THE HINDU

ARTIST/CRAFTSMAN
HTAA SEMINAR

What is the purpose of art/craft in traditional Hindu

Society?

What function does art fulfill?

What training must artist/craftsman go through to

become artist/craftsman?

Different Roles of Artist and Craftsmen

Types of paintings
Madhubani
Practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar state, India, the origins of Madhubani painting traditionally derive from the time of the
Ramayana, when King Janak commissioned artists to portray the marriage of his daughter, Sita, with Sri Rama who was regarded
as the incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.

Mysore
Noted for their elegance, subtle colours, and intricate detail, Mysore painting is an important form of classical art from
Southern India. Mysore paintings portray Hindu Gods and Goddesses and scenes from Hindu mythology. The process
of making a Mysore painting involves a preliminary sketch of the image which is then covered by a gesso paste made
of Zinc oxide and Arabic gum to give a slightly raised effect. Afterwards a thin gold foil is pasted. The rest of the
drawing is then pasted using watercolour.

How do artist/craftsman organize themselves to

produce a large work?

As a part of your research, visit a hindu temple in SG

(?) use it to illustrate your presentation
Sri Mariamman Temple
Dravidian Architecture Style http://www.slideshare.net/charakhansal/dravadian-architecture?next_slideshow=1

Explain how the temple was constructed, the

materials and the process of opening the eye
Opening eye ceremony http://pluralism.org/religions/hinduism/the-hindu-experience/murti-the-image-of-god/
http://sanskrit.org/installing-a-sacred-image-murti-sthapanaprana-pratishta/
Construction of a Hindu Temple http://www.ancient.eu/Hindu_Architecture/

Hindu Temple
reflects a synthesis of arts, the ideals of dharma, beliefs, values and the way of
life cherished under Hinduism

a link between man, deities, and the Universal Purusa in a sacred space
-

George Michell
(1988)

Sri Mariamman Temple

Oldest Hindu Temple in Singapore
Located in heart of Chinatown (South Bridge Road)
Dedicated to Goddess Mariamman, known for her power in curing epidemic
illnesses and diseases

Timeline of Sri Mariamman Temple

1938

1827

Circa 1936

2016

Construction of a Temple

Construction of a Temple

Construction of a Temple

Materials

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKJCqrhhlr4

Opening the Eye

Critical to the process of divine embodiment

Process of Opening the Eye

Craftsman carves the pupils of the eyes on the granite image, ritually opening the Divine eyes

One goes to a temple for darshan to see the image and to be held reciprocally in the Divine gaze

Darshan Seeing the Divine image; central to Hindu worship

Process of Opening the Eye

First moment of Divine sight is said to be extremely powerful

The priest places a mirror before the face of the God

Lookfirst at the Divine image in the mirror, and only then turn ones eyes directly to the Lords face

When the eyes are newly opened, the priest leads a cow into the sanctuary to be the very first auspicious
recipient of the gaze of the Divine

THANK YOU

http://www.nhb.gov.sg/places/sites-and-monuments/national-monuments/sri-mari
amman-temple
http://www.ancient.eu/Hindu_Architecture/
http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Temple_Construction#Temple_Design
https://heb.org.sg/our-subsidiaries/temples/sri-mariamman-temple.aspx
http://www.chinatownology.com/sri_mariamman.html