#INDIAN GODS FULL#
#INDIAN GODS SERIES#

“ Transcendent Deities of India features Hindu gods and goddesses depicted in the less familiar formats of photography, digital, and chromolithography which demonstrates their ongoing relevance to more recent artists who utilized the technology of their eras,” said Bridget Bray, director of exhibitions, Asia Society Texas Center. The exhibition of nearly 60 images will be on view in the Louisa Stude Sarofim Gallery at the Texas Center and is funded in part by a grant from the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This is the first time these artists’ works have been presented together in Texas.

#INDIAN GODS SERIES#

This creation story emphasises the role of each of the gods of the trimurti in the making of the universe.HOUSTON, ApAsia Society Texas Center will present a series of vibrant photographs by Brooklyn-based Indian contemporary artist Manjari Sharma, digital works and drawings by Abhishek Singh, and modern chromolithographs produced by the Raja Ravi Varma Press in an exhibition entitled Transcendent Deities of India: The Everyday Occurrence of the Divine, on view May 2 through September 14, 2014. Shiva lived in all of the elements, including the sun, water, sky, fire, wind and trees. After being frustrated in his creative work, Brahma cried, and died, but then Shiva was born from Brahma – who revived. The Kūrma Purana (1.9) tells a Hindu story of creation, summarised here: Brahma and Vishnu together killed the demons that wanted to sabotage the creation of the universe. Brahma as creator led this process, but Vishnu used his power in the creation as well. This short extract narrates the making of the universe and shows that two of the trimurti gods played cooperative parts. There are many Hindu scriptures that tell creation stories. How would his creations survive if there was no earth? He therefore requested Vishnu to bring up the earth from under the water. “Brahma decided to start creation afresh but discovered that the earth was submerged in water. What the Hindu scriptures say about the trimurti Source of wisdom and authority This verse of scripture recognises that almost all humans (‘embodied beings’) need a form, such as one of the gods or goddesses, to worship if they are to make progress along the path towards spiritual reality. The ‘unmanifest’ is Brahman, Ultimate Reality (God), with no form or qualities. Worship of the unmanifest is exceedingly difficult for embodied beings.

#INDIAN GODS FULL#

“For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifest, the path of realisation is full of tribulations. Why do most Hindu worshippers use murtis of the gods and goddesses? Source of wisdom and authority

The three forms of God that make up the Hindu trimurti are Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer. Shiva is worshipped by many millions of Hindus today. His necklace of cobra snakes is another sign of power. He holds a drum and a flame, and he points to his dancing feet with one hand and holds in the other hand a pen, meaning ‘fear not’. He is often pictured dancing and with four arms. Vishnu (and his avataras, including Krishna ) are worshipped by many millions of Hindus today.

Vishnu, god of light and enlightenment, has appeared on Earth through avataras. His four arms carry symbols of power – a discus, a lotus flower, a conch shell and a mace. Murtis of Vishnu express splendour and power. Brahma is not worshipped by many Hindus today, in comparison to the other two murtis. In Hindu creation stories, Brahma brings the universe into being. Brahma’s four arms carry symbols of power – a goblet, a bow, a sceptre and the Vedas. Images, or murtis, of Brahma have four heads, seeing in all directions at once and symbolising the four Vedas. The trimurti – Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer are central to Hindus’ understanding of God Brahma the creator

Indian gods