Artistic India

India is a country with diverse artistes....here are a few examples....

1. Channapatna toys are a particular form of wooden toys (and dolls) that are manufactured in the town of Channapatna in the Bangalore Rural district of Karnataka. The origin of these toys can be traced to the reign of Tipu Sultan who invited artisans from Persia to train the local artisans in the making of wooden toys.

2. The handloom sarees available in Orissa can be of four major types; these are Ikat, Bandha, Bomkai and Pasapalli. The aanchal of Pasapalli sari has peculiar traditional designs woven in the sari like sankha (conch), chakra (wheel), phulla (flowers), animals, birds and at times temple like imprint. This portrays the artistic level of the weavers and their craftsmanship. The entire weaving method of the Pasapalli sari runs through an intricate procedural technique.

3. Kondapalli toys are chiseled out of locally available special light softwood ('Tella Poniki') and painted with vegetable dyes, and vibrant enamel colours. The most popular toys are 'Dasavatarams' (ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu) elephant with Ambari, palanquin-bearers carrying the bride and bridegroom, toddy tapper, set of village craftsmen, besides animals. The papier mache swinging doll is a favourite with many.

4. Mizos are fond of colourful hand woven wrap-around skirt called puan chei, and a matching beautiful top called Kawr chei. Mizo women use hand loom to make clothing and cloth handicrafts.The local products are even fused with other materials to give them a fashionable and stylish designs.

5. Mud, and clay are used to make the Chhau masks of Purulia, West Bengal.. The masks are painted in pastel shades and have a frank, simple, and bold look. The effectiveness, originality, and beauty of the Chhau dance are dependant on the Chhau masks. Each mask represents a character from the epics, the Puranas, and from mythology. The eye- brows, mouth, and eyes are painted to give those special effects and give completeness to the looks of the Chhau dancers.

6. Kerala mural paintings are the frescos depicting mythology and legends, which are drawn on the walls of temples and churches. Ancient temples, churches and palaces in Kerala display an abounding tradition of mural paintings mostly dating back between the 9th to 12th centuries.

7. Nagaland has several small scale cottage and medium scale industries. The art of weaving is primarily the domain of the female folk of Nagaland. It is one of the important industries of Nagaland that has added to the financial strength of the north eastern state. The women of Nagaland design beautiful patterns on pieces of cloth to make them colourful and attractive. The excellent design patterns on the Angami Naga shawls proves the unique artistic skills.

8. Madhubani paintings or Mithila Paintings is a style of Indian painting, practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar. Madhubani paintings has been done by the women of villages around the present town of Madhubani (the literal meaning of which is forests of honey) and other areas of Mithila. The painting was traditionally done on freshly plastered mud wall of huts, but now it is also done on cloth, hand-made paper and canvas.Madhubani art is a form of traditional Indian art form.

9. Folk paintings of Madhya Pradesh, specially the wall paintings of Bundelkhand, Gondwana, Nimar and Malwa are living expressions of people, intrinsically linked with the socio-cultural ambiance of the area. They are not mere decorations but also spontaneous outpourings of religious devotions. The paintings, based on local festivals like Karwa Chauth, Deepawali, Ahoi Ashtami, Nag Panchmi, Sanjhi etc. are usually done by women using simple home made colours. In Bundelkhand, painting is usually done by a caste of professional painters called Chiteras.

10. The patterns and effects created depend on the types of stitches used on a particular garment, henceforth giving it a unique look. Finer the fabric, exclusive is the embroidery. Some varieties of the stitches commonly used are shadow work, funda, Ghas patti, etc.

11. Kanchipuram Sari (also known as Kanjivaram Sari) is a type of sari traditionally made by weavers from Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. These are woven naturally and are considered to be of the highest quality among saris. The Kanchipuram Sari is distinguished by its wide contrast borders. A single Kanchipuram Sari can cost anywhere between Rs 2,500 to Rs 100,000 or more depending upon the intricacy of work, colours, pattern, material used like zari, gold thread, etc.

12. Muga silk is the product of the silkworm Antheraea assamensis endemic to Assam. The is known for its glossy fine texture and durability. Due to its low porosity the Muga yarn cannot be bleached or dyed and its natural golden color is retained.

13. The cane and bamboo crafts can be utility objects like hats and baskets, they can also be purely decorative in purpose. All in all, the bamboo and cane objects can be said to be the highlight of Arunachal Pradesh arts and crafts. Cane and bamboo form the raw material which meet the requirements of everyday life-from house building to making baskets, fishing traps, items of dress, construction of suspension bridges, religious paraphernalia. People of Arunachal Pradesh have fully utilized the raw material offered buy the ecology of the region.

14. The two special features of these Kashmiri carpets are that they are hand woven and knotted and not machine made and tufted. The design and colour specification used in these carpets is termed as Taleem. Most of the woolen carpets have a base made of warp and weft. The silk carpets have a base made of cotton.

15. Bankura horse is produced in Panchmura village in the Bankura district of West Bengal. Over the centuries, terracotta horses and elephants, have moved away from a realistic presentation to a representational presentation.

Courtesy: Rediff.com
 

ANNA YOGA – BANANA LEAF

Traditionally, meal is served on a banana leaf in Hindu homes and one is to eat with fingers. If God wanted it he would have had a fork and spoon protruding appropriately. Kindly take that with a sense of humor! Hindu culture, customs and anna yoga demand that we are one with nature. The banana tree is considered sacred in the Hindu way of life. They also have a religious significance in Hindu rituals. Naivedya, what is offered to the Gods, and prasadam after temple prayers is offered on a banala leaf. 

ANNA YOGA: Happiness which is lasting could be described as a state of inner peace. It does not fluctuate with the changes in outside circumstances, it does not come and go. It is a state of inner harmony. If such a state was possible, it might be like a wonderfully tasting dish that remains unchanged by external conditions. Hindu scriptures describe this to be ‘amrita’ or nectar – Ocean of Bliss. This is not spooned from a bowl. This unchanging nectar is constantly drunk by the Gods who declare Self-knowledge, the knowledge of the Self and the Divine. When meal proves satisfying, there is once again the comfortable feeling that all is well for the annamaya kosha which needs food. It reflects that we have come in search of external happiness. It requires that we seek internal happiness also. Krishna states in Gita 18.38 happiness arises from the contact of the senses with their objects, though at first like nectar, is in the end like poison and declared to be the nature of tamas. So one is to exercise moderation and humility while eating and ever remind of the vedic mendates of reaching Godhood. Banana leaf symbolises humility and oneness with nature as opposed to expensive crockery that we may want to exhibit. 

Why do we sprinkle water on the banana leaf? Of course it may clean any minute dust there is. Water forms little balls of collected dust which can be wiped off. More importantly it reminds us of the Lotus effect of repelling water. So do not be attached too much, not only to food but be detached in general. Some chant mantra before eating but we will leave that for other postings.

USING HANDS: Millions have the meals served on a leaf and consume it with bare hands, so these health wizards advice does not really hold water. These fellows are also probably using aluminium foils to prevent sticking or for convenience but we will stick to our banana leaves. Banana leaves are used once and disposed. Hindu concepts of ‘uchchistam’ means food served on utensils has already come into contact with the previous users’ saliva. It is rude and unhygienic to serve food contaminated with saliva. It is also disrespectful. Plates show signs of prolonged usage. It is the same with forks and spoons.That does not augur well with appetite, does it? A hindu guest seldom complains but if something can be avoided, then it might as well be to please the guest. The word ‘echil saapadu’ has the same purport in the South Indian states. Chandogya Upanishad emphasises purity of food. This is not restricted to food per se but also mental purity of consuming food. 

Eating with the hands is a technique that is learnt very quickly. The first rule is to wash the hands thoroughly. Long fingernails are considered unhygienic. The food and gravy is not to taint the entire hand as only the fingertips are used. It is ill-mannered to let food stain the entire five fingers. It is also ill-mannered to use the left hand while eating. So when comes to serving, there would always some around to avoid touching the serving bowl with the other hand. Sometimes this is observed very strictly. Indian cutlery is restricted to the kitchen and preparation of meals. It is mandatory for left-handed people to use their right hands for eating. 

ADVANTAGES: The leaf is used for eating purpose and also in offering food items to Gods. The banana leaf is said to be the cleanest among all exposed leaves. The banana leaf has medicinal values. It adds radiance to one’s face. It is coated with natural chemicals in the top surface which makes food tasty. This is extracted when hot food is served on the leaf. It gives a special flavour. Ghee, thayir (yogurt), payasam etc which is part of Indian food and it does not stick to the leaves. Leaves are handy also. The use of banana leaves has various advantages such as bio-degradable environment friendly and packing food, disposable attributes. The so called banana leaf-plate is eco-friendly kitchen tool. Whatever remains, including the leaf, is wholly eaten by passer-by cows.

SYMBOLISM: Symbolically, serving on banana leaf is a mark of humility and respect. It is fresh and there is no issue of plates used, say, by a diseased host or his member. So one sits for a meal without any inhibition of plates used by others. The space available in a banana leaf is an advantage. It symbolises freshness. Leaves are broad enough for all the servings and there is no necessity for side-plates. One has to learn how to serve and eat by using a banana leaf. Traditional use of fingers adds taste to the food. Once we are used to it, liquid dishes such as eating rice with ‘rasam’ is not a problem at all but a pleasure. 

It is common for Hindus to symbolically offer a small portion to the Gods. So the ‘leavings’ become prasada or blessed food. Before one starts to eat, a small portion is to set aside on the banana leaf to feed other beings. Later, this is left outside for birds and insects. Thus one is reminded of the Divine. This tiny portion also reminds us of offering to the Gods, past generations, the poor and all living beings. In whatever way this is performed, it is the culmination of the Yoga of Food theme. 

ETIQUETTE: Etiquette is observed in the household or even public places when food is served on a banana leaf. The banana leaf tail end is placed to the left. Rice is not placed like a mountain and a hold dug in the centre llike a volcano to dump all the dishes! The top half of the leaf is used for the side dishes and the condiments while the lower half is used to serve rice. 

When food is served to people eating from a banana leaf, the host serves white rice, vegetable curry and a wet dhal directly from containers onto the leaf, and the non-vegetable dishes from small containers next to the leaf. Food is also served on the banana leaf according to ‘arusuvai’ or taste classifications. These are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. Traditionally all meals are supposed to contain all the six tastes. That has a balancing ability, minimise cravings and assist digestion. Banana leaves help retain the flavour, aroma and nutritional value of all the six tastes. These dishes are laid in the traditional fashion. 

Protocol prescribes the order in which the food has to be eaten, the rice first, then dhal, then iron-rich vegetables and fat, and thus the food is served in that order. It is also traditional to sit on the floor on a mat in the lotus pose -padmasana when eating. To show appreciation guests will fold the banana leaf towards themselves after the meal, this signifies that the meal was good. Folding the leaf in the opposite way, away from you, signifies dissatisfaction. No-one usually does it except in grieving functions. One does not leave abruptly.

Hindu mannerisms require that everyone waits for the host or the eldest person taking priority to leave the table or the floor. If it is really necessary to get up before the eldest person, then it is done very politely by seeking permission to leave. So the trick is to also watch the elder and follow his tempo. Even during serving additional dishes, the eldest is always served first. Rushing to eat is a bad habit. It implies that the serving is being disliked. Anna yoga requires that food is eaten in medium pace. It is not just the cuisine of India which is unique but also the concept of food preparation and serving. Hari Om