Guest guest Posted January 17, 2007 Report Share Posted January 17, 2007 SYDNEY (January 15, 2007) - WANTED: Some dust from the house of a local prostitute. It is an essential ingredient needed to create a giant image of the Hindu warrior goddess Durga, the buffalo slayer. The dust is partly a recognition of the role prostitutes have played as patrons of Indian classical arts, says the director of the Crafts Council of West Bengal, Ruby Palchoudhuri. "We have never neglected them," Palchoudhuri says. "They always have sustained the classical music and classical dance in their houses." It is also recognition that all sections of society have a role in the worship and celebration of this fearsome but popular goddess, who holds a special place in the hearts of Bengalis. Three Bengali craftsman who will spend more than two weeks creating the Durga tableau at the Art Gallery of NSW this month as part of the Goddess: Divine Energy exhibition have brought some dust with them. But Palchoudhuri would like to include some local content. "It has been suggested that we might use some from here," she says. The dust will be mixed with clay and straw to create a three-metre- high tableau that will feature Durga standing on the buffalo demon Mahisha as she prepares to kill him with a sword she carries in one of her many hands. The tableau will also include her lion and Ganesha, the elephant god. Durga, whose name means invincible, is said to combine the energy of all the gods. The battle she wages is against ignorance, which, according to myth, takes the form of a buffalo demon. Durga attracts the ignorant demon with her beauty and defeats him. It's a cosmic fatal attraction. The skills used to create the image are handed down through generations and are rarely seen outside Bengal. But the unique abilities have come to the attention of a number of art museums recently, including the British Museum in London, where the craftsmen travelled to create a Durga image last year. Before creating an image of a warrior goddess, the senior artist must first offer prayers. It is better not to offend a goddess who wields a large sword. "Our artist prays to the goddess for the courage, the daring, to create her image," Palchoudhuri says. "He prays that he doesn't make any mistakes." A vital part of the project is the eye-painting ceremony, known as Chakshudan, on Sunday, when the master artist reveals the goddess's eyes. It is performed with the accompaniment of a five-member Bengali drumming group. Durga will be ceremonially farewelled from the gallery on January 26, after which she will be ritually destroyed. "She is destroyed because this is part of the cycle of life," Palchoudhuri says. "We have taken the clay from the river so what we take we must give back." Also as part of the Goddess exhibition, the gallery will screen Shiraz, Himansu Rai's fictionalised romance from the silent era about the creation of the Taj Mahal. The musicians-composers Linsey Pollak and Tunji Beier will perform their original score for percussive and hybrid wind instruments during the screening at the gallery at 6pm on Thursday. SOURCE: The Sydney Morning Herald. A goddess knows who her friends are. Indian craftsmen are bringing Durga to life at the Art Gallery of NSW, writes Joyce Morgan. TINY URL: http://tinyurl.com/33y6bo URL: http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/a-goddess-knows-who-her-friends- are/2007/01/14/1168709610085.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 17, 2007 Report Share Posted January 17, 2007 Some of Earths religions are sometimes called the Gemini religions and they were the religions of death and the God wore usually the head of a Buffalo, Bull, or goat. They are the religions of Yama/Yami who are a Dravidian deity and may well be the original devil sine qua non. Interesting here to find them again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 Namaste, This is so awesome, and extra cool that they are making this in what I understand to be the traditional materials which will disintegrate and not harm the river. I've been bummed about the new fangled Deities which include artificial coloring and plastics. Jai Ma! pr , "Devi Bhakta" <devi_bhakta wrote: > > SYDNEY (January 15, 2007) - WANTED: Some dust from the house of a > local prostitute. > > It is an essential ingredient needed to create a giant image of the > Hindu warrior goddess Durga, the buffalo slayer. > > The dust is partly a recognition of the role prostitutes have played > as patrons of Indian classical arts, says the director of the Crafts > Council of West Bengal, Ruby Palchoudhuri. > > "We have never neglected them," Palchoudhuri says. "They always have > sustained the classical music and classical dance in their houses." > > It is also recognition that all sections of society have a role in > the worship and celebration of this fearsome but popular goddess, > who holds a special place in the hearts of Bengalis. > > Three Bengali craftsman who will spend more than two weeks creating > the Durga tableau at the Art Gallery of NSW this month as part of > the Goddess: Divine Energy exhibition have brought some dust with > them. But Palchoudhuri would like to include some local content. > > "It has been suggested that we might use some from here," she says. > > The dust will be mixed with clay and straw to create a three-metre- > high tableau that will feature Durga standing on the buffalo demon > Mahisha as she prepares to kill him with a sword she carries in one > of her many hands. The tableau will also include her lion and > Ganesha, the elephant god. > > Durga, whose name means invincible, is said to combine the energy of > all the gods. The battle she wages is against ignorance, which, > according to myth, takes the form of a buffalo demon. > > Durga attracts the ignorant demon with her beauty and defeats him. > It's a cosmic fatal attraction. > > The skills used to create the image are handed down through > generations and are rarely seen outside Bengal. But the unique > abilities have come to the attention of a number of art museums > recently, including the British Museum in London, where the > craftsmen travelled to create a Durga image last year. > > Before creating an image of a warrior goddess, the senior artist > must first offer prayers. It is better not to offend a goddess who > wields a large sword. > > "Our artist prays to the goddess for the courage, the daring, to > create her image," Palchoudhuri says. "He prays that he doesn't make > any mistakes." > > A vital part of the project is the eye-painting ceremony, known as > Chakshudan, on Sunday, when the master artist reveals the goddess's > eyes. It is performed with the accompaniment of a five-member > Bengali drumming group. > > Durga will be ceremonially farewelled from the gallery on January > 26, after which she will be ritually destroyed. > > "She is destroyed because this is part of the cycle of life," > Palchoudhuri says. "We have taken the clay from the river so what we > take we must give back." > > Also as part of the Goddess exhibition, the gallery will screen > Shiraz, Himansu Rai's fictionalised romance from the silent era > about the creation of the Taj Mahal. The musicians-composers Linsey > Pollak and Tunji Beier will perform their original score for > percussive and hybrid wind instruments during the screening at the > gallery at 6pm on Thursday. > > SOURCE: The Sydney Morning Herald. A goddess knows who her friends > are. Indian craftsmen are bringing Durga to life at the Art Gallery > of NSW, writes Joyce Morgan. > TINY URL: http://tinyurl.com/33y6bo > URL: http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/a-goddess-knows-who-her-friends- > are/2007/01/14/1168709610085.html > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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