Ganesha

India is truly a treasure house of sculptural art.

Spread throughout its length and breadth are memorials of carved temples, stunningly intricate designs , and other sculptural artifacts.

Stone craft in India has been in existence for a very long time. From ancient times to the present, this craft has traveled a long distance. In its course it developed many styles as the Maurya, The Gandhara, the Mogul and many more.

The artisans of Orissa , especially Puri are under the most accomlpished of their trade. In fact they are Artists themselves , giving each stone life energy and a special vibe in expressing their love to indian sculpturing, indian history, mythology and religion.
They are proud not to use any machines , any other tools than centuries back ,namely hammer and chisel.

Many of the religious statues like Ganesh ( remover of obstacles ), Krishna(source of all pleasure), ,Durga ( female power ) , Saraswati ( goddess of knowledge), Lakshmi ( goddess of wealth ) Apsaras ( Temple dancers ) Shiva (the transformer , destroyer ) Brahma ( the creator ) Vishnu ( the presever ), are replicas of the Konark Temple , one of the sacred places of India situated near Puri. The stone artisans draw much of their inspiration from these monuments and statues. Most of the statues in the state of Orissa show similarity in form and details to the sculptures of the Jagannath Temple at Puri and Konark Temple .

Anjali Mudra

• Made with two hands joined vertically in front of the chest, as in the attitude of prayer.
• Evokes an offering of good feelings of one towards another
• Also indicates veneration if it is made at the level of the face
• This Mudra is reserved for praying figures – which often accompany a statue of the Buddha in the art of India or South East Asia.

Vitarka Mudra

The hand is held closer to the chest than in the Abhaya Mudra. The palm is facing outward. A circle is made with the index finger and the thumb. The other three fingers point upward. Initially made with the right hand, later on the gesture is often portrayed with both hands
Sometimes also substituted for the Dharmachakra Mudra

• Sometimes called “Mudra of Explanation”
• This Mudra is made with both hands in Abhaya and Varada, but with the thumbs touching the tips of the forefingers.
• Symbolises one of the phases of the teaching of the Buddha, that of discussion or dispensation of the Dharma.
• This is the Mudra that convinces listeners and leads them to conversion or enlightenment.
• Variant of the Mudra:
  Thumb may not completely touch the forefinger, or it may extend beyond it on the side

Varada Mudra

The hand lowered with the palm facing outward is the gesture of bestowing blessings or of giving charity. The hand is extended downward, palm out. Mostly on standing Buddha images, but sometimes also represented in the sitting position.

• Mudra offering, giving, welcome, charity, compassion and sincerity
• It is the Mudra of the accomplishment of the wish to devote oneself to human salvation
• It is nearly always made with the left hand
• Various variant of the Varada Mudra:
• Rarely used alone, usually in combination with another mudra made with the right hand often Abhaya.

Abhaya Mudra

• Symbolises protection, benevolence and peace, and the dispelling of fear
• Generally made with right hand raised to shoulder height, the arm crooked, the palm of the hand facing outward, the fingers upright and joined
• This mudra – appears to be a natural gesture, probably used in prehistoric times as a sign of good intentions
• The hands raised and unarmed proposes friendship, or peace
• Traditional Indian gesture of appeasement made by the Buddha when. He was attacked by an angry elephant, which immediately calmed the animal.

Dhyana Mudra

• Mudra of meditation and concentration and of attainment of spiritual perfection.
• Assumed to be the mudra the Buddha adopted when meditating and reaching enlightment under the Pipal tree.
• Gesture also adopted since time immemorial by yogis during concentration and mediation excercises.
• Indicating perfect balance of thought, rest of senses and tranquility.
• May be made with one or both hands. When made with a single hand the left one is placed in the lap, while the right may be engaged elsewhere. The left hand making the Dhyana mudra in such cases symbolizes the female left-hand principle of wisdom. Ritual objects such as a text, or more commonly an alms bowl symbolizing renunciation, may be placed in the open palm of this left hand.
• When made with both hands, the hands are generally held at the level of the stomach or on the thighs. The right hand is placed above the left, with the palms facing upwards, and the fingers extended. In some cases the thumbs of the two hands may touch at the tips, thus forming a mystic triangle.
• Position of the Samadhi mudra with the joined thumbs forming a triangle is symbolic of the Triratna (Three Jewels) namely the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The triangular form also indicates the firmness of the body and of the mind.

Bhumisparsha Mudra

• This mudra literally means “gesture of touching the earth”
• Portrays the Buddha taking the earth as witness
• Symbol that the temptations of Mara had failed to divert the Buddha from his resolve
• Describes the moment in life of Gautama Buddha when, armed with his resolve to remain seated under the Bodhi tree until he has solved the problem of the cessation of suffering, he took the earth as testimony that no temptation has thwarted him from his purpose.
• Typical of the representation of the historical Buddha – Buddha seated in the lotus position, the right hand touching the ground with the finger tips near the right knee, all the fingers extended, or only with the tip of the forefinger, while the left hand rests, palm upwards, in the hollow of the thighs.

Dharmachakra Mudra

• This is the position of the “Turning of the Wheel of Dharma.”
• It symbolises one of the most important moments in the life of the Buddha, the occasion when He preached to his former companions the first sermon after His Enlightenment, in the Deer Park at Sarnath.
• Generally reserved for the images of Gautama Buddha
• Position of the Dharmacakra mudra – two hands placed together in front of the breast, with the right palm forward and the left palm upward or facing the breast, the joined thumb and index fingers of each hand nearly touching those of the other.