Category: Art & Culture

• The tallest statue of Lord Shiva in his dancing form in the world, the 27-foot Nataraja statue, is waiting for the G20 leaders in New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan.
• The sculptors can trace their ancestry 34 generations back to the Cholas.

The Nataraja Work of Art

• Created by talented craftsmen from Swamimalai, Tamil Nadu, using an eight-metal alloy (ashtadhatu).
• It was transported across the nation on a 36-wheel trailer and weighed about 18 tonnes.

The statue’s design draws inspiration from three revered Nataraja idols:

1. Thillai Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram.
2. Uma Maheswarar Temple in Konerirajapuram.
3. Brihadeeswara (Big) Temple in Thanjavur (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Nataraja and the Cholas

• The Cholas were the ones who first built all three of the temples that served as inspiration for the Bharat Mandapam Nataraja statue.
• The Cholas, who governed most of peninsular India between the ninth and eleventh centuries AD, were renowned for their support of the arts and culture.
• Throughout the Cholas’ geographical expansion, their art and architecture blossomed.

Shiva’s significance as the Lord of Dance

• From the Vedic god Rudra, Lord Shiva transformed into Nataraja.
• Shiva is a complicated god who embodies both nefarious and beneficent traits.
• Shiva is represented as Nataraja, the Lord of Dance, as both the destroyer and the guardian.
• He is credited with creating a wide variety of dances, from serene to ferocious and orgiastic.

Symbolism of Nataraja

• Nataraja is frequently shown surrounded by a fiery aureole or halo, which stands for the circumference of the globe.
• He has four arms and lengthy dreadlocks that symbolise the power of his dance.
• He is holding an agni (fire) in his upper left hand and a damru (hand drum) in his upper right.
• Under his foot, a dwarf-like figure stands for deception.
• The ‘abhayamudra’ (gesture to assuage fear) is made by Nataraja with his front right hand, while he points with his front left hand to his raised feet.
• Nataraja usually has a tranquil smile on his face, which symbolises the duality of life and death despite its complicated connotation.

Lost Wax Technique

• The age-old “lost-wax” casting technique, which originated during the Chola era, was used to produce the 27-foot Bharat Mandapam Nataraja statue.
• This technique has been used for at least 6,000 years.
• A wax model must be made, covered with a particular soil paste, heated to dissolve the wax, and then the soil paste is removed, leaving a hollow mould that must then be filled with molten metal.
• The Cholas perfected this method, which is regarded as the height of metallurgical craftsmanship.

Source: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/39328

• On the 8th of Muharram, the Jammu and Kashmir administration approved a Muharram parade in Srinagar for the first time in over three decades, attracting thousands of Shia mourners.
• The ruling has received widespread acclaim.

What exactly is Muharram?

• Muharram is the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar and has religious and historical significance for Muslims all over the world.
• The word “Muharram” means “forbidden” in Arabic, indicating the month’s hallowed aspect.
• It is one of Islam’s four sacred months, during which combat and disputes are usually prohibited.
• It is observed by both Sunni and Shia Muslims (as well as Hindus), albeit each group has a different historical and religious significance.

Celebration of Ashura

• Ashura, the tenth day of Muharram, is the most important day of the month.
• Shia Muslims observe the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammed’s grandson, Imam Hussain, in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. During this time, the prophet’s son-in-law, Ali, and Ali’s elder son, Hassan, are also recalled as having suffered and perished.  Shia Muslims perform distinctive mourning rites on Ashura, including as self-flagellation, chest-beating, and, in certain cases, forehead cutting with sharpened knives and chains with connected blades. The Shia Community also holds a ‘Taziya,’ a tableaux parade.
• Sunni Muslims celebrate Ashura as the day when Prophet Moses and the Children of Israel were delivered from the oppression of Pharaoh by crossing the Red Sea.
• Hindus observe Muharram by getting themselves painted in tiger stripes, visiting families, and performing “huli kunita” as part of their “harake” (promise).

Kashmir Celebrates Ashura

• Dogra Rulers’ Prohibition: Muharram processions were either outlawed or permitted only at night under the reign of the Dogra rulers, citing tensions between the Shia and Sunni people.
• Despite the Dogra mandate for early processions, mourners marched during the day in the 1920s, with both Shias and Sunnis joining the procession. This became connected with the Kashmiri Muslim liberation fight.
• Selective Permits: Later, specific people and families were granted permits to participate in processions, but the major Muharram procession was banned when militancy broke out.

The Importance of Allowing Processions

• After a long restriction, the approval for the Muharram parade in Srinagar is an important milestone, indicating progress towards religious freedom in the region.
• It emphasises the importance of respecting people’s religious beliefs and upholding the values of inclusivity and unity among the valley’s various groups.

Source: https://www.indiatimes.com/events/muharram-ashura-2023-date-history-observation-significance-of-fasting-on-ashura-islamic-festival-610422.html