Nartaka-Gayaka Ganesha

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Ganesha in dancing posture is one of the most popular and the earliest iconographic manifestations. Lands and traditions effected variations in his dancing postures, but despite his dance forms have always been closer to 'Lasya' rather than to 'Tandava'. Even in great ecstasy and rapture or even in exuberance he is not rompous or rowdy. A slightly tilted head, a little raised legs, minor body curves, tenderly moved arms and over and above all a kind of divine sublimity define the dance form of the loving god. Shiva danced to create or destroy, Kali for suppressing and eliminating evil and Krishna for subduing wrong but the secular god Ganesha danced for aesthetic delight. In this representation the intrinsic rhythm bursting out powerfully and yet effortless, a few curves of his figure and the rapture reflecting on his face are used to define his dance.

Lord's upper left hand is raised in 'Alapa'. He seems to be modulating his voice on a high pitch. He is singing a ballad or a song of victory and it seems a large crowd has gathered round the village 'chaupal' for hearing him. He is supporting his song by his 'vina' which he himself is playing. The movement of fingers on 'vina' seems to strike its strings and create music. For the time being the Lord has put off his attributes, 'pustaka', 'laddu', rosary, noose etc. He is carrying just a battle axe to perhaps ward off evil and protect weak and poor as these are his prime obligations. He is wearing various ornaments upon his neck, arms, wrists, ankles, feet and around his waist. He is in loin cloth which is tied on his waist with a lavish girdle. In dance his sash seems to have descended on to his thighs and its ends are trailing to ground where on both sides they create alongwith the container of 'modakas' and deity's vehicle mouse an arch-like base to support the image of the deity.

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.

Of Related Interest:

Book: Ganesa The Enchanter of The Three Worlds

Comic Book: The Sons of Shiva

Jewelry: Ganesha Sitting on OM

Dolls: Fifteen inch high sitting Ganesha Doll

Textiles: Shri Ganeshai Namah Prayer Shawl

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.