Varahi: One of the Sapta-Matrikas

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Item Code: OR22
Specifications:
Oil on Canvas
Dimensions 36 inches X 48 inches
Handmade
Handmade
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Free delivery
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Fully insured
100% Made in India
100% Made in India
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Fair trade
This painting, reproducing in a different medium and with different dimensions an early masterpiece, a miniature, comprising part of a Tantrika Devi series of around 1660-65 from Basohli, the pioneer centre of Pahari art school and trend-setter for the entire art activity of the hill states, represents Varahi, one of the Sapta-Matrikas – Seven Mothers. For those in Shakta line, Varahi manifests Varaha’s cosmic energy and his operative force, and whatever his exploits, Varahi is his key to success.

Along with other Matrikas Varahi has an early origin. At their earliest Matrikas are alluded to in the great epic Mahabharata, though the concerned part of the text is widely believed to be a later addition of about the first century AD. In early sources the number of Matrikas varies from seven to sixteen, and sometimes even more, but subsequently it standardized as seven and so their Sapta-Matrikas epithet. As denote allusions made to them, their shrines, and the worship-rites offered to them, in literary writings – Bhasa’s Charudatta, Shudraka’s Mracchakatika, or Banabhatta’s Harsha-Charita, Matrikas were well established deities by around fourth-fifth centuries. In sculptures Matrikas begin having a noticeable presence from the seventh-eighth century. Many of the seventh-eighth century temples, in Central India in special, have Sapta-Matrika panels over their main entrances just above the lintel carrying dwaja-deity icon – mini image of the deity that enshrines the sanctum sanctorum. As such, Matrikas seem to have been known to masses much before many of the Puranas came into existence.

The Puranic vision of their emergence is however different. The version which is most relied on comes from the Devi-Mahatmya in the Markandeya Purana. As Devi-Mahatmya has it in its third Canto, when the Great Goddess was confronting the mighty demons Shumbha and Nishumbha and the battle was getting tougher, the male gods who were witnessing the battle created their Shaktis – their female counterparts, for assisting the Devi achieve her target. The number of Shaktis that they created was seven, Brahma created Brahmani; Shiva, Maheshwari; Karttikeya, Kumari; Vishnu, Vaishnavi; Vishnu as Varaha, Varahi; as Narasimha, Narasimhi; and Indra, Aindri. As they were male gods’ counterparts, they had male gods’ like appearance and attributes – completely different from the forms they had in the Mahabharata and other early sources. In later texts, Matrikas’ forms and attributes have been most variedly portrayed; however, their status as the feminine aspects of their male counterparts remained unchanged. The Devi Bhagavata contends that Sapta Matrikas were Devi’s own Shaktis she invoked for assisting her eliminate Shumbha and Nishumbha and forces of evil. The Shiva Maha Purana and other Shaivite texts attribute the emergence of Matrikas to Shiva who created them to assist Virabhadra in destroying the yajna of Daksha and kill him.

Her sow head being a feature common in all texts, this form of the goddess, a reproduction of her form as represented in a seventeenth century Basohli miniature, is widely different from the form as given in various canonical texts. In Anshumadbhedagama she is said to have normal two hands carrying in them a plough and shakti, and an elephant being her mount. Vishnudharmottara adds to her form a big belly and four more hands carrying in them danda, khadga, khetaka and pasha, while the other two, being held in abhaya and varada. The Purvakaranagama and Rupamandana conceive her form with yet other sets of attributes; and, finally, Devi Purana visualises her as carrying skull-bowl and drinking blood from it – a strictly Shaivite transform of the goddess.

In this representation the goddess has the usual sow head with fangs jutting out; however, not two or six arms, she has been conceived here with ten arms carrying in the five of them on the right side sword, arrow, disc, bowl, and mace, and in those on the left, conch, lotus, bow, shield, and trident-cum-spear. Most of her attributes – disc, conch, mace and lotus in the main, are Vaishnavite linking her with Varaha, a Vishnu’s incarnation, whereas the trident and bowl, as also bow and arrow, Shiva’s attributes in his Ishan or archer manifestation, link her with Shaivite line. This duality is not however mutually contradicting but rather better reveals her being. Created by Vishnu’s Varaha incarnation but to assist the Devi in the Shaivite line Varahi was Vaishnavite in origin but Shaivite in role. Not an elephant, the goddess rides in the painting a majestic tiger that not only overshadows the Devi’s figure by its amplitude but also covers the entire breadth of the canvas. She has her head held aloft with air of pride but the rest of her figure does not reveal that majesty. Except the use of beetle-wings which Basohli artists had used for creating dazzling effects and blue-green colour, the artist has represented the goddess in typical Basohli mode, more so in the style of her crown, a characteristic Basohli feature.

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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Oil painting technique – India centric

Oil painting is the most interesting technique in art. Unlike other paintings or art forms, oil painting is a process in which colored pigments are painted on the canvas with a drying oil medium as a binder. This medium helps colors blend beautifully to create layers and also makes them appear rich and dense. Several varieties of oil are used in this painting such as sunflower oil, linseed oil, etc., and depending on the quality of the oil, a particular consistency of the paint is developed. With the use of an oil medium, the painting gets a natural sheen on the surface which appears extremely attractive. India is famous for its old tradition of making oil paintings. This art form was brought by Europeans in the 18th century and is now practiced by almost all well-known artists. Nirmal, a small tribal town in the state of Telangana is the center of traditional oil paintings in India where the local people practice it with dedication. Most Indian artists still use the traditional technique of oil painting.

Canvas of the required size is prepared

The artists use either a wood panel or canvas made from linen or cotton. Sometimes the canvas is stretched onto the wooden frame to form a solid base, or cardboard may be used. The canvas is coated with a layer of white paint or chalk mixed with animal glue. This mixture is then smoothed and dried to form a uniform, textured surface. The wooden panel is more expensive and heavier but its solidity is an advantage in making detailed paintings with ease.
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Sketch is drawn on the canvas

Now the artist starts to draw the subject of the painting on the canvas using the actual charcoal or a charcoal pencil. Sometimes, he may sketch with thinned paint as well.
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Oil paint is applied using paint brushes or palette knives

Now that the rough sketch is prepared, the artist is now ready to paint. Oil paint, a special paint that contains particles of pigments suspended in a drying oil (usually linseed oil), is again mixed with oil to make it thinner for applying it on the canvas. Proper consistency of the paint is maintained to avoid its breakage. The most important rule for the application of oil paint is “Fat over lean” in which the first layer of paint is thin and later, thicker layers are applied. This means that each additional layer of paint contains more oil. This results in getting a stable paint film. Traditionally, paint was applied using paint brushes but now the artists also use palette knives to create crisp strokes. To paint using this technique, the edge of the palette knife is used to create textured strokes that appear different from that of a paintbrush. Sometimes, oil paints are blended simply using fingers for getting the desired gradation.
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Smaller oil paintings, with very fine detail, are relatively easier to paint than larger ones. The most attractive feature of these paintings is the natural shiny appearance that is obtained on the surface because of the use of oil paint. The blending of colors looks extremely realistic and this is the reason why oil paintings are loved by everyone throughout the world.
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