Parashurama, the Sixth Incarnation of Vishnu

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The story behind the name and appearance of this Avatar concern's a sage's son, Rama, who became a brilliant archer. In gratitude for having this skill conferred on him he went to the Himalayas and did penance to Shiva for many years. Shiva was pleased with this devotion and, when fighting broke out between the gods and demons, ordered Rama to go and defeat the demons. Rama successfully did so. As a reward, Shiva gave Rama many gifts and weapons; one of these was a magnificent axe (parashu) after which Rama was known as Parashurama, and another was a bow. It is these two weapons he is shown carrying in his traditional iconography, as shown in the present artwork.

According to another story the incarnation of Parashurama was undertaken by Vishnu for the purpose of exterminating the Kshatriya, or warrior caste, which had tried to assert its authority over the Brahmanical. Twenty-one times Rama is said to have cleared the earth of Kshatriyas, but by various means some few were preserved alive who were able to perpetuate the race. The origin of this feud lay in the episode when a king stole the wish-fulfilling cow of Parashuram's father. Parashurama, who had once demonstrated his filial piety by beheading his own mother at his father's request and then having her brought to life again, took his revenge for the theft by killing the king. In return the king's son killed Parashurama's father. Thus Parashurama swore revenge by vowing to exterminate all of the ruling class, namely the Kshatriyas, from the face of the earth.

This description by Nitin Kumar, Executive Editor, Exotic India.

References:

Danielou, Alain. The Myths and Gods of India: Vermont, Inner Traditions International, 1991.

Jansen, Eva Rudy. The Book of Hindu Imagery, The Gods and their symbols: Holland, Binkey Kok Publishers, 1998.

Mitchell, A.G. Hindu Gods and Goddesses: New Delhi, UBS Publishers, 1998, Eleventh Edition. Wilkins, W.J. Hindu Mythology: New Delhi, Rupa and Co., 1986.

Colors of Tradition: Exploring the Artistry Behind Madhubani Paintings

Madhubani painting is also known as Mithila art as it is practiced in the Mithila region of India and Nepal. It has specifically originated from the Madhubani district of the state of Bihar. Traditionally, the women of this region created these paintings and in recent years, it has become a widely practiced art and has now become renowned throughout the world. This art expresses the creativity and culture of the people of Mithila and is passed from one generation to another. In this way, the heritage of Madhubani art has been preserved for many decades. The subjects of these paintings are usually religion, love, and fertility. Sometimes, social events like festivals, weddings, and royal court are also depicted in the paintings. The most commonly painted designs and themes are the forms of Hindu Gods and Goddesses such as Ganesha, Shiva, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Krishna, and Ram. The characteristic features of Madhubani paintings are their vibrant colors and eye-catching geometrical patterns. The empty spaces are filled with traditional motifs such as floral and foliate patterns, animals, birds, geometrical structures, and other designs. The local artists create these paintings using a variety of items such as matchsticks, twigs, brushes, pens, or even their own fingers. The paints are usually made with natural dyes and pigments.
As simple as it may seem, the making process of the world-famous Madhubani paintings is certainly not easy and requires lots of hard labor.

Traditional Madhubani paintings are done either on cloth, handmade paper, or canvas. Select the medium of painting as per your choice. If you have chosen cloth, attach it to cardboard to make a solid base. The making of the painting begins with making a double-lined border. This is a very important step because the border is filled with various geographical shapes and patterns or other motifs. The average width of the border is 1.5 - 2 cm. Now that the border is created, you will be left with a blank middle space. This is the main workspace. Start drawing your choice of figure, designs, and shapes. These must be relevant to the Madhubani painting themes.

When the key design has been made, the empty spaces in between are filled with some designs.
Now is the time to color the painting using vivid shades and hues. Colors in Madhubani are sourced from nature; Indigo is used to produce blue, flower juice produces red, turmeric gives yellow, leaves produce green, cow dung mixed soot gives black, and rice powder gives white.

To paint these colors, the artist uses a bamboo stick and wraps cotton around it. This acts as a traditional brush.
The entire painting is now painted using this special brush with natural vibrant colors. · However, in modern times, the common brush is used and instead of natural colors, artists prefer to use acrylic paints.

Since the entire painting is made with natural materials and colors, it appears simple yet enriching. Originally, this art was created on mud walls or soil grounds but when it evolved over many years, the people of Madhubani started to make it on fabric and paper. Today, this art has become globalized and is receiving worldwide attention and appreciation.