The Living Art Traditions of India

For many years, India has been known as a repository of indigenous knowledge as it passed from one generation to another. Each generation in India has witnessed or created the best artworks using limited materials and technology available. These art forms were named by several colours as utility art, minor art, folk art, people’s art, tribal art, crafts, ritual art, and so on.

In India, rudimentary cupule art dates from the Lower Paleolithic epoch, circa 700,000 BCE – Bhimbetka Petroglyphs. Even though mural painting was prominent throughout the Bronze Age, sculpture had already established itself as the most popular form of creative expression across the Indian subcontinent. Sculpture was primarily employed as a type of sacred art to depict Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain ideas.

Sculptural Traditions:

Sculptural tradition is a term for the popular Indian tradition of making sculptures using stones, clay, or metals.

Dhokra Casting:

• Dhokra casting is an elaborate process

• In the process of Dhokra casting, the rice husk and knead are mixed with black soil collected from the banks of rivers. Later, the mould of the core figure is made out of it
• Once dried out, it is covered completely with a second layer made up of clay mixed with cow dung
• After this, resins are heated in a clay pot until they turn into liquid. After which it is mixed with some mustard oil and gets boiled at low flame
• Metal sculptures or Dhokra made up of lost-wax technique is one prominent metal craft of Chhattisgarh, Bastar, some regions of Madhya Pradesh, Midnapore, and  Odisha
• The lost-wax method is used for the casting of bronze. To fire the furnace, saal wood is the preferred fuel

Terracotta:

• Terracotta or clay is one of the most popular sculptural mediums across India and is crafted by potters
• Terracotta pieces are generally used during festivals to perform rituals and are also offered to local deities
• Terracotta sculptures are formed using the clay found near ponds or riverbanks. 
• These are exceptionally durable
• They are moulded on a potter’s wheel, modelled by hands, coloured using bright pigments and decorated all around
• The sculptures made are either of the local birds, animals, or insects or the images of Lord Ganesha, Krishna, or Durga

Ghadwa is the craftsman behind Bastar. In popular etymology, ‘ghadwa’ is referred to as an act of creating and shaping. 

Popular Sculptures in India

Nataraj, Chola Bronze Sculpture

The famed Shiva Dance- Nataraja and bronze sculpture of the Chola period’s Natatraj is one of the most important religious sculptures, and it still has its grandeur today. Chola bronzes, created using the Lost Wax process, combine the craft of metallurgy with the beauty of the holy and sensual dance in a stunning way.

Ashoka Pillar

Emperor Ashoka built the most famous capital (the four-lion one at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh) in 250 BC, commonly known as the “Ashoka Column.” Back to back, four lions are sitting. The Lion Capital is now housed in the Sarnath Museum, but the Column remains in its original location. The National Emblem of India was chosen from the Lion Capital of Ashoka from Sarnath, and the wheel “Ashoka Chakra” from its base was put in the centre of the Indian flag.

Dancing Girl

The famed ‘Dancing Girl’ statue, which was discovered under Harappa’s reign. The bronze statue stands 10.5 centimetres (4.1 inches) tall and represents a nude young lady or girl in a confident, lifelike attitude. Dancing Girl is a cultural object of the Indus Valley Civilisation and is often considered as a work of art.

Kangra Fort

The Kangra Fort is one of India’s oldest forts. This 4th Century BC temple in Himachal Pradesh is mentioned in Alexander the Great’s military records. The fort was destroyed by a devastating earthquake in 1905, yet it nevertheless survives as a testament to the time’s architectural abilities. Temples with finely sculpted idols engraved in their walls may be seen throughout the fort.

Hoysaleswara Temple

Situated in Halebidu, Karnataka, the temple of Hoysaleswara is known for its magnificent sculptures on the outside walls. The architectural brilliance of 1121 C. E. is reflected in the magnificent sculptures. The sheer quantity of carved stones and their intricate workmanship is mind-boggling. Hoysaleswara is one of the most important Shiva temples in South India.

Conclusion

The earliest sculpting tradition in the world may be traced back to the Indus Valley civilisation, when humans created metal and stone statues and figures. Since then, Indian sculpture has improved and broadened its reach, establishing itself as one of the world’s best. The elaborate sculptures that decorate India’s temples, as well as the sculptures in the Ellora caves, represent India’s pride. The brilliance of India’s artists is readily apparent in the sculptures that adorn the temples of Khajuraho.