wise will meditate on some form,remembering, however, that the formis a superimposition, and not areality". Throughout history, thedidactic of religion has been a headyopiate - demanding unswervingallegiance, and the willing suspensionof disbelief.

Symbolism plays a great role inthe religion and art of India. TheIndian mind is completelycomfortable with its expression ofimages, knowing and accepting thateverything is illusory anyway. At thesame time, images are to Indians,

what numbers are to mathematician.They are a means to comprehendingeternal truths.

In the midst of all this abundanceof imagery, is the strange lookingelephant-headed god with a child'sbody, instantly recognisable asGanesha to those with even a noddingacquaintance with Indian mythology.Acceptance of his form as the divineforce, stills the rational mind and itsdoubts, forcing one to look beyondoutward appearances.

As Dr. Devdutt Patnaik says, thisadored god possesses neither

Murano Ganeshascreated by AnjolieEla Menon andGayatri Ruia

He inspirescreativity and that'swhy such a formidable bodyof Ganesha-basedart has developedover the centuries,ranging fromsculpture topaintings toliterature, discoversDEVYANI JAYAKAR

68

Endorsed by religionHinduism persuasively endorses the useof imagery in religion and worship. TheVishnu Samhita, an ancient ritual text,says that an idol or an image is a kindof device for harnessing the eye and themind on god. "Without a form, how cangod be meditated upon? When there isnothing for the mind to attach itself to,where will it fix itself? Therefore, the 69

wise will meditate on some form,remembering, however, that the formis a superimposition, and not areality". Throughout history, thedidactic of religion has been a headyopiate - demanding unswervingallegiance, and the willing suspensionof disbelief.

Symbolism plays a great role inthe religion and art of India. TheIndian mind is completelycomfortable with its expression ofimages, knowing and accepting thateverything is illusory anyway. At thesame time, images are to Indians,

what numbers are to mathematician.They are a means to comprehendingeternal truths.

In the midst of all this abundanceof imagery, is the strange lookingelephant-headed god with a child'sbody, instantly recognisable asGanesha to those with even a noddingacquaintance with Indian mythology.Acceptance of his form as the divineforce, stills the rational mind and itsdoubts, forcing one to look beyondoutward appearances.

As Dr. Devdutt Patnaik says, thisadored god possesses neither

Murano Ganeshascreated by AnjolieEla Menon andGayatri Ruia

He inspirescreativity and that'swhy such a formidable bodyof Ganesha-basedart has developedover the centuries,ranging fromsculpture topaintings toliterature, discoversDEVYANI JAYAKAR

68

Endorsed by religionHinduism persuasively endorses the useof imagery in religion and worship. TheVishnu Samhita, an ancient ritual text,says that an idol or an image is a kindof device for harnessing the eye and themind on god. "Without a form, how cangod be meditated upon? When there isnothing for the mind to attach itself to,where will it fix itself? Therefore, the 69

Krishna's lyrical appeal, nor Shiva'smonastic ascetism, nor even Durga'sprimaeval power. This is not atranscendental, distant, high god.This is the god of the common man,sympathetic to mundane aspirationsof power, pleasure and prosperity inthe material world.

It is against this diverse backdrop,that a formidable body of Ganesha-based art has developed over thecenturies, ranging from sculpture, topaintings and even literature.

Sculpture and paintingPaul Martin-Dubost, in his scholarlywork Ganesa, notes that the earliestrepresentations of Ganesha werebefore Christ, probably made ofperishable materials, such as butterand other foodstuff. These werefollowed by terracottas, fashioned byhand. The earliest stone sculpturedates back to the 2nd century AD,while the first sculpture in round fromKarnataka has been traced to the 5th

century. A representation in bronzehas been dated to the 9th century.Subsequent to this, Ganeshasculptures have been made insandstone, serpentine, ivory, granite,wood, semiprecious stones, silver,crystal, panchadhatu (an alloy of fivemetals) and ashtadhatu (an alloy ofeight) Ganeshas have been depictedsitting, standing, dancing, writing,playing musical instruments andflanked by consorts or other deities.Ganesha has had multiple hands,heads, and various creatures as carriers.

From rock sanctuaries to temples,from Kashmir to Sri Lanka, andGujarat to Orissa, Ganesha imageryhas been all pervasive. Soft stoneGaneshas from the 9th to the 11thcenturies have minute details in theornamentation of the idol, and in aBhubaneshwar temple, even the veinsin the ears of the stone Ganesha arevisible. Ganesha appears on the outerwall friezes of the world famous

heritage site, Khajuraho. The Jains,too, incorporated Ganesha in theirpantheon and occasionally placedhim alongside Mahavir. In theresplendent thangka paintings ofNepal, Ganesha appears alongside theBuddha. Ganesha carvings exist onthe walls of Jain temples inRajasthan, including those at MountAbu, Ranakpur and Palitana.Buddhist monastries in Ladakh andthe high chamber of the Maharajah ofTravancore depict Ganesha on theirfrescoes. In Greece, Janus, themythological god after whom themonth of January was named, hasthe head of an elephant. Sometimes,he is depicted as a two-headed deity.

The various schools of miniaturepainting, such as the Nurpur,Chamba, Mewar, Bilaspur and mostof all Kangra, have all depictedGanesha. Even the ancient Indianplaying card game of ganjifaoccasionally had the image ofGanesha on the cards. InAfghanistan, Tibet, China, Japan

and Sri Lanka as well as parts ofSouth East Asia - Cambodia, Sumatraand Java, Polynesia, and Mongolia -Ganesha appears like a leitmotif.

Literature and theatreGanesha finds mention in thevenerated Rigveda. Appropriately, thescribe of the Mahabharata, arguablythe largest epic the world has everknown, is the subject matter of muchliterature himself, and is invoked inmuch the same manner as the Musesof Greek mythology. The oldestliterary references to Ganesha are byhymn composers, poets, playwrightsand even mathematicians. The 8thcentury Tamil poetess, Auvaiyar,composed Vinayaka Ahaval, a 72verse devotional poem where shedescribed Ganesha's divinity. Fromthe 12th century to the present day,however, it is in the Marathi languagethat the strongest evidence of lyricalfervour is to be found. The 13thcentury poet saint Dnyaneshwaropens his Dyaneshwari, the colossal

The earliestrepresentations

of Ganeshawere before

Christ, probably madeof perishable

materials, suchas butter andother foodstuff

Even theancient Indianplaying card

game ofganjifa

occasionallyhad the imageof Ganesha on

the cards

Left: Badri Narayan'sGanesha paintingRight: One moreMurano Ganeshafrom Anjolie Ela

Menon and GayatriRuia

Jamini Roy'sGanesha with Shiva

and Parvati

7170

Courtesy: Sangita Kathiawada

Krishna's lyrical appeal, nor Shiva'smonastic ascetism, nor even Durga'sprimaeval power. This is not atranscendental, distant, high god.This is the god of the common man,sympathetic to mundane aspirationsof power, pleasure and prosperity inthe material world.

It is against this diverse backdrop,that a formidable body of Ganesha-based art has developed over thecenturies, ranging from sculpture, topaintings and even literature.

Sculpture and paintingPaul Martin-Dubost, in his scholarlywork Ganesa, notes that the earliestrepresentations of Ganesha werebefore Christ, probably made ofperishable materials, such as butterand other foodstuff. These werefollowed by terracottas, fashioned byhand. The earliest stone sculpturedates back to the 2nd century AD,while the first sculpture in round fromKarnataka has been traced to the 5th

century. A representation in bronzehas been dated to the 9th century.Subsequent to this, Ganeshasculptures have been made insandstone, serpentine, ivory, granite,wood, semiprecious stones, silver,crystal, panchadhatu (an alloy of fivemetals) and ashtadhatu (an alloy ofeight) Ganeshas have been depictedsitting, standing, dancing, writing,playing musical instruments andflanked by consorts or other deities.Ganesha has had multiple hands,heads, and various creatures as carriers.

From rock sanctuaries to temples,from Kashmir to Sri Lanka, andGujarat to Orissa, Ganesha imageryhas been all pervasive. Soft stoneGaneshas from the 9th to the 11thcenturies have minute details in theornamentation of the idol, and in aBhubaneshwar temple, even the veinsin the ears of the stone Ganesha arevisible. Ganesha appears on the outerwall friezes of the world famous

heritage site, Khajuraho. The Jains,too, incorporated Ganesha in theirpantheon and occasionally placedhim alongside Mahavir. In theresplendent thangka paintings ofNepal, Ganesha appears alongside theBuddha. Ganesha carvings exist onthe walls of Jain temples inRajasthan, including those at MountAbu, Ranakpur and Palitana.Buddhist monastries in Ladakh andthe high chamber of the Maharajah ofTravancore depict Ganesha on theirfrescoes. In Greece, Janus, themythological god after whom themonth of January was named, hasthe head of an elephant. Sometimes,he is depicted as a two-headed deity.

The various schools of miniaturepainting, such as the Nurpur,Chamba, Mewar, Bilaspur and mostof all Kangra, have all depictedGanesha. Even the ancient Indianplaying card game of ganjifaoccasionally had the image ofGanesha on the cards. InAfghanistan, Tibet, China, Japan

and Sri Lanka as well as parts ofSouth East Asia - Cambodia, Sumatraand Java, Polynesia, and Mongolia -Ganesha appears like a leitmotif.

Literature and theatreGanesha finds mention in thevenerated Rigveda. Appropriately, thescribe of the Mahabharata, arguablythe largest epic the world has everknown, is the subject matter of muchliterature himself, and is invoked inmuch the same manner as the Musesof Greek mythology. The oldestliterary references to Ganesha are byhymn composers, poets, playwrightsand even mathematicians. The 8thcentury Tamil poetess, Auvaiyar,composed Vinayaka Ahaval, a 72verse devotional poem where shedescribed Ganesha's divinity. Fromthe 12th century to the present day,however, it is in the Marathi languagethat the strongest evidence of lyricalfervour is to be found. The 13thcentury poet saint Dnyaneshwaropens his Dyaneshwari, the colossal

The earliestrepresentations

of Ganeshawere before

Christ, probably madeof perishable

materials, suchas butter andother foodstuff

Even theancient Indianplaying card

game ofganjifa

occasionallyhad the imageof Ganesha on

the cards

Left: Badri Narayan'sGanesha paintingRight: One moreMurano Ganeshafrom Anjolie Ela

Menon and GayatriRuia

Jamini Roy'sGanesha with Shiva

and Parvati

7170

Courtesy: Sangita Kathiawada

interpretation of the Bhagavad-Gitawith an ardent laudatory 23 verseinvocation to Ganesha. The poet ofWai, Dhundikavi, wrote theChintamani in Marathi, describing theepic of Ganesha and his marriage tothe goddess Sharada. King Sarfoji,ruler of Thanjavur from 1798 to 1832,great scholar and founder of theSaraswati Mahal Library, composedthe Ganeshalilanavanataka, a five-actplay in Marathi based on some ofGanesha's exploits.

The 19th century poet GopalMairala of Vadodara composedGaneshavijaya in Sanskrit, a six-actplay based on Ganesha. The Peshwaof Pune, Balaji Bajirao, composed amagnificent poem in Sanskrit, entitledGaneshkutakamrta, set in differentmetres. Even today, Ganesha is thesubject of the Dashavtar tradition oftheatre in Maharashtra.

So, for almost 2000 years, writers,playwrights, poets and philosophershave spared no words in composingpanegyrics to the elephant headed god, even casting him as their protagonist.

Contemporary workSeveral contemporary artists haveexecuted an entire Ganesha series.Gopal Adivrekar has been fascinatedby the form of Ganesha sincechildhood. He says that it is possibleto see this form even in everyday life,such as a coconut, areca nuts,vegetables, the roots of the mandaratree, an apple, or a kitchen vessel.

For Udayraj Gadnis, painting istapasya, or a meditative process. He isneither the doer nor the creator, northe source of these paintings - onlythe medium. In his 40 Ganeshapaintings, he seeks to invoke thedivine and fill space with an aura ofsacredness. Moreover, his paintingsare painted in the most auspiciousmonths of the year, at a set mahurat,to enhance maximum spiritualvibrations, which invoke Ganesha.This will sound familiar to those whoare aquainted with the time-honouredway of setting gems in navgrahajewellery. This takes a whole year to make, simply because each of the nine gemstones is set at a

predetermined auspicious time in the year based on planetary positions, in order to enhance itsbeneficial properties.

Unsung artists have shownconsiderable creativity in illustratingGaneshas using only the Devnagariletter Aum (which indicates the entirecosmos) for strokes. Calligraphists,too, have created Ganeshas entirelyby inscribing his names in variousstyles and configurations. M.F.Husain,Badri Narayan, Subhash Awchat,Jamini Roy and Anjolie Ela Menonhave all lent their creativity to styling Ganesha.

Saryu Doshi, ex Director, NGMA,says, "Many artists have different andbeautiful interpretations of Ganesha,to meet the demand of the market."

Ganesha appears to be bothfiguratively as well as literallyomnipresent. The Ganesha industrychurns out calendars, postcards, bags,T-shirts, jewellery and miniatures, allfor a Ganesha hungry public.International porcelain and crystalbrands such as Lladro and Daum,

have already released Ganeshafigurines in their signature style forthe Indian market. Even apredominantly Islamic country likeIndonesia has the Ganesha imageadorning 20,000 its rupiah

currency notes!

Western mediaThere are several references toGanesha in the media as well. InMonkeybone, Jumbo the elephant godis loosely based on Ganesha. In TheSimpsons, Apu is a devoted follower ofGanesha. Ganesha appeared in theMighty Max episode 'Good Golly Ms.Kali', under the control of Naga. Thefilm Garden State begins with aninvocation to Ganesha, and the Ganeshmantra is sung several times during atraumatic event. The video gamePostal 2, features a grocery storenamed 'Lucky Ganesh', which is not atall unfamiliar in the Indian context. InNeil Gaiman's novel American Gods,Ganesha appears as a character whoprovides assistance. And in the gameDreamblade, the Thunder Sultan figure

For almost2000 years,

writers,playwrights,

poets andphilosophers

have spared nowords in

composingpanegyrics tothe elephantheaded god,even castinghim as theirprotagonist

Ganeshaappears to be

bothfiguratively aswell as literallyomnipresent.The Ganesha

industrychurns outcalendars,

postcards, bags,T-shirts,

jewellery andminiatures, allfor a Ganeshahungry public

Above & Opposite:Gopal Adivrekar'sseries of Ganesha

paintings

73

72

interpretation of the Bhagavad-Gitawith an ardent laudatory 23 verseinvocation to Ganesha. The poet ofWai, Dhundikavi, wrote theChintamani in Marathi, describing theepic of Ganesha and his marriage tothe goddess Sharada. King Sarfoji,ruler of Thanjavur from 1798 to 1832,great scholar and founder of theSaraswati Mahal Library, composedthe Ganeshalilanavanataka, a five-actplay in Marathi based on some ofGanesha's exploits.

The 19th century poet GopalMairala of Vadodara composedGaneshavijaya in Sanskrit, a six-actplay based on Ganesha. The Peshwaof Pune, Balaji Bajirao, composed amagnificent poem in Sanskrit, entitledGaneshkutakamrta, set in differentmetres. Even today, Ganesha is thesubject of the Dashavtar tradition oftheatre in Maharashtra.

So, for almost 2000 years, writers,playwrights, poets and philosophershave spared no words in composingpanegyrics to the elephant headed god, even casting him as their protagonist.

Contemporary workSeveral contemporary artists haveexecuted an entire Ganesha series.Gopal Adivrekar has been fascinatedby the form of Ganesha sincechildhood. He says that it is possibleto see this form even in everyday life,such as a coconut, areca nuts,vegetables, the roots of the mandaratree, an apple, or a kitchen vessel.

For Udayraj Gadnis, painting istapasya, or a meditative process. He isneither the doer nor the creator, northe source of these paintings - onlythe medium. In his 40 Ganeshapaintings, he seeks to invoke thedivine and fill space with an aura ofsacredness. Moreover, his paintingsare painted in the most auspiciousmonths of the year, at a set mahurat,to enhance maximum spiritualvibrations, which invoke Ganesha.This will sound familiar to those whoare aquainted with the time-honouredway of setting gems in navgrahajewellery. This takes a whole year to make, simply because each of the nine gemstones is set at a

predetermined auspicious time in the year based on planetary positions, in order to enhance itsbeneficial properties.

Unsung artists have shownconsiderable creativity in illustratingGaneshas using only the Devnagariletter Aum (which indicates the entirecosmos) for strokes. Calligraphists,too, have created Ganeshas entirelyby inscribing his names in variousstyles and configurations. M.F.Husain,Badri Narayan, Subhash Awchat,Jamini Roy and Anjolie Ela Menonhave all lent their creativity to styling Ganesha.

Saryu Doshi, ex Director, NGMA,says, "Many artists have different andbeautiful interpretations of Ganesha,to meet the demand of the market."

Ganesha appears to be bothfiguratively as well as literallyomnipresent. The Ganesha industrychurns out calendars, postcards, bags,T-shirts, jewellery and miniatures, allfor a Ganesha hungry public.International porcelain and crystalbrands such as Lladro and Daum,

have already released Ganeshafigurines in their signature style forthe Indian market. Even apredominantly Islamic country likeIndonesia has the Ganesha imageadorning 20,000 its rupiah

currency notes!

Western mediaThere are several references toGanesha in the media as well. InMonkeybone, Jumbo the elephant godis loosely based on Ganesha. In TheSimpsons, Apu is a devoted follower ofGanesha. Ganesha appeared in theMighty Max episode 'Good Golly Ms.Kali', under the control of Naga. Thefilm Garden State begins with aninvocation to Ganesha, and the Ganeshmantra is sung several times during atraumatic event. The video gamePostal 2, features a grocery storenamed 'Lucky Ganesh', which is not atall unfamiliar in the Indian context. InNeil Gaiman's novel American Gods,Ganesha appears as a character whoprovides assistance. And in the gameDreamblade, the Thunder Sultan figure

For almost2000 years,

writers,playwrights,

poets andphilosophers

have spared nowords in

composingpanegyrics tothe elephantheaded god,even castinghim as theirprotagonist

Ganeshaappears to be

bothfiguratively aswell as literallyomnipresent.The Ganesha

industrychurns outcalendars,

postcards, bags,T-shirts,

jewellery andminiatures, allfor a Ganeshahungry public

Above & Opposite:Gopal Adivrekar'sseries of Ganesha

paintings

73

72

greatly resembles Ganesha, thoughwith two trunks and only two arms.

Source of the inspirationIs it the personal religious convictionof the artist which inspires work onGanesha? Or is it simply the lure oflucre which dictates this choice? Aseverybody knows, Ganesha is bigbusiness. Or is there something aboutthe form of Ganesha itself, whichlends itself to artistic interpretation?"Probably true," says NilouferKapadia of The Fourth Floor ArtGallery where minimalisticinterpretations of Ganesha, almostwestern in their sensibility, abound.The truth probably lies somewhere inbetween mantras and money.However, Ganesha solely as "art forart's sake" seems to be non existent.Museum collections of contemporaryart do not reflect the all pervasivepresence of Ganesha in the publiceye, and archeological relics havesignificance, only in so far as theyare representative of certain periodsin history. Ganesha has always beenassociated with some degree ofreligious conviction, either in themind of the artist or that of thebuyer. As in other parts of theworld, much of artistic content hasbeen dictated by religion.

Maybe the Italian glass masterAntonio Da Ros of Gino CenedeseGlass Works, Venice, who executedthe Murano Ganeshas designed byAnjolie Ela Menon, (conceptualisedby Gayatri Ruia) sums it up best.'There is spirituality in art, and art in prayer'.

An exclusive, limited edition,porcelain Ganesha from Lladro

74