Chanderi, the historic town of warp and weft!

During my heritage tour to Madhya Pradesh last month, I visited the weaver cluster of Chanderi; a small town near the banks of the Betwa river in Ashok Nagar district, and my dream of meeting weavers of saree finally came true! There is something alluring about witnessing a weaver immersed at the loom, transforming cotton/silk pods/threads into one of the most celebrated traditional garments; a handwoven saree! Visiting the Chanderi weaver cluster was an eye-opener for a passionate saree lover and handwoven saree collector like me.

The echoes of sound made by looms from every house of the "bunkar moholla" (weavers' colony) makes one realize that Chanderi is a town of weavers and livelihood of majority of the population is dependent on the centuries-old traditional business of textile weaving. The artisans of Chanderi weaving are predominantly Muslims from Julaha community, Kohlis and a few are from other backward class communities. There are groups within the various weaver clusters of Chanderi that continue to preserve exclusive traditional knowledge of art of weaving passed down upon them through generations. These weavers have great lineage of craft, skill, creativity and experience which is unique and difficult to recreate in power loom versions of Chanderi. 

A Weaver of Chanderi working on his pit loom 

We live in times when the markets are flooded with cheap power loom/machine-made reproductions of almost all the traditional handwoven sarees and textiles, a hazard that has put the survival of traditional hand loom industry on the brink. 

That's me flaunting my Chanderi saree 

Traditionally, Chanderi cloth was woven using hand-spun cotton thread that was brought from other parts of the country. The practice of using hand-spun cotton thread was discontinued when mill spun threads became commercially more viable. The mill spun silk threads were used to keep the sheen of the sarees, its inherent characteristic intact. It is a visual delight to watch a weaver create "butti/butta" manually inserting the motif in the body of the saree, using extra yarn, that reminds one of embroidery.   
  

Chanderi as a town has played a pivotal role in history of Indian handwoven textiles since centuries. Its geographical advantage of being located between the trade route that connected the town to ports of Western India from Gujarat, Mewar, Malwa, central India and many regions from Deccan, opened up great opportunities for the textile weavers to thrive. Chanderi came under rule of various dynasties like Bundela Rajputs, Malwa Sultan, Mughals and Marathas who patronized hand woven textiles of the region. Chanderi thus started being considered an important economic zone flourishing with business, a conglomeration of weaver communities adapting with time, producing one of the finest handwoven textiles of India known world over for its super fine, soft, sheer fabric with gold and silver threads, the world-famous "Chanderi saree". 

History of Chanderi weaving:

Madhya Pradesh was one of the most significant places for hand woven textiles from 7th century and 2nd century BC.Thanks to different rulers; their influence, patronage and promotion from royal families of Baroda, Indore, Gwalior, Kolhapur, Nagpur, and beyond and the boom in finest quality raw cotton, (Gossypium arboreum - Cotton native to Northwest India and Pakistan. It is said this variety of cotton was used by the Harappan civilization of the Indus valley in the production of cotton textiles*) exquisite hand-woven Chanderi reached its zenith earning its due place in world of Indian handwoven textiles. The lustrous weave became renowned outside India and was exported to many parts of the world winning hearts of textile aficionados. Chanderi became part of celebrations and festivities and important mark of nobility. 

Chanderi sarees, fabric and Geographical Indication 

Protected under Geographical Indication of Goods (registration and protection), Chanderi sarees and fabric (its unique design and fine silk yarn used for the weaving) cannot be copied.

Current status of Chanderi weaving  

Unlike a few handwoven sarees/textiles in India, demand of Chanderi has been on decline. There have been instances when due to lack of demand, many weavers were forced to take up other employment options. The high cost of handwoven products and exploitation by the middlemen ruined life of many traditional craftsmen and artisans.  

The central government, the state government of India along with a few NGOs have joined hands and started initiatives to promote this heritage weave. "Bunkar Vikas sangh", "Tana Bana", "Mission Chanderiyaan" not only train the weavers on various aspects like demand estimation, design intervention, marketing, order generation and distribution of finished products  but also aim to bring digital literacy in lives of weaver community to enhance their skills and reach to the wider markets.  

Every time a loom is shut out of desperation of a weaver, significant part of our heritage disappears forever. That one piece of fabric/saree that we admire is a result of decades of practice of special techniques, evolution of design, cultural history and refined aesthetics. If Chanderi weavers don't get our support, it will be one more precious weave fading away with time. Should we allow Chanderi weave to meet such sacrilegious consequence? Let's wake up before it is too late.   

* Information source: Wikipedia

Bhojpur Shiva temple, an incomplete marvel etched in stone

Perched on a small hillock on the bank of river Betwa about 30 kms from Bhopal city of Madhya Pradesh, stands an incomplete yet majestic Shiva temple; Bhojeshwara Mahadeva. Surrounded by acres of lush green fields, this unique edifice is a testimony to the era gone by and accords peek into cultural significance, techniques of temple architecture, heritage, construction style and practice from 11th century A.D. The Bhojpur Shiva temple is attributed to the legendary King Bhoj Deva of Parmara Dynasty who was not only a great scholar but also patron of arts, renowned author and an avid learner. He reigned the province and the surrounding region from 1010 A.D. to 1055 A.D. 

On the rocky platform near the entrance of the Bhojpur Mahadev temple 

At the very first glimpse of the structure of Bhojpur temple, one feels awestruck! The 106 feet long, 17 feet wide and 17 feet high platform on which the temple is raised, takes one's breath away with its towering size! I was pleasantly surprised by the Braille information kiosk at the entrance of the temple for visually challenged people. (It surely did win some brownie points!) 

View from the slope of serpentine entrance to the temple 

As one walks in from the serpentine entrance towards the temple, the resemblance to the Greek style of temple design immediately comes to mind. There are three levels on which the temple is built; the wide, huge steps leading to a higher level, an open place of worship outside the temple and the main temple. Interestingly unlike the typical Hindu temples where the proportion of sanctum sanctorum is invariably small compared to the space around and at point of complete harmony with over all structure as embodiment of a microcosm of the Universe, at Bhojeshwara temple, the huge Shivalinga contains majority of the Garbhgriha, leaving barely much space around. 

Entrance of the Bhojeshwara temple

The original ceiling of the Garbhgriha of the temple was broken and has been covered with fiber glass sheet in shape of inverted lotus flower just like the original design. The roof is supported by four enormous pillars and twelve piers. The pillars portray intricately carved sculptures of Uma-Maheshwar, Lakshmi-Narayana, Brahma-Savitri, and Sita and Rama.  The door-jambs are adorned with figures of river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna on either sides and Kuber.
A finely polished Shivalinga (the abstract personification of the deity Shiva), 2.35 meters high with a circumference of nearly 7 meters enshrines the square sanctum. Around the linga there are carved columns and above it ornately carved sculpted ceiling. The entire temple is said to be carved out from locally available solid sandstone, a reflection of un-parallel artistry of the time! One can't help wondering how the artisans who built the temple must have raised huge stones of that size and scale.  

The sanctum sanctorum 

  

Sculptures of River Goddessed Ganga, Yamuna and Kuber 

The fascinating aspect of the Bhojeshwara temple is the that the Shivlinga along with the beautiful Yoni Patta (the biggest I have ever seen) rises to the height of almost 20 feet, making it amongst the tallest Shivalingas in the world! The original architectural designs carved in stone show that the temple complex was aimed on much larger scale and engraved on stone before the construction. In the compound of the temple, one finds engraved stencils on the rocks that explain detailed plans of architectural design for entire temple complex. 

Engraving of the temple construction and design plan 

My heart skipped a beat when I spotted many beautifully carved sculptures; some half-carved statues, unfinished materials and decorative designs with the masons' marks strewn all around, completely neglected in the area of temple complex. 

Engraving on the rocks of temple plans 

There is no clarity on why this temple was left incomplete. However, there are some theories that suggest different versions. One theory says the temple was supposed to be constructed in one night and since the herculean task could not be finished, it remained the way it was. Another school of thought says Bhoja Deva had to rush to Gujarat as the Somanath temple was attacked by Mohammad Gazni and his support was needed. He diverted all the resources thus Bhojeshwar temple remained abandoned.

Sculptures strewn all around, neglected in the temple complex 

Small temple outside sanctum for people to perform pujas 

One may not find the Bhojeshwar Temple in list of popular tourist trails but for lovers of history and archeology, this temple provides perfect material to study examples of medieval, Indian temple architecture.  It is designated as "Monument of National Importance" by the ASI (Archeological Survey of India).

Intricately carved culptures lying in the temple complex 

Temple plans etched on rocks 

Damaged sculpture of Goddess Parvati 

Gond painting; the art of visual storytelling through lines, dots and colours!

Some travels linger on our mind long after coming back home. I have just returned from a heritage tour to Madhya Pradesh and am still soaked in overwhelming experience of studying some of the finest architectural expression of Buddhist and Hindu temple art and philosophy, ancient cave paintings and my rendezvous with weavers and tribal artists during the visit to their homes has left me spellbound! 

India, with its diverse customs and traditions from different states is one melting pot that assimilates rich cultural practices. As one goes into interior parts of the country, interesting narratives unfold layer by layer and one can't help but deeply bow to the immense treasure of folk/tribal art forms that are carried forward for centuries through rituals and oral traditions without any documentation. These ancient customs, traditions and art practices are meant to celebrate life in all its hues and are seamless part of everyday life of the artisans. 

Traditional Indian folk/tribal arts are the testimony of rich Indian heritage of centuries. Unfortunately, they are yet to get their due. These art forms rarely get toasted at high profile art events that are reserved for crème de la crème or get the attention, respect and remuneration like contemporary art. There is lot to learn from tribal people. While we often use terms like "sustainable living", "environment conscious" or "mindful living" as fashion statements, the indigenous people have been walking the talk since centuries and it is high time we take some lessons from them not only about life but art and culture too. There is beauty in their rawness, spontaneity, rough lines and  vibrant colors and forms that are born out of continuous dialogue with Nature. But to understand that, one has to be in touch with Nature and have sense of reverence the tribal people practice in their everyday life.  

This article is about tribal art form of painting from Madhya Pradesh, known as Gond. I was fortunate to meet some celebrated, traditional Gond artists at their homes and get a glimpse of their work, life and fascinating stories from their indigenous culture.

   

The Gond painting: Magic of lines, dots and colours!  

Gonds are one of the major tribal communities in India predominantly from Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgadh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and are immensely gifted people carrying on legacy of extraordinary art and crafts. The Gond tribe is closely connected with Nature and their art is as pristine as the lush green land they hail from. 

The history of Gond tribe tells how over period of time, with Mughals conquering their lands and later with Britishers plundering their source of income, support for the tribe’s oral traditions started dwindling. Forced to live life of penury, the Gonds were compelled to take labour work but the stories that were passed down through generations remained in their hearts and found voice in visual medium through auspicious designs on their huts, entrances, walls and floors. Like most indigenous tribes, Gonds are blessed with great sense of aesthetics and strongly believe that perceiving/viewing a good image brings in great luck.

The Gond paintings were originally made with help of natural colours obtained from coloured soil, minerals, charcoal, cow dung, plants and flowers. With the change in surface on which painting is done and natural colours becoming bit difficult to procure, the Gond tribe has changed the medium to acrylic colours, paper and canvas. However, their themes still remain the same; folklore, daily life, creation myths, festivals, celebrations, major events of life, harvesting, legends and Gods, Goddesses and demons. The narrative is beautifully rendered using dots, lines, dashes, curves and spectacular colours with perfect harmony and balance. It is amazing how the style changes with each artist displaying inherent signature genre with her/his own vocabulary. Once the subject is decided, the outline is drawn and then filled with dots, strokes and vivid colours adding interesting perspective to the imagery.

Presenting here some of the artists I had honour to meet during my recent heritage tour to Madhya Pradesh. 

Award winning Gond artist, Durgabai Vyam. at her residence in Bhopal  

Durgbai Vyam, sister of legendry Gond artist Jangarhsing Shyam has a distinct “mahura” style of her own, which is inspired by jewelry. Her paintings are about simple, rural daily life while her husband likes to draw “dhigna” which is traditionally geometrical in nature and drawn on all four sides of the painting. Their immensely gifted daughter is a force to reckon with in contemporary art world. A graduate from NIFT Banglore, Roshni has a very refreshing perspective on importance of indigenous visual traditions and has unique colour palette that can cater to contemporary as well as traditional art lovers.    

Gond painting by late Gond artist,  Jangarhsingh Shyam's daughter Japani 

Like her celebrated late father, the legendry Gond artist Jangarhsing Shyam, Japani works with bold colours that delve in themes like trees; significance of Nature, creation myths, flora and fauna, Bara Dev, animals and birds and abstract concepts like dreams. Her imagery and rendition of the concepts is simply mind blowing!

Family members of  legendary artist Jangarhsingh Shyam

Mayank Shyam, son of pioneering artist Jangarhsingh Shyam has created his own beautiful style of Gond painting. His forms are comparatively very different (androgynous) and large, his strokes bold yet fluid, colours tweaked and one can almost see the context evolved with his visual grammar that is result of exposure to the contemporary art world and a shift in socio-economic dynamics. 

The best thing of meeting all members of Jangarhsingh Shyam’s family together was understanding how each artist is uniquely different when it comes to  interpretation, ideation and rendition despite using the same traditional techniques of the art form! 

A playful work, depicting what happens to people after consumption of liquor, by Sukhnandi Shyam 

Sukhnandi Vyam’s Gond paintings have fascinating fluidity. His themes are playful, his colours and strokes have lyrical quality to them. Sukhnandi also sculpts and works extensively with multiple mediums like clay, canvas, metal and wood. His wooden sculptures won him great recognition with Madhya Pradesh State Government award in 2002.

Venkatraman Singh Shyam with his wife and son 

Venkat Raman singh Shyam’s work is vibrant and mystical. There are interesting stylistic influences and one can see how he is finding his space in world of modern Indian art. Awarded the Rajya Hasta Shilpa Puraskar by the government of Madhya Pradesh in 2002, his paintings are about legendary fables associated with Gods and demons, beasts and reptiles, recurrent themes from everyday social life. Venkat Singh Shyam’s colours are bold, imagery fascinating and language both traditional and contemporary. He bemoans lack of respect for environment and his concern is evidently visible in his themes and talks.

Gond work by Venkatraman Singh Shyam 

Depiction of the tales from the folklore being explained by Sukhnandi Shyam 

A scene from  village, work by Sukhnandi Shyam 

Gond painting by Nankusia Shyam, wife of Jangarhsing Shyam 

Work by Sukhnandi Shyam 

Painting by Gond artist Mayank  Shyam 

Gond painting by Nankusia Shyam, wife of Jangarhsing Shyam

Gond paintings by artist Sukhnandi Shyam 

 Gond painting by Nankusia Shyam, wife of Jangarhsing Shyam

Gond painting in ink by Nankusia Shyam, wife of Jangarhsing Shyam 

Gond work by Mayank Shyam

Gond painting in ink by Nankusia Shyam, wife of Jangarhsing Shyam

Gond painting by Nankusia Shyam, wife of Jangarhsing Shyam

Gond artist Mayank Shyam showing work at his Bhopal residence 

With Gond artist Sukhanandi Shyam 

Gond work by Mayank  Shyam 

Gond paintings by artist Mayank  Shyam 

Poetry in stone; Chennakeshava temple Belur and Hoysaleshwara temple Halebidu

Temple tour Karnataka part two: Chennakeshava temple Belur and Hoysaleshwara temple Halebidu

In the field of Art history and ancient Indian architecture, the Hoysala temples of Karnataka, India; Chennakeshava temple of Belur and Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebidu are regarded among the masterpieces of South Asian Art. These temples, with their exceptionally intricate sculptural artistry, are considered the finest examples of Hoysala architecture.

The Hoysala era (1026 CE – 1343 CE) was marked by glorious achievements in art, architecture, and culture, and its contribution in the field of architecture is considered the greatest accomplishment of that age. 

As the Hoysala dynasty gained power achieving immense success and growth, they built hundreds of temples across Karnataka thus making a political statement. Being distinguished patrons of the Arts, architecture, culture, and literature, the Hoysalas established themselves not only as a force to reckon with but also inclusive rulers by supporting Shaivite and Vaishnavite sects of Hinduism and also formally recognizing Jainism; a religion based on principles of non-violence and self-control for the attainment of spiritual liberation. The sacred ensemble of these religions became important means in the development of spiritual tenets through interpretations in various art forms like; temple architecture, sculpture, poetry, music, classical dance, and Kannada literature.

The ornately decorated shrines of the Chennakeshava temple of Belur and Hoysaleshwara temple of Halebidu; proposed as UNESCO world heritage site, were built after military conquests of Vishnuvardhan (1108 CE – 1152 CE) against the neighboring Chola Empire (c. 300 BCE – 1279 CE) in 1116 CE. And that turned out to be the first evolutionary step in the history of Hoysala dynasty.  Subsequently, as the empire reached its prime, the capital was shifted from Belur to Dwarsamudra (Halebidu) and a massive temple was built with the very clear intention of surpassing the Western Chalukya empire by transcending architecture to a completely new level.

The Chennakeshava temple of Belur and Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebidu portrays intricately carved figure sculptures on soapstone/a soft chlorite-schist stone quarried nearby that was especially soft when first quarried and hardened on contact with air/rain (the stone renders fine detailing and clarity), ideally suited for iconographic portrayal. In temple architecture, the intricately carved sculptures were integral to the composition and integrity of the structure and not just for decorative purposes. The architecture of the Hoysala temples is a combination of styles from north India (the Nagara style) and south India (the Dravidian style).

The Hoysala-style temples were constructed on platforms, with a star-shaped plan. A Navaranga served as a place for people to gather and participate in religious/cultural/social programs. Visual elements such as curving bell-shaped Chajja and lathe stone pillars with circular carved rings were distinct stylistic elements of Hoysala architecture.

Chennakesava Temple, Belur: 

(Chenna means beautiful and Keshava is one of the many names of Lord Krishna)

Chenna Keshava, an ekakuta (ek-meaning one and kuta meaning shrine), temple required 103 years to build and involved over three generations for completion. in this star-shaped temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu reside several Hindu temples and minor shrines in the complex. The architecture, sculptures, friezes, and inscriptions of this temple are marvelous! Unfortunately, one can't see the temple's shikhara since it has been ruined. The garbha griha is abode to Lord Krishna. The Chennakehsva temple is built on a general pattern of Hoysala architecture; with an east–west orientation set on a jagati.

The exterior and interior walls of the temple display intricately carved stone sculptures, with religious and cultural iconography depicting gods and goddesses, wars and triumphs, dance, music, hunting games, cavalcades, the beautiful dresses, jewelry, and daily social life of the time, and narrate scenes from the life of Vishnu and his reincarnations and from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Bhagavatam. Some of the sculptures also include representations of Shiva. The temple remains an important pilgrimage site for Vaishnavites to date. 

Hoysaleshvara and Shantaleshvara temples, Halebidu 

"Halebidu" in Kannada means, ruined city.

Halebidu, known as Dwarsamudra in ancient times was the capital for Hoysala rule for almost three centuries. Much ambitious and grander than Belur, the city served as the capital for the Hoysala empire for nearly three centuries. However, it was attacked and ransacked repeatedly by the invading armies of the sultanates from North India who finally succeed in plundering the city in 1310. The main temple at the center, various other smaller temples, shrines, and palace buildings were all destroyed in the process. Fortunately, despite all the destruction, some temples and structures of unparalleled beauty still remain intact.

Hoysaleshvara and Shantaleshvara the dvikuta (temple with two shrines) Shaiva temples, have two garbha grihas (sanctum sanctorum) and are connected by a mandapa (porch) forming a large open hall. One shrine is dedicated to King Vishnuvardhan and the other to his Queen Shantala, hence known as Shantaleshvara. Built in 1121 CE, this temple was constructed under the patronage of wealthy local merchants and aristocrats. 

The four entrances to the twin temple have miniature vimanas flanking on either side. Two more shrines; one for Nandi and the other for Surya are also constructed on the same jagati. The exquisite friezes on temple walls articulate stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagwata Purana. The bands of finely carved friezes and reliefs preserve some of the finest achievements of Hoysala craftsmen and are brilliant examples of Art of sculpture, symbolism, Hindu mythology, Art, spiritual aspirations, and creativity. The Hoysaleshwara temple is well-known for 240 wall sculptures that run all along the outer wall and are artistically much sophisticated than any other Hoysala style temple.

Belur and Halebidu, draw many people including devotees, scholars, and tourists in equal measure from the world over. Once a crowning glory of the Hoysala empire still tells stories of grandeur from centuries ago. Albeit there are clear signs of ravage done by time and lack of proper standard of conservation. I wish there are stricter rules for visitors who seem to have a very callous attitude towards heritage and seem blissfully unaware of the harm they cause to these priceless pieces of history.

As much as one tries, it is impossible to comprehend the sheer abundance of beauty of architectural wonder of Belur and Halebidu in words. Whether one is a tourist, devotee, scholar, raseeka (aesthete), or even an atheist, one can't leave these temples without being in complete awe and a deep sense of reverence for the sheer genius of creativity in its splendor!