Shiva’s Kalyana-Sundara form is one of his principal manifestations representing him in his ‘lalita’ – beauteous aspect, which the metaphysical tradition defies as his creative phase. In ancient reliefs and sculptures dating back to fifth-sixth centuries of the Common Era, Kalyana-Sundara Shiva has been somewhat differently portrayed. In these early stone carvings, as here in this painting, Shiva’s figure has been sculpted on Parvati’s left, but Parvati has not been represented as laying the wedding garland on his neck. The pre-eminence that Ganga has been given in this Madhubani folk, both in her anthropomorphic form as also as the mighty stream, is hardly an aspect of Shiva in his Kalyana-Sundara manifestation in classical iconography, perhaps because in Puranic texts too Ganga’s emergence on the earth has been contended as subsequent to Shiva’s marriage with Parvati. Maybe, the river Ganga’s massive and bounteous presence in Bihar might have conditioned the mind of Madhubani painter for giving Ganga such pre-eminence in his painting.
Besides that in this painting Parvati has a figure as tall and prominent as the Shiva’s, in the Kalyana-Sundara iconographic tradition hers is the role as significant as Shiva’s; however, in this rendition of the theme, Ganga as mounting Shiva’s coiffure and flooding the entire space, seems to overshadow Parvati. Not merely visually pre-eminent, even otherwise Ganga seems to dominate Parvati’s presence. Parvati carries a ‘fish’ icon on her ‘antariya’ – lower garment, obviously, taking it as a presence that would ward off everything inauspicious in the course of her marriage. The fish – the Ganga’s inherent component, manifests Ganga’s presence in Parvati’s mind. Hence, this Kalyana-Sundara form of Shiva is as much his ‘Gangadhara’ form – Shiva bearing Ganga. In classical tradition in his Kalyana-Sundara form Shiva has been invariably represented as holding Parvati’s left hand and leading her as if circumambulating, not as putting on garlands. Unlike Parvati – the Shiva’s humble submissive companion, Ganga is vain and arrogant and it aptly reflects in her representation in the painting. In her adornment Ganga has a bridal touch in which reflects her envious mind.
Contained within a bold border, the painting represents Shiva and Parvati standing under a tree rising from their right, and with its branches extended to left unfurling over them like a leafy canopy. Shiva has been conceived with normal two hands carrying in them his usual trident and ‘damaru’ – double drum. He has a number of snakes crawling on his person, crescent around his forehead, a severed human head, around his waist, and the strangely conceived third eye on his forehead. However, outstanding, something foreign to his iconography, is his wedding costume, a lehenga-type broad skirt used in medieval courts, besides his ornaments on the waist, wrists, arms, feet, ears, neck and the laces of pearls defining his ‘jata’ – coiffure. In contrast to Parvati’s braided hair Shiva has split locks waving in curls. Parvati is in full bridal costume, the ‘antariya’ and ‘uttariya’ – upper wear, besides a cloak-type wear covering her entire figure from behind. Not merely the routine jewellery : ear-rings, anklets, forehead pendant, laces braiding her hair among others, she is putting on a wide range of bangles covering almost her full forearms, and a gems-studded nose-ring, essential wears of a bride.
This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.
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