Saha Sutra
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This is what transpires when a young London-based painter gets drawn towards Indian miniature paintings. Prof. B.N. Goswamy delights in his respect for the Indian tradition in Jethro Buck’s work, but also an impish desire to toss things around a bit, or, gravely, to involve the viewer in the act of…
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Vajrayana—the ‘Diamond Path’—the most commonly practised form of Buddhism in the Himalayan region is essentially esoteric and very hard for anyone from the outside to access. The range and the variety of images alone are staggering, writes Prof. B.N. Goswamy. Colour, direction, stance, weapons,…
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With 6,050 individual photographs, contained in 105 albums and some loose prints, and 1,941 glass plate negatives containing 2,008 images, Sawai Ram Singh II of Jaipur deservedly carries the reputation of having been a ‘Photographer Prince’. Prof. B.N. Goswamy writes about the royal’s passion for…
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During a trip to the Salarjung Museum in Hyderabad, Prof. B.N. Goswamy was shown a most sumptuous-looking edition of one of the great classics of English literature—even if it is essentially a translation—Edward FitzGerald’s rendering of the ‘Rubai’yat of Omar Khayyam’. Here he writes about how…
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Vrindavan Vastra is a 400-year-old traditional textile from Assam, woven with the theme of Krishna’s various exploits. Prof. B.N. Goswamy traces the travels a particular piece from Assam to Tibet to London; from a Vaishnava setting to a Buddhist monastery; from being a hanging filled with ‘monsters…
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The Bhagavad-Gita, one knows, is not an easy text to ‘illustrate’, for it is essentially philosophical in nature, filled with complex and abstruse thoughts. However, in the volume, ‘La Bhagavadgita illustree par la Peinture Indienne’, the editor and publisher draw upon a host of images that lead…
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Most people know the legend of Holika and Prahlad as the reason for celebrating Holi, but how many also know of Bhrigu and Agni? We all play with colours, but there is a sect where ritual demands throwing mud and hurling abuses. We explore lesser-known traditions and practices of the festival. (…
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The observance of the holy month of Ramzan is an important element of Islamic religious practice. However, not many know that the concept of fasting and Ramzan/Ramadan as ‘month of abstinence’ is actually pre-Islamic. Sahapedia traces the history and development of Ramzan as a religious practice. (…
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Drinking tea is a part of everyday existence for most Indians. But, not known to many, tea became a popular beverage after a push from the British East India Company in the late-eighteenth century. Over the years, small thelas and hole-in-the-wall teashops have ensured its continuity—such as the…
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Much like the role of a library, a museum’s responsibility is to make heritage a part of our lives. And to that end, the development of digital curation for cultural pursuits cannot be ignored anymore. Here’s a pick of lesser-known museums that have a virtual presence, enabling us to enrich our…
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