The Original Wonder Woman

[Guest guest]

Pasadena, Calif., USA (March 9, 2006): Looking for warrior women to

inspire you during Women's History Month?

 

The Norton Simon Museum's continuing exhibit, "Durga: Avenging

Goddess, Nurturing Mother," shows the original Wonder Woman — the

great Hindu goddess and her many manifestations, including Durga and

Kali, as well as Devi, Parvati and Uma.

 

The 70 works on display come from India, Tibet, Nepal and Southeast

Asia and include watercolor folios, folding manuscripts, a festival

altar and bronze and stone sculptures. Some of these pieces have

never been seen in public. There is also a video presentation.

 

Light-skinned and beautiful, the many-armed Durga is a fierce warrior

who rides a lion (sometimes a tiger). When demons invaded the [realms

of the] gods, one powerful one, Mahisashur, could not be defeated by

a god or a man. Mahishashur defeated Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Mahisashur initially tried to marry Durga, but they ended up fighting

instead, with Mahisashur changing form. When Durga couldn't defeat

Mahisashur, she called up Kali, who sprang into being from Durga's

head. Black and emaciated, Kali wears necklaces of severed heads and

drinks blood.

 

According to Pratapaditya Pal, a research fellow at the Norton Simon

who is considered an authority on South and Southeast Asian art and

from whose private collection some of the pieces are drawn, the

worship of Durga and Kali is viable today. Sometimes Durga is modeled

after popular Bollywood actresses and the demon, Mahisashur, from

actors famous for their roles as villains.

 

The exhibit runs through March 27. On March 24, the Shakti Dance

Company will present "Devi Mahatmaya" (Manifestations of Shakti).

Dancers and musicians from both California and India will be

performing.

 

The museum is open noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Monday and noon

to 9 p.m. Friday. Admission is $8 for adults, $4 for seniors and free

for members, students with ID and patrons under 18. Norton Simon

Museum, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 449-6840, or

visit www.NortonSimon.org.

 

SOURCE: Pasadena Weekly

URL: http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/article.php?id=3181&IssueNum=10

[Guest guest]

That rocks!!!

 

 

-

Devi Bhakta

Thursday, March 09, 2006 8:59 AM

The Original Wonder Woman

 

 

Pasadena, Calif., USA (March 9, 2006): Looking for warrior women to

inspire you during Women's History Month?