19 August 2015
A very high form of devotional painting called pichvai manifested itself among the multitude of arts that developed around Pushti Marg. In Hindi, 'pich' means 'back' and 'vai' means 'hanging.' Taken together these words provide an apt description of pichvais, which are large, decorative paintings hung behind tables or mats filled with offerings and statues of Krishna. All pichvai dep...
14 August 2015
In the flickering light of a dozen butter lamps, the sight of dancing, masked demons could scarcely be seen. Their shadows moved in an unnatural, eerie fashion. If your eyes adjusted, you could see open mouths grinning and laughing along with eyes bulging and gleaming in a menacing manner. Yet, none of what you saw was a cause for concern. As an audience member you sat unafraid, deep in the mou...
10 August 2015
The exact beginnings of the Indonesian kendi are unknown, though some scholars are certain structural influences came from the Indian kundika. Archaeological finds in Indonesia have uncovered water vessels dating as far back as the Neolithic period. The anthropomorphic designs and discovery at burial sites indicate their use and function as a ritual funerary object, most likely a tribute ...