Hindu cultural and ritual art in our site includes objects of ritual worship performed by Hindus, including statues of deities (murti) and religious implements and objects related to puja (ritual worship). All must be beautiful and pleasing to the deities. Bali has animistic roots reflected in Balinese Hinduism. In Hindu Bali, masked dances are considered a sacred form of communication where the dancer can communicate with the gods. The masks are considered very powerful and the mask dances and historical dramas taken from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Babad Dalem are considered an offering to the Hindu gods.
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Most Hindus have images of one or more murtis (gods and goddesses) on their home altar to help them in their daily prayers (puja), focus their attention and help visualize them. A murti is treated with the utmost respect, care and reverence but devotees never worship the objects and instead use them used only to…
This vintage massive, heavy silver pendant represents a four armed Ganesh seated within a betel shape frame wearing a crown and reaching for modak, a rice flour sweet dumpling filled with coconut that is his favorite treat. Ganesh pendants are worn for good luck as he is the God who removes the obstacles in devotees’ lives. The coin silver chain is included.
This rare antique tribal amulet of high grade silver with fine high relief craftsmanship is truly magnificent. It portrays Hindu Lord Krishna sitting in the Tree of Life playing his melodious flute serenading the Gopis who become enthralled with his spiritual music symboling the Hindu belief in the loving interplay between the deities and the human soul. Krishna pendants are protective, have healing powers and bring devotees spiritually closer to him.
Nandi is among the most frequent Hindu deities worshiped in public places, temples, homes, or on a home altar throughout India. As one of Hinduism’s mythical animals, Nandi is Shiva’s vahana, (his mount that transports him), attendant and leader of his attendants and guardian of all four-footed animals. A recumbent image of Nandi on a…
This glass painting of a peacock was one of a pair of inset panels along with Krishna Playing his Flute (3982) in a highly decorative piece inset in antique Indian cabinet or chest. Beautifully painted with reflective silver accents it is a vibrant and remarkable wall hanging. As both panels were originally displayed together, we recommend they be kept as a pair. Peacocks, the national bird of India, are an integral part of Hindu and Indian art and culture depicted in spiritual and decorative art.
This vibrant glass painting of Krishna along with the panel of a Peacock (3983MCE) were insets in a highly decorated Indian wood cabinet or chest. Krishna is one of the most popular Hindu deities, beautifully depicted here in a bright yellow dhoti, peacock feather crown, and jewels in serenading his adoring gopis with his engaging flute. The unique frame complements the painting’s richness and vintage feel.
This exceptional polychrome mask (topeng in Java, tapel in Bali) of Jatayu blends Balinese ethnic and folk-art with Hindu cultural traditions. Indonesia was part of the larger Hindu Majapahit Empire (1293-1527), is now a Muslim majority but Bali remains mostly Hindu. Balinese masks are often made from a single piece of local pulai wood whose…
Balinese masks (tapel in Balinese, topeng in Java), are said to have existed since the 10th century and often are danced in sacred Hindu stories with important moral, ethical, historical and philosophical ideas, This is especially true as many come from ancient Hindu texts like ancient epics the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Babad Dalem, the…
In Bali, Indonesia, Hindu villages have a sacred collection of woodcarvings in the form of Balinese masks (topeng) danced as offerings to the gods with a gamelan percussion orchestra. Balinese dance masks are endowed with magic (tenget) ), especially. the 2 central to Balinese mythology, culture and their past of animism: Rangda and Barong. Barong…
This rare pendant of Ganesh and his mother Parvati seated on a throne is framed within a betel shape with scalloped edges. It is finely crafted heavy silver piece with a top round suspension loop that mirrors the ovule on the bottom. Used as a protective amulet, it shows signs of wear that give it a smooth fine patina.
Antique silver spoons like this were used to offered water to the gods to show respect. Water is used by Hindus to cleanse and purify one’s body, mind and spirit. The lotus design is a symbolic connection to Lakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of wealth and prosperity.
A belief in Hinduism is that the light and heat produced by an oil lamp and incense burner aid devotees to access the divine and to focus their attention and awareness on the images of the deities (murti) and their positive powers. Using them with fellow devotees in combination with the arati ritual (moving a…
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