The Story of Abhimanyu
Abhimanyu was the son of the Pandava warrior, Arjuna born to Subhadra, his second wife who was also the younger sister to Lord Krishna. The story thus begins just before Abhimanyu was born.
While Abhimanyu was still in his mother’s womb, Sri Krishna used to take Subhadra on day trips. To humor her, Krishna used to relate many of his adventures to the pregnant Subhadra.
On one such excursion Krishna was narrating Arjuna’s experience with the technique of Chakra-vyuha (a circular grid) and how step-by-step the various circles could be penetrated.
Nonetheless, Subhadra was not intrigued by the warfare techniques and she soon fell asleep while Shree Krishna recounted the tales of the Chakra-vyuha. However, although Subhadra wasn’t –someone else was interested in Sri Krishna’s narration– the yet to be born Abhimanyu.
While Subhadra dozed off, Abhimanyu continued to carefully follow Sri Krishna’s narrative of the Chakra-vyuha. But, after talking for some time and not receiving any response from Subhadra, Sri Krishna realised that she was savouring a sweet nap.
Sri Krishna, who had at that time come up to the seventh step of the Chakra-vyuha, gave up his narration and returned with Subhadra to the palace. The unfortunate Abhimanyu could never obtain the technique of breaking all the circles in the chakra-vyuha, but whatever he had heard Sri Krishna say, he carefully preserved in his memory.
Abhimanyu grew up to be a brave, handsome young man. And years later, during the war of Kurukshetra, on the 13th day of the war the Kauravas set up a Chakra-vyuha and challenged the Pandavas to come forward and break it. While it was only Arjuna (who was deliberately kept busy on another side of the battlefield, along with lord Krishna) knew the technique of breaking in and getting out of the dreaded formation, Abhimanyu came forward to take up the challenge of breaking the chakra-vyuha.
Despite Yudisita's refusal, he insisted and he accepted promising that he and his brothers would follow him close into the circle and thus, despite his incomplete knowledge of the technique he entered the grid and overcame one circle after another.
Cunning and clever however were the Kuaravas who gave no chance for the Pandavas to follow Abhimanyu and he was left alone. He continued nevertheless and broke each circle until he came to the seventh one, the breaking of which he had no knowledge. Brave and ambitious as he was, he fought valiantly in the unequal struggle but in vain. Duryodhana and Dussasana shot him arrows from behind and killed him in the most gruesome and ruthless manner. He was disarmed yet they had no mercy.
His strength and bravery proved no match against the skillfully laid out maze of warriors, upon fighting whom, he met his end- smiling and proud of himself.
The death of Abhimanyu was a turning point of the war and the very next day Arjuna avenged the death of his son by unleashing a reign of terror on the Kauravas and slaying a thousand of them.
Abhimanyu remains the symbol of bravery and sacrifice. His deed has inspired generations and continues to do so.
Abhimanyu, the brave warrior has inspired artisans from across India to create masterpieces in tribute to him.
ArtisansCrest, features the Prakranta in Woodcraft – accolade the bravery of the young Abhimanyu who gave up his life for the honor of his family. Get in touch with us at contact@artisanscrest.com to own this piece of Indian tradition or contact us to have our dedicated team of artisans make you a customized artifact, based on your tastes.
Case Study: SREI Radha Krishna
At Artisanscrest, our exclusive team of artisans works closely with our clients in order to customize and co-create an exquisite masterpiece, created to suit their exact requirements.
Recently, SREI looked to add a touch of culture and mythology to their New Delhi office and got in touch with us to create a Radha Krishna statue for them. They gave our team the initial briefing and provided us with a few reference images.
The love story of Radha and Krishna has long inspired rural craftsmen and artisans to create beautiful and exquisite works of art and this project posed a challenge to our expert team of artisans to create something slightly different from the usual products. The artisans chose to work with sandstone as a medium given the stone’s durability and then got to work.
This exquisite sculpture depicts Lord Krishna as a cowherd in Vrindavan, sitting under the shade of a tree and playing a flute while his cows look up adoringly at him. By his side stands Radha, his spiritual equal, lovingly embracing Krishna and enjoying a rare moment with her beloved, away from daily life. This masterpiece in sandstone pays tribute to the divine love between Radha and Krishna while showcasing the love and adoration Krishna commands among His devotees even to this day.
This intricately carved statue now enjoys pride of place in the New Delhi offices of SREI.
Get in touch with us and work with our team of artisans to create your own piece of art, straight out of the books of the Great Indian artistic tradition.
Kama Deva - The God of love
The Eros of the Greek, the Cupid of the Romans, The Kama Deva in Hinduism. Classically represented as a handsome, winged young man, wielding a bow and arrow, Kamadeva, is the God of human love and passion is known to awaken carnal desires among humans.
Kama Deva is a distinct god in the Hindu pantheon of Gods. Straying away from acts of war and destruction, his sole purpose is to create the atmosphere of love and to arouse passion and longing among those who are struck by his cosmic arrow. Visualized as sitting on a large parrot, Kamadev’s love weapon of choice is a bow made of sugarcane with a string of honeybees. Each of the arrows in his arsenal are adorned with five kind of fragrance to incite every sense—the Asoka tree flowers, the lotus, the blue lily, the jasmine and the mango flowers- the Asoka tree flowers represent fertility, the lotus represents purity in life, the blue lily represents peace and tranquility, the jasmine induces the heightened sensitivity related to seduction and the mango flowers represent prosperity and fulfillment.
The birth of Kamadeva, the God of love has been accounted in several different ways. Some Puranas state that Kamadeva was created from the mind of Lord Brahma while according to other beliefs, He is son of Sri.
Kama manifests through sensuous love, longing or sexual desire while Deva means heavenly or divine. Hence, in the Atharva-Veda, Kama is described as desire and not merely an act of sex.
While lord Kamadev is said to be the God of Love, his wife Rati, is the Goddess of Love.
To invoke love from the person you are in love with, you need to chant the 'Kleem Mantra', which his said to be quite powerful. Not just lovers, but dancers and performers too are often advised to chant this mantra and worship Kama Dev, to retain their charm, grace and beauty and remain an evergreen performer.
Without the presence of Lord Kama, they say the world turn barren and infertile, hence, eventually come to an end.
As the God of love, and in his close traditional relation to the ascetic Lord Shiva, Kama speaks to the ability of the supreme divinity to absorb aspects of both asceticism and eroticism. While Shiva is proof of the power of asceticism, the bland and desolate world which resulted from his impetuous incineration of Kama is tantamount proof of the poignant necessity of love and desire.’
Kama Deva has inspired artisans from across India to create masterpieces in tribute to him. While several portray him in the classical representations, sculptors have also used the legends and the mythology of this unique deity to create sculptures and paintings devoted to the idea of love and the sensual appeal that Lord Kama awakens in human beings.
At Artisanscrest, our dedicated team of artisans works closely with the customer to co-create a unique masterpiece exclusively for them. Get in touch with us with an idea and watch our skilled team bring it to life through an art form which has endured over the ages.Saraswati: The Divine Wisdom
Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, music and art is worshipped and revered as a goddess of knowledge and wisdom not only in Hindu religion but also in many ancient cultures.
There have been references of goddess Saraswati since the early Vedic period. In the Rigveda, Saraswati is a river as well as its personification as a goddess. In the post-Vedic age, she began to lose her status as a river goddess and became increasingly associated with literature, arts, music, etc.
In Hinduism, Saraswati represents intelligence, consciousness, cosmic knowledge, creativity, education, enlightenment, music, the arts, eloquence and power.
Saraswati was born out of the creator of the universe, Brahma's mouth. Hence, she is believed to be the daughter of Lord Brahma. Some believe that Lord Brahma was so enchanted by her beauty that he married her.
In most iconographies, Goddess Saraswati is depicted as a beautiful woman dressed in pure white with an ocean-like calm face. She is portrayed as playing a Veena while sitting on a bloomed white lotus flower. In most images a swan and a peacock accompanies Her.
In the East Indian states of Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa: Saraswati is considered to be a daughter of Durga along with her sister Lakshmi and her brothers Ganesha and Karthikeya. We get references of Saraswati in Buddhist religion too. Saraswati is known as a guardian deity in Buddhism who upholds the teachings of Gautama Buddha by offering protection and assistance to practitioners.
In India, Saraswati is revered so much that when a person accidentally treads upon a book or pen( any manifestation of the goddess) the person feels obligated to feel apology and do the gesture of "Pranama".
Saraswati has inspired many artisans and master craftsmen to create beautiful works of art including sculptures, paintings and other masterpieces. Saraswati is traditionally represented as holding a book, a rosary, a water pot and a musical instrument. Each of these items symbolically represents what Saraswati means to millions of believers. The book represents knowledge, the rosary represents the divine power of meditation, the pot of water represents the power to purify right from wrong and the musical instrument represents the creative arts and sciences.
At Artisanscrest, our dedicated team of artists and craftsmen are eager to work in close collaboration with you to co-create your own exclusive part of art history. Get in touch with us at contact@artisanscrest.com and create your own masterpiece.
Planning a statue outdoors? Keep this in mind
Planning an outdoor installation of a statue or a fountain comes in with its own pros and cons.
Just like clutter or awkward furniture positioning inside your home, garden statues that don’t quite fit just right can really make your yard look cramped, messy, and even tacky. However, take a moment to plan out the installation and you instantly transform a regular yard into an artistic wonderland. With that in mind, here are a few things to keep in mind when you are looking to decorate your yard with sculptures or statues:
1) Choose the right theme: The yard makes the first impression on any visitor to your home. Therefore, it is extremely important to chose the right theme when planning an outdoor art installation. Choose a theme that best conveys the impression you would like to make on anybody who comes home. For instance, choosing a Buddha statue creates a 'Zen-like' and harmonious atmosphere and creates a welcoming atmosphere to your guests.
2) Place them at easily visible places: The entire idea behind decorating the yard with some art is so that it is easily visible and can be appreciated by all. Based on the design of your house and your yard, place your statues in such a place which can be easily spotted in open spaces.
3) Use the installation to highlight other aspects of your lawn: In addition to the statue, if your lawn has other functional or visual elements, choose a decor theme which would highlight their beauty and usefulness as well. Place statues near benches placed outdoors, or place them near well manicured hedges or leafy arches. Choose a statue which would complement the existing elements in your yard to create a harmonious and synergistic atmosphere
4) Keep it simple: When it comes to outdoor design, a simple design is always the best design. Choosing a large and clunky statue can offset the visual impression and create a negative experience. Choose something simple, functional and visually appealing.
When choosing to decorate your yard, it is important to put a whole lot of 'You' into the project. At Artisanscrest, our dedicated team of artisans and craftsmen work along with you, basis your unique requirements to create a beautiful work of art which is exclusively yours. Get in touch with us and make your yard the home of your very own, stunning masterpiece.
Sun Temple, Konark: A Story of Grit, Valour, Triumph & Sacrifice
The Sun Temple at Konark stands testimony to an architectural magnificence that has continued to challenge the imagination of the modern civilization. Built in mid 12th century, this edifice of grandeur was supposedly 229 ft or 70 mt in height at the time of its unveiling.
The temple was constructed in the shape of a gigantic chariot, an ode to the Sun God with 12 pairs of ornately crafted stone wheels, each 3 meters in width. The chariot was pulled by a set of seven intricately designed horses (4 on the right and 3 on the left). The wheels of the temples actually were sundials, which were used to accurately calculate time to the minute of the day and the night.
According to lore, as Narsimhadeva 1 was drawing up his plan for a grand temple, in another part of his kingdom lived Bishu Maharana, a brilliant artisan and the man finally to be appointed as the chief of the architects for the temple construction.
Bishu presented the theme of the construction of the main temple. The temple was to resemble a chariot, a symbolic ode to the Sun God. The wheels of the chariot would be designed in a way so that the time of the day and night is measured to the minutes. The walls of the temple would capture various human expressions and social stigmas. The King was extremely happy about the theme, being well aware on various forms of art, he had immediately agreed to it. However, the work was not without difficulties and soon stretched into a longer enterprise than anyone had imagined, much to the impatience of the king. Finally, with most of the work completed, the crown of the temple was left to be finished. It was here that Bishu and his team ran into several roadblocks and delayed the delivery of the final crown. The king, losing patience, provided an ultimatum to the artisans: finish the work within a month or face being beheaded. As the artisans were panic stricken, word travelled back to Bishu’s village where his son Dharma, now a young lad of 12 and well versed in the secrets of the craft, having learnt them through an old artisan who had worked on a temple in his village, decided to come and help his father build the temple crown.
Working in secret, after dusk, Dharma managed to complete the crown within a span of few hours. However, the other artisans were terrified of what the king may do if he found out that a 12 year old had managed to accomplish what they had not. At this point, Dharma understood that it was time for a sacrifice and after saluting his father for a final time, he climbed the steeple and awaited the first rays of the sun. As they hit the crown, he leapt into the deep blue ocean, giving his life so that his father and the artisans could gain theirs again. His sacrifice ensured that his tale would go down in legends and continue to endure even as Konark itself faded away.
At ArtisansCrest, we work with artisans who draw their lineage to this bygone era of immaculate artisanship and in due course would possibly unravel a Dharma who would manage to create marvels like the Sun Temple, Konark. Get in touch with us, collaborate and co-create your own masterpiece, filled with history and a testimony to a brave son who gave his life to create a masterpiece.
Buddha's Tales of Wisdom
While a half-blind fox was ensnared by a python in his coils and was fighting to save his life, an ordinary peasant of the forest helped the fox escape from his predator. Although the python let go the fox, he captured the peasant, trying to kill the man. To this the half-blind fox ran in to a village field where a group of men who were ploughing field and ran away with their clothing. The villagers chased after the fox eventually reaching the helpless man clenched by the poisonous python. Finally, they released him from the coils of the python.
The story, depicts an act of generosity and gratefulness, which the man had for the animal and the animal who in spite of having physical challenges returned back the favor.
Gautam Buddha often recited such tales from his antecedent births, to explain concepts like the law of Karma and Rebirth and to emphasize the significance of certain moral values.
India has always had a rich heritage of oral storytelling and folklore across it’s length and breadth. Various religious sects and wise men have made extensive use of stories along their preaching.
Buddha’s Tales— generates a cosmos of wisdom, collectively known as the Jatakas—often recollecting the stories from his previous incarnations in forms of Elephants and Snakes.
The Jatakas tales embody the ethical system of Buddha’s insights into the natural laws that govern all existence. They also lay emphasize on human values contributing to a harmonious life.
Like most other folktales coming from various religious saints from the past, Jataka tales too played and continue to play in some `societies an enormous role in the generosity. With the Buddhist monks teaching the children in the monasteries , Jataka stories eventually took up a prominent place in primary education.
The Wisdom tales of of Buddha not just inspired literature but it has also successfully left it’s traces on paintings, sculptures and architectures in different parts of the world.
King Dutugemunu of Anuradhapura (2nd Century B.C.) had the inside shrine room of the Ruvanveliseya embellished with murals depicting scenes from Jataka stories. Fa Hin, who visited Sri Lanka in the fifth century A.D. recorded that festival times the city of Anuradhapura was festooned with paintings from the Jataka stories.
These stories of Buddha have gone on to inspire countless artisans across India to create beautiful sculptures and paintings honouring Lord Buddha and his teachings. Get in touch with us and work closely with our dedicated team of artisans to co-create your own masterpiece today.
Lakshmi: The Bringer of wealth
Lakshmi, also called Laxmi, is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, luxury, beauty, fertility, and auspiciousness. She holds the promise of material fulfillment and contentment. She is described as restless, whimsical yet maternal, with her arms raised to bless and to grant her blessings.
The Goddess Lakshmi occupies an important place in the Hindu pantheon of Gods. As the consort of Lord Vishnu, she is one of the most influential deities and is worshipped across the world by believers. According to legend, she emerged when the devas and asuras were in the midst of churning the divine ocean to gain Amrut, the divine nectar. As she emerged, she carried a garland and placed it on Lord Vishnu, denoting him as her divine consort and helping him maintain the universe’s wealth.
There are several forms in which the Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped. A common representation of her is at the feet of her divine consort, Lord Vishnu, massaging his feet as they both relax on the ocean of divine bliss. She is depicted as an immensely beautiful woman whose four hands represent the four ends of life – Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. The hands at the back hold lotus buds to signify the purity of the soul. The right front hand provides blessings while the left front hand has gold coins falling from it, which provides wealth and prosperity to the devotees.
Images of Lakshmi started appearing around the third century BC in sculptures found in Kausambi, in north India, and on coins issued during the reign of the Gupta dynasty around the fourth century AD. She became a favourite of kings as more and more people believed she was the bestower of power, wealth and sovereignty. Separate shrines to Lakshmi within the precincts of Vishnu temples may have been built as early as the seventh century; such shrines were definitely in existence by the 10th century AD.
Lakshmi is the divine power that transforms dreams into reality. She is prakriti, the perfect creation: self-sustaining, self-contained Nature. She is maya, the delightful delusion, the dream-like expression of divinity that makes life comprehensible, hence worth living. She is shakti, energy, boundless and bountiful. To worship her is to rejoice in the wonders of life.
At Artisanscrest, our skilled team of artisans have created several tributes to this divine deity in the form of beautiful paintings, exquisite carvings and magnificent sculptures in stone and other materials. Explore our range of products hailing the divinity of the Goddess Lakshmi or get in touch with us to create your own, special artifact. Contact us and let us bring the Goddess home to you.
Shiva - Har Har Mahadev
Out of the stories of the holy trinity of Hinduism, Brahma is renowned for his wisdom, Vishnu for his desire to seek balance in this world. However, stories of the third and most terrifying member of the Hindu holy trinity, Shiva are frequently filled with instances of his anger and wrath, thus earning him the name of the God of Destruction.
According to mythology, Shiva is responsible for change both in the form of death and destruction, but spiritually, the worship of Shiva is also said to be positive in the sense of destroying the go and the negative characteristics within us, thus allowing us to let go of the negativity and then go ahead and make a change in our lives.
Shiva is best known for his anger – he is said to have hacked off the head of his son Ganesha when the youngster denied him entry to the chamber where his mother was bathing. Shiva is also said to have reduced Kama Deva, the god of love, into ash by opening his third eye and turning it on him. Now, while his anger is one of the more recognizeable characteristics of this God, he is also known for his benevolence and kindness to his devotees, rewarding those who worhip him with devotion and unwavering focus. The demon king of Lanka, Ravana was said to have received countless boons at the hands of Lord Shiva who was impressed by the intense tapasya Ravana went through in order to be blessed with a vision of him.
The actual image of Shiva is also uniquely different from other deities: his hair is piled high on the top of his head, with a crescent tucked into it and the river Ganges tumbling from his hair. Around his neck is a coiled serpent representing Kundalini, the spiritual energy within life. He holds a trident in his left hand, in which is bound the 'damroo' (small leather drum). He sits on a tiger skin and on his right is a water pot. He wears the 'Rudraksha' beads, and his whole body is smeared with ash. Shiva is also often portrayed as the supreme ascetic with a passive and composed disposition. Sometimes he is depicted riding a bull called Nandi, decked in garlands. Iconically, he is worshipped in the form of a Shiva Linga, a round stone which can be found in Shiva temples everywhere and is thought to be a representation of the raw sexual power of Shiva.
On artisanscrest.com, we have an extensive range of products related to different depictions of Lord Shiva: as the destroyer, as the God who unleashes the cosmic dance which signals the end of the world and also the softer, family man who rests on Mount Kailash with his wife Parvati and his children, Ganesha and Karthikeya.
Our dedicated team of artisans is on hand to work with you and co-create your very own exclusive masterpiece so get in touch with us and create your very own, unique piece of artistic history and tradition.
The Dos and Don’t’s while placing Buddha Statues as Home Decor
Peace, tranquility, harmony and balance. Those are words often associated with the Buddhism, and thus the Buddha's likeness has become a popular presence in many homes as a centerpiece or accessory, even amongst non-believers.
While sometimes controversial, in that Buddha’s likeness has been used in several items of merchandising which can be seen as disrespectful, most buyers seek to honour the founder of Buddhism and his teachings and beliefs by placing these statues in strategic locations around their home in order to spread positive energy and peace and tranquility. Now, before purchasing and placing a Buddha statue in the home, here are a couple of things to keep in mind. Some of these are general principles that involve good taste and avoiding disrespect. A few have to do with using Buddha statues to enhance the balance of chi, or energy, in the home using the science of Feng Shui.
Placing a Buddha statue in a part of the home that enjoys good energy already is the most auspicious choice. A beautiful vista or restful, uncluttered room has better chi than one confronted by jutting angles or noxious outdoor lights at night or loud street noise through a window. Views of electrical wires, large bridges, or looming high rise buildings could also be associated with disruptive chi and can undermine the effect of placing a Buddha in the room.
Never place a Buddha statue on the floor or near the soles of your shoes; this is not appropriate and may be disrespectful. Instead, use a table or altar to display the statue. It is a good idea to place a piece of red paper under the Buddha to add a symbol of luck to an altar placement. As an alternative, you can get a Buddha as a canvas art painting and hang it on the wall.
It is also disrespectful to store a decorative Buddha figure in a safe or vault. It is acceptable to keep a Buddha on the shelf with closing doors, however. Also keep it away from messy or unkempt parts of the home, especially the bathroom.
Great locations for a Buddha figurine include the study or office reception desk, in your meditation garden, or where yoga is practiced. If a decorative Buddha figure is placed in a car, it should face forward. In the garden, the statue should face the home to bring abundance and prosperity. Indoors, keep the statue facing into the room unless it is facing the main entrance from another angle, to block negative energy and greet visitors.
The material of the statue also matters in its placement. The compass directions east and west are associated with wood and metal, respectively. A wood statue in the metal area of the home or vice versa can cause a sense of discord.
The position of the Buddha’s hands is also significant. If the Buddha is seated with hands forming an oval, this symbolizes inward attention or meditation and can be placed in a Zen garden facing east. If the Buddha holds one hand upward and one hand downward, this depicts a blessing of compassion and fearlessness. The blessing Buddha should be placed in an area that has weak chi or depleted energy.
If the Buddha holds both hands in front of his heart with the index fingers touching the thumb, this represents the sharing of knowledge and would be well placed in a study or den. By touching his thumb with the ring finger, he attracts wealth and good fortune and thus should be placed in the southeast area of the home.
Our dedicated team of artisans has created many masterpieces inspired by the Buddha and his teachings. Featuring the Lord Buddha in a variety of poses across different mediums, these exquisitely designed artifacts stay true to the fabled depictions of the Buddha and serve as representations of his teachings.
At Artisanscrest.com, we invite you to work with our team of dedicated craftsmen to customize your own little piece of tradition. Get in touch with us and co-create a masterpiece in an art form that has endured the test of time.