Second Quiz: Buddha & Shiva

Seated Buddha from Gandhara (Victoria & Albert Museum)

Choose either one of the images here and, in separate paragraphs, describe any three individual symbolic details and their meaning, and then conclude with a paragraph that describes how these three details fit together as parts of  the object's overall meaning. (For those of you counting, that makes four paragraphs.) Quizzes are due & will be collected in class next Wednesday, February 22nd.

Things that matter: a) accuracy of information b) the depth of thought & understanding present in your answer and c) clear and correct language that avoids any hint of plagiarism -- including paraphrasing a source without citation.

Shiva Nataraja (Cleveland Museum of Art)

Shiva Nataraja

Chola Period Shiva Nataraja (Met)

"If a single icon had to be chosen to represent the extraordinary rich and complex cultural heritage of India, the Shiva Nataraja might well be the most remunerative candidate. It is such a brilliant iconographic invention that it comes as close to being a summation of the genius of the Indian people as any single icon can."

Other useful links:

• the Chola Period Shiva Nataraja (shown above) at the Met
• Wikipedia article on Nataraja

More examples (most with good notes) at: 

• the Royal Academy of Arts
•  the Asia Society
• at LACMA  
• at the Victoria and Albert Museum 
• at the Freer / Sackler Galleries  
• at the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts 
• AND at the British Museum

Shiva Maha Deva & Maha Yogi

Symbolic Features to Look For:

• Body covered with ashes
• Matted Hair
• River Ganges
• Crescent Moon
• Third Eye
• Half-Open Eyes
• Ear Rings (Kundalas)
• Snake
• Necklaces
• Mudra 
• Trident
• Drum
• Water Pot
• Bull
• Tiger Skin
• Cremation Ground
• Mountain 
• OM symbol

Shiva in Lingam Form

Wikipedia article on Lingam
TempleNet article on Lingam
Story of Shiva's appearance in Lingam Form

Ice Lingam of Shiva at Amarnath
Website for Amarnath Ji Yatra

Schedule Weeks 5 and 6

Week 5: Indian Art: Representations of Shiva

M: Shiva Trimurti (Mahadeva) (1-18)

W: Shiva Linga and Mahayogi

F:  Shiva Nataraja (1-17 and 1-25)

Week 4:  Asian Religious Architecture 

M:  Buddhist Stupas
W: Hindu Temples
F:  Pagodas 

Shiva (Trimurti)

Shiva Trimurti (Elephanta)

Broad Background:  A good overview of Hinduism at Wikipedia

Details: Wikipedia’s page on Shiva
Wikipedia article on Trimurti


360 Image:  Shiva Trimurti at the Elephanta Cave Temple, Mumbai 
Wikipedia entry on the Shiva Temple at the Elephanta Caves, Mumbai

Shiva 2

If a single icon had to be chosen to represent the extraordinarily rich and complex cultural heritage of India, the Shiva Nataraja might well be the most remunerative candidate. It is such a brilliant iconographic invention that it comes as close to being a summation of the genius of the Indian people as any single icon can.

Other useful links:

• Wikipedia article on Nataraja
• Article and example at the Royal Academy of Arts
• Another example at the Asia Society
• Shiva Nataraja at CERN

Shiva 1

Shiva Trimurti (Elephanta)

Shiva Mahayogi (Bangalore)

Broad Background:  A good overview of Hinduism at Wikipedia
Details: Wikipedia’s page on Shiva
360 Image:  Shiva Trimurti at the Elephanta Cave Temple, Mumbai 
Wikipedia entry on the Shiva Temple at the Elephanta Caves, Mumbai

Video for Children that describes Shiva & tells some important stories