sits directly above the image of goddess Parvati or Meenakshi Amman who is in a Chaturbhuja (four-armed form), holding a Trishul (trident) and Padma (lotus). The placement of Shiva over Maa Parvati in this Tanjore Shiva Darbar painting can be seen as an artistic representation of the divine Shiva-Lingam, which shows Shiva as a pillar of fire (Lingam) emerging from the Vedi (sacrificial fire pit) which symbolizes Devi Parvati.

Shiva-Gana- the followers of Bhagwan Shiva flank their Lord, led by a bull-faced Nandikeshwara, with their palms joined to pay obeisance to Shiva. The legendary sons of Shiva-Parvati, Kumara Karttikeya, and Ganesha sit in the foreground, with all their divine attributes, paying respects to their all-powerful parents.

Emblems of Shiva (on the left) and Devi Meenakshi (on the right) fill the light blue-colored brackets, and lamps of various kinds are lit on the hall floor, creating a devotional environment in this Tanjore painting. Barring Shiva who gazes powerfully at the viewer and Devi Parvati whose face emits a celestial maternal bliss, all the subjects in this artwork face Shiva and Shakti, directing the devotee to the universal sources of life, harmony, and annihilation. 

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.