Lord Ganesha in Traditional Indian Art

The Hindu philosophy gives great importance to many gods and goddesses that are in its pantheon. Amongst them Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, is one of the most beloved gods of all. He is venerated as the god of beginnings and is worshipped at the commencement of every good endeavour. Lord Ganesha or Ganpati is also the god of wisdom, prosperity, a patron of arts and literature, and a remover of obstacles (Vighnaharta).

He is the second son of the Hindu god Shiva and goddess Parvati.

Lord Ganesha has a round belly and a penchant for modaka (a traditional Indian sweet) with Mushakraj (a revered mouse who carries Lord Ganesha on his back) as his Vahana (vehicle). He is typically represented with four arms, each carrying an object of significance and veneration.

Amongst the numerous names attributed to Lord Ganesha, some of the popular ones are Lambodara (potbellied), Gajanana (elephant-faced), Vinayaka (lord of obstacles), and Ekadanta (one-tusked). His murti (a sculpture made typically of carving stone, wood work, casting of metal, or clay) is situated in almost every Hindu temple. Some of his sculptures are also used as decorative pieces in homes and offices as an auspicious symbol.

Ganesh Chaturthi

The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is widely celebrated as the day of birth of the Lord, all over India. It is a 10-day extravaganza where devotees worship Lord Ganesha for the entire period with much excitement and joy. Devotees adorn the murti of Ganesha with beautiful garments and ornaments.

In the state of Maharashtra this occasion is celebrated with unparalleled fervour and pomp. Beautiful and huge pandals (temporary structures used for special religious purposes) are erected all around the state with mesmerising sculptures of the god at the centre of these. Day-long hymns are recited with a lot of enthusiasm as a community activity, with a large number of devotees gracing the occasion.

Lord Ganesha and Art

Lord Ganesha has also become a common cultural symbol beyond his religious significance. The brave freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920) had played a valuable role in creating this image of the god. He turned Lord Ganesha into a powerful icon of resistance during British rule (1858-1947) in India. He further made the image of the god into a symbol of unity amongst Indians, irrespective of their religions.

This is probably why Lord Ganesha enjoys such a wide artistic expression in diverse communities of India. To this day, traditional Indian art represents Lord Ganesha in various stunning forms and styles. Almost every traditional school of art in the country represents the god in his divine excellence and energy. From varying ways of drawing the elephant-headed god to taking artistic liberties with his iconography, it is worth delving deeper into some of these traditional artforms.

Let us now take a look at some of these:

Tanjore Paintings

Ganesha playing Dolok, Tanjore Painting by Sanjay Tandekar

Tanjore paintings are the iconic paintings of Thanjavur, in Tamil Nadu. These alluring paintings are known for incorporating striking colours with gold leaf and precious stones embellishments.

Tanjore paintings, also known as Thanjavur paintings typically represent gods, goddesses and religious themes. Their perennial quality is especially personified by the portrayal of Lord Ganesha. Having revered as the god of new beginnings, artists take pride in creating stunning works of art in his image.

These paintings of Lord Ganesha are essentially used as decorative pieces of art at homes, offices, entryways etc. and are thought to bring good luck. Traditionally, Lord Ganesha is represented in these paintings as the central and the only figure, surrounded by an arch. Usually, he is pictured in a seated position with all four of his arms, each holding a Pasa (noose), Akunsa (goad), modaka (a traditional Indian sweet), and the broken tusk. His mukut (a traditional Indian crown) and other ornaments are generally adorned with 22-carat or 24-carat gold foil.

Alternatively, lord Ganesha is also portrayed in his nritya (dancer) form, bala (infantile) form, sometimes playing the Veena (a stringed Indian musical instrument), and many other forms.

Kalamkari Paintings

Ganesha: Kalamkari Painting by Harinath.N

Kalamkari painting is a historical and an important art-form from the state of Andhra Pradesh. The word kalamkari translates to the beautiful works of art done by a traditional form of pen. These paintings are quintessentially inspired by the themes of Hindu mythology, nature, animals, and folklore.

Amongst the various exquisite Kalamkari artworks, the depiction of Lord Ganesha is also of great significance. He is typically drawn in either a sitting or a standing position, occasionally with or without other heavenly deities. There is generally a meticulously detailed border or an arch surrounding him. His eyes, along with his long face and intricately detailed costume as well as ornaments, are fashioned in a bold style, characteristic of the Kalamkari tradition. The colour palette of these paintings are imbued with naturally derived colours from indigo, madder, and myrobalam, making for an aesthetically pleasing painting of the deity.

At times, Lord Ganesha’s vahana (vehicle), Mushakraj, a venerated mouse in the Hindu religion, is also pictured in these paintings.

Tikuli Art

Portrayal of Lord Ganesha in Tikuli round art by Ashok Kumar

This unique art of Patna in Bihar, is said to be a historical artform, noted to be over 800 years old. The term tikuli is a local expression for bindi (the traditional colourful dots that Indian women adorn between their eyebrows) in the region. Therefore, Tikuli art is an artform made with dots over a board or a glass sheet.

This art is typically well-known for its detailed paintings of Hindu mythological gods and goddesses.

Lord Ganesha is also one of the gods revered in the Tikuli art tradition. These paintings generally portray Lord Ganesha sitting on a lotus. Additionally, there is a well defined border encircling the deity, adorned with winding dotted patterns which is typical to the Tikuli practice.

The deity’s costume, seat, as well as ornaments are also enriched with ornate dotted designs, making for a magnificent expression of the god.

Bengal Pattachitra Art

Ganesha in Bengal Pattachitra by Laila Chitrakar

The Pattachitra form of art is practised by artists from a number of states in India like Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, as well as in parts of Bangladesh. It translates to pictures being made on scrolls.

The Bengal Pattachitra art is unique from the other Pattachitra traditions in the way that it mainly consists of Chitrakars (artists) of West Bengal. Most of them are of the Islamic faith however, they excel in this form of art, especially the ones that tell mythological stories from the Hindu religion and other folk lores.

Paintings of Lord Ganesha are also significant in the Bengal Pattachitra tradition. The deity is represented as the central figure with his profile showing and elongated eyes. His eyes and costume are portrayed in the quintessential Bengal Pattachitra style of bold hues and detailed strokes. Vibrant and naturally derived colours are used to adorn the god’s costumes and ornaments.

With its plain backgrounds, these paintings seem to beautifully highlight the image of Lord Ganesha.

There are many more traditional Indian artforms that celebrate the divinity of Lord Ganesha in their unique artistic capacities. This article is but a humble attempt of listing just a few of those traditions.