ICONOGRAPHY : An Introduction
Guest Author
Icons are religious representations of spiritual ideals or symbols of highly esteemed individuals or objects. That someone might be someone admired for their life, such as Nelson Mandela. Water is…
Iconography
Balrama : The unsung hero of Hinduism
Dr Dinesh Soni
Balarama, the elder brother of Krishna, does not find a lot of significance in worship today. However, he existed as a very significant figure in Bhagavata Purana. The elder brother…
Nataraja: Interpretations and Modern Day Application
Shiva, the major deity of the Tridev in the Hindu religion which is considered to have been manifested in many forms over the centuries, is mainly associated with the destruction…
Akunuru’s Forgotten Past: Delving into Its Lost Legacy, History, and Temples
Dasi Yoga Rakshitha
Introduction Akunuru, where “Aku” in Telugu means leaf and “Nuru” implies one hundred. It translates to “One hundred leaves”. According to the locals, it was also known as “Shatapatrapuram”, which…
The Temples of the “Tandava”
Dr Hima Bindu Kanoj
When he danced, the entire universe danced. He is the cosmic dancer; he is the Lord of dance, Nataraja. Dance is one of the Pancha Kriyas done by Shiva in…
Decoding Vahana: Is it Truly Just a ‘Mount’ or Something More?
Introduction In our epics and Puranas, we read about different deities. The deities appear on earth for their devotees, they fight wars and they bless the devotees. And when they…
From Myth to Canvas: Mayura’s Vibrant Presence in Hindu Art
Mayura and a little bit about it Mayura or peacock is our national bird. Yes, we all have studied that in school. The importance of peacock goes way beyond just…
Dhanteras Special: Dhanvantari’s Story and Iconic Imagery
Today is Dhanteras, the day Lakshmi and Dhanvantari emerged from SamudraManthana. In most hospitals and clinics in India, we find a statue of a deity holding Shankha, Chakra and Kalash.…
Intricate Beauty and bravery: The Hoysala Emblem and Its Significance
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Indian.Temples Research & Media Services (@indian.temples) The Hoysala Empire was a Kannadiga power that ruled most of what is now Karnataka…
Kolhapur’s Divine Enigma: Exploring the Identity of the Temple Deity
Kolhapur, the ancient city situated on the banks of Panchganga river in south Maharashtra, is visited by lakhs of devotees every year. Its historic significance can be traced back to…