Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India

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The traits or attributes referred to as symbols, over a period of

time, had evolved independently of the icons. As abbreviated and

abstracted representations of religious beliefs and spiritual experi-

ences, symbols had originated much earlier to the icons. Unlike the

icons, symbols had independent existence.

Swastika

, (fig-6) the

solar symbol, spiral motif representing eternity, lotus (fig-7) with

aquatic association, elephant (fig-8) symbolising strength and no-

bility and the large looming cloud, were adequate and self-explana-

tgry in nature.

In conjunction and combination with these symbols, the icons

acquired special significance, as the religious doctrines and dog-

mas could now be communicated with greater effectiveness and

articulation. The symbol of wheel in association of Buddha’s icons

(fig-9) for instance, put the entire Buddhist philosophy and theol-

ogy in a nutshell, be-

sides

representing

the incident of Bud-

dha setting in motion

the wheel of Dharma

clearing the path for

enlightenment.

Further elabora-

tion was noticeable

the

icons

resulting

from a continuous

interaction of the

en-

vironment on the

ex-

isting religious be-

liefs. Though the

icons by and large

were initially repre-

sented in anthropo-

morphic forms, in

course

time

began

to be rendered in

zoomorphic forms.

This was in ready

response to the phenome-

nal changes and their inte-

gration into the religious

and mythological concepts.

The icons of Vishnu

getting

transformed into

matsya

(fish) and

varaha

(boar) to

rescue the world from del-

uge

and

drowning,

depicted

a visual conceptualization

of such transitional proc-

esses occurring in man-na-

ture relationships.

here

are

several

in-

stances of icons being

made in the anthropomor-

phic forms with both human

and animal traits. Elephant

headed

Ganesha,

(fig-11)

horse headed

Hayagriva,

(fig-10) eagle headed

Garuda,

monkey

faced

Hanuman

and a score of such composite deities demonstrate

the skills of the visualisers in combining different life forms and

thus adding distinct iconographic forms.

Adoption of sympathetic attitude towards all life forms is simi-

larly reflected in phytomorphic or the plant life acquiring divine

status and appear frequently in sculptural representations.

Ash-

watha, bodhi, kalpavriksha, tulasi

and

madhavi

creeper, the

par-

ijatha

flower, mango fruit, to mention a few, occur in iconography

either in association with the deities or independently as the sym-

bols.

Representation of environment indicating time-space conceptu-

alization, also figured often in iconographic forms. Death

(kala),

Aruna

(dawn), night

(ratri),

Earth

(Bhudevi

or the

Prithvi)

frequently ap-

peared in their anthropomorphic forms.

Motifs based on the objects used in

the rituals of worship also contributed

considerably to the development of

iconography. A pot filled to the brim

(pur-

nakumba) (fig-12), fly-whisk (chamara)

(fig-13), ladle

(sruk)

used in the sacri-

fices (

homa)

added to the process of

elaboration and expansion of iconogra-

phy.