The Cosmic Dance of Krishna

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Hence, the Madhubani art displays greater ingenuity in themes like this, which occur on mundane plane but are transcendental in their essence. The Rasa, or Maharasa is a dance and as such a mundane act, but in the context of Lord Krishna this mundane dance is seen permeating the entire cosmos and thus acquiring cosmic dimensions. In Indian thought, which now modern science also affirms, macrocosm is the extension of the micro. Accordingly He is the micro as well as the macro. Similarly it is the strength, the ecstasy, the urge that matters and not its kind. The absolute love or ecstatic love is the same as the absolute detachment for it detaches from the entire world, which the absolute detachment demands. The ecstatic involvement in dance and music sets one free from the bonds of this ephemeral world. The Rasa, or the dance, in the context of Krishna, is this same ephemeral act acquiring cosmic dimensions for it drags the dancing Gopis away from the mundane and transcends into the timeless regions of light and delight.

In Vaishnava cult, Maharasa defines the union of the temporal with the timeless, the sublimation of the ephemeral passion into the transcendental love and its inherent delight and a journey of the being from the micro to the macro. Dance and music are its instruments, ecstasy its guiding principle and love its axis and the finest spirit. In the Rasa, the love, the finest spirit, elevated to ecstatic heights by dance, unites Gopis, the temporal, with Lord Krishna, the timeless, and in the process the temporal becomes one with the timeless. Lord Krishna is the Supreme Being manifest in the mortal coil. He is both, the micro, as well as the macro. The inner ring, the micro, has Krishna engaged in playing upon his flute. Planted into a mortal coil he is the micro manifestation of the cosmos. Here Radha, the Gopi, representing temporal existence, by her dance and love, unites with him. Beyond this inner ring and its outer ring and seven surmounting rings, in the four corners, that is, beyond all layers of cosmic existence, Krishna, in his symbolic realisation as peacock, re-appears. This defines His macro-manifestation and depicts the journey of the temporal from the micro to the macro. Beyond that point is all glow and glory, which the Kirtimukha motifs symbolise.

The artist has realised his theme tremendously well. Radha's union with Krishna is absolute. This inner ring represents the invisible bhavabhumi, the regions of spiritual realisation. The circle beyond it represents this world with dancing Gopis, its temporal existence attempting at uniting with the transcendental. It has been divided into eight parts, that is, the atha prahara, or the eight divisions of each solar cycle of twenty-four hours, which continue to span this world. Beyond this circle, which represents this world, there are seven circles, the sapta lokas, the seven worlds, or the seven layers of cosmic existence. The lowest of these is the partially known sky, covered by arched cloudy region. Beyond that everything is defused in dark, but once the self transcends it, there are worlds, first that of stoics, second of delight, third of ultimate bliss and finally, that which leads to ultimate void, that is the final redemption and the ultimate union with the Supreme.

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.

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.