Vandana Shiva

Ques 1 Discuss how the religious thinking of Buddhism and Hinduism influenced the layout and appearance of temple architecture by examining case studies of Ajanta Caves and Lakshmana Temple. The Ajanta caves situated at a distance of 200 miles from Mumbai are cut into the face of a mountain, form a horseshoe shape around the Wangorah River. They are an example of one of Indian's unique artistic traditions known as rock cut temples. Ajanta consists of thirty caves, each dedicated to the life of…

1 ANURAN DASGUPTA Filtering the Gaze – The Jala Motif in the decorations of Apsara Bracket Figures in the Cennakesava temple of Belur After the decline of the late Chalukyans, the northern region of their territory (present southern Karnataka) saw the rise of a dynasty named Hoysala. At their peak their kingdom spread from the Tungabhadra River in the north (Chalukyan territory) to the Kaveri river in the south (Chola territory). Originated in the hilly regions of western boundary of the Hassan…

A single, all-knowing entity is central to the religion that I had grown up with. A god named God a figure of perfection who cradles the world. Watching over the people of Earth and holding control of what goes on with no-one sitting at his level sharing such an amazing power of creation. God made it all and holds so much faith from the people and for the people, but no matter what anyone says, I cannot bear the thought of giving all of my faith to someone or something so inhumanely “pure”.…

Suryanamaskar (The Sun Salutation): Why you do it and How to do it; transforming your life The name Suryanamaskar is self –explanatory. Surya meaning sun and namaskar meaning salutation in Sanskrit. It is a series of asanas, whose origin lies in India, where a large number of its population worships the sun god, Surya. It is a chain of twelve postures, each having its unique and magnificent benefit on your body, mind and soul. You come back from your hectic schedule and crash land on your couch…

It is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the spiritual ecstatic dancer. His dance is referred to as Tandavam or Nadanta, depending on the context of the dance. The classical form of shiva appears in stone reliefs, at the Ellora Caves and the Badami Caves, by around the 6th century. Around the 10th century, it emerged in Tamil Nadu in its most recognizable appearance of bronzes. Additionally, Shiva is presented at different heights however, it is typically less than…

Formal Analysis: Kannon (Avalokiteshvara) Kannon (Avalokiteshvara) is an Asuka period sculpture depicting the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Avalokiteshvara is an enlightened being that aids others in their path to enlightenment through Buddhism. He is said to be the embodiment of compassion and the attendant bodhisattva to Amitabha, Buddha of the West. Kannon is an important figure in Japanese art. The stylistic aspects of this sculpture seem to be borrowed from earlier Chinese styles and…

Religion has always played a prominent part in ancient cultures, and this is all the more so in India. The temples have played a central role in the fostering of the Hindu religion. The Hindu temple is not just a congregational structure or prayer hall. It is the House of God and the image inside is the soul. The temple that I went to was located in Ashland, MA and it was called Sri Lakshmi. From the outside the temple look really big and the color of the building is white, and they are a lot of…

a linga which represents his fertility, the linga is conjoined with a yoni, and this representation of him is found in every Shiva temple (Danielou, 1984). But when he is not represented as a linga, Shiva is portrayed as a powerful being of human manifestation. In comparison, even though Shiva is most known for his phallic image, other phallic representations are present at other temples around the world, including some that pay homage to Dionysus. In the Greek representation, the phallus is…

Pushkar is always good for its most esteemed temples and it’s a place for the temple of Brahma, the only temple dedicated to him in India. Epics say that Pushkar floated to the surface when Brahma dropped a lotus flower on earth later this pond size town is largely associated with the few renowned sacred places of India. The rarity of the Brahma temple under this city domain renders huge significance to it. It is also considered that the famed waters of the Pushkar wash away the sins of whole…

“A true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart.” –Hercules. Studies have shown that to be considered an epic hero, characters must go on a journey also called a quest to show heroic qualities: courage, selflessness, and patience. Rama from The Ramayna and Gilgamesh from The epic of Gilgamesh are both considered to be epic heroes. These two tales demonstrate the possibility that different cultures and religions corresponds in a way that enable them to…