Hindu Iconography
This course will discuss the Śilpakalā on the temple walls, and study the techniques of identifying (despite their ransack/plunder during Islamic invasions) and interpreting the hidden message these past sculptures offer.
Overview
सर्वप्रमाणरूपाय साकारतत्त्वमेव च ॥ ३ ॥
– ŚILPARATNAKŌŚA
Contents
Day 1
Introduction and Evolution of Hindu Iconography :
Books: Jābāla Upaniṣad, ṚgVeda, The Nighaṇṭu & the Nirukta, Śvetaṣvatāra Upaniṣad, Vedic Roots of Hindu Iconography, Coins of Ancient India, Epigraphia Indica.
Day 2
Classification of Sculpture of Hindu Devatā with Mudrās (Śarīra, Pāda, Hasta) :
Books: Elements of Hindu Iconography, Vāstu-Śāstra, Bṛhat Saṃhitā, Matsya Purāṇam, Agni Purāṇam, Iconography of Southern India, The Development of Hindu Iconography.
Day 3
Description of the Āyudhas and Vāhanas of Hindu Devatā :
Books: Elements of Hindu Iconography, Encyclopedia of Indian Iconography, Vāstū-Śāstra, Bṛhat Saṃhitā, Matsya Purāṇam, Agni Purāṇam, Many Heads Arms & Eyes.
Day 4
Āditya, Agni, Dvādaṣāditya, Navagrahas, Aṣtadikapālas, Gaṇapati :
Books: ṚgVeda, The Nighaṇṭu and The Nirukta, Vyāsa Navagṛaha stotrama, Astadikapāla stotrama, Elements of Hindu Iconography, Encyclopedia of Indian Iconography, Vāstū-śāstra, Bṛhat Saṃhitā, Matsya Purāṇam, Agni Purāṇam, Many Heads Arms & Eyes.
Day 5
Viṣṇu & his forms, Viṣṇu Consorts :
Books: Viṣṇu Purāṇam, The Nighaṇṭu & the Nirukta, Prasāda Mandanam, Aparājita Prucca, Elements of Hindu Iconography, Encyclopedia of Indian Iconography, Vāstū-śāstra, Many Heads Arms & Eyes.
Day 6
Śiva and His Forms :
Books: Śrīmat Kāmikāgama, Śrī Rudram Namakam Camakam, The Nighaṇṭu & the Nirukta, Prasāda Mandanam, Aparājita Prucca, Elements of Hindu Iconography, Encyclopedia of Indian Iconography, Vāstū-śāstra, South Indian Images of Gods & Goddesses.
Day 7
Brahmā, Brahmā Consort, Śakti, forms of Śakti, Saptamātrikās, Apsarās, Manmatha Rati, Aśvini Devatās, Nārada Tumburu, Saptaṛsi, Nāgas etc :
Books: Devī Māhātmaya, Saptamātrukā stotrama, Puranic Encyclopedia, Elements of Hindu Iconography, Encyclopedia of Indian Iconography, Vāstū-śāstra, South Indian Images of Gods & Goddesses.
Day 8
Prominent Visible Elements of Hindu Temples :
Books: Skanda Purāṇam, Indian Art, Samarāṇgana Sātradhāra, Prasāda Mandanam, Aparājita Prucca, Vāstū-śāstra, Studies in Indian Temple Architecture, Puranic Encyclopedia.
Session Recordings
Day 1
Introduction and Evolution of Hindu Iconography
Day 2
Classification of Sculpture of Hindu Devatā with Mudrās (Śarīra, Pāda, Hasta)
Day 3
Description of the Āyudhas and Vāhanas of Hindu Devatā
Day 4
Āditya, Agni, Dvādaṣāditya, Navagrahas, Aṣtadikapālas, Gaṇapati
Day 5
Viṣṇu & his forms, Viṣṇu Consorts
Day 6
Śiva and His Forms
Day 7
Brahmā, Brahmā Consort, Śakti, forms of Śakti, Saptamātrikās, Apsarās, Manmatha Rati, Aśvini Devatās, Nārada Tumburu, Saptaṛsi, Nāgas etc
Day 8
Prominent Visible Elements of Hindu Temples
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Key Takeaways
Discerned Svayambodha
Complete interpretation of the Hindu temple from spiritual and philosophical perspectives. Ability to identify all the gods, goddesses with their dedicated elements, and know the reason behind the specific placement of a mūrti.
Identifiable Learning Outcome
Through a process of involved-learning, participants will get worksheets and handouts for each session to go along with the facilitator. A small test will be conducted post each lesson to assess the learning outcome from the session. This gives scope to learners to make a note of the discussions in the handouts and mark a question to ask at the end of the session.
Who is this course for?
- While architecture is the physicality of a temple, Śilpa is its soul. A Hindu Temple (Devālayam) is an embodiment of the Hindu dharma that encompasses Bhārata. Every Hindu who wishes to understand temples in a better manner, wishes to propagate the meaning of temple to his peers and relations, and envisions a well-informed Hindu society is eligible.
Know your Instructors
Pankaj Saxena
Pankaj is an author on Hindu temples, arts, literature, history and culture. His writing explains the beauty of Sanātana Dharma through stories about traditions, communities and culture. He has a deep interest in cultural anthropology, evolutionary biology and ecology, and has visited more than 1600 Hindu temples.
Ramakrishna Kongalla
Śrī Ramakrishna Kongalla is an assistant professor of Indian Culture and Heritage at the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM), Government of India (GOI), Gwalior. A member of the parliamentary committee of Arts for Central Vista, he is a photographer and photoshopper at heart, working for the Reclaim Temples movement.
His interests include photographing temples across India and digitally reconstructing the ruined temples to their original forms. His specialisation is Heritage Interpretation, and he has travelled extensively in Bhārata, training tour guides across the country. He is also one of the content writers for the IITFC online course by the Ministry of Tourism, GOI, along with serving as a mentor for the Ministry of Education Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) initiative under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
He is active on social media and writes extensively on Temple Architecture and their Iconography with handles like lost_temples & @artist_rama.
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