Jain altar carved in teak wood from Gurajat, India |
It's hard to believe the architectural wonders humans have created throughout history. The pyramids, the Hagia Sophia, and the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world; all inspire a sense of awe and wonder. In India, this sense becomes amplified, especially when viewing the intricate architecture of Jain temples. Everywhere you look there is something engaging – on the outside and the inside.
This rosewood altar is in 4 stacking sections |
This week's New Arrival features a four-tiered Jain altar. Made of rosewood and likely clad in silver when it was conceived over two hundred years ago, it was meant as something more than a simple piece of furniture or seat. For the Jains, it was a throne for Tirthankara, a deity who transcended life. Here, in the West, many years later, it remains a throne; only now it’s up to us to decide who or what shall be placed on top.