REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN STONE SCULPTURAL ART AND ICONOGRAPHY OF ANCIENT KASHMIR

Abdul Adil Paray

doi:10.29121/shodhkosh.v4.i1.2023.437

Authors

Abdul Adil Paray Ph.D. Research Scholar, Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, M.P., India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v4.i1.2023.437

Keywords:

Sculpture Art, Iconography, Representation, Feminism, Motifs

Abstract [English]

Throughout its history Kashmir has experienced an art life very much its own as well as accepting and absorbing influences and imported from neighbouring areas. The sculptural masterpieces that have survived in the valley have attracted the attention of art-historians and the scholars in the allied disciplines from time to time and have always been praised for their fine workmanship and iconographic features. Sculptors have not created the images only for the religious purpose but in the images are added subtle human moods and sentiments and have captured various states of emotions and feelings. Artists have captured the rhythm of life of all living beings in general and represented women in particular on the surfaces of the temples and in images. The aesthetic aspect of the sculptural motifs of the temple and images depends upon the religious canons of measurement in art. The carving approach of Kashmir's ancient and early medieval temples Goetz (1951) and Goetz (1969) includes a significant number of female images. Women from various cultures are portrayed in sculptures. Women can be seen here in a variety of subjects. The sculptures show representations of many feminine beauty ideals. This essay aims to shed light on the representation of women in Kashmir's early sculpting and iconographic traditions.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Abdul Adil Paray, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, M.P., India

References

Bhan, J. L. (1987). “Manifestations of Viṣṇu—A Critical Study of an Eighth Century Prabhāvali from Devsar, Kashmir”, in Parimoo, R. (ed.). Vaiṣṇavism in Indian Arts and Culture. New Delhi : Books and Books.

Bhan, J. L. (1989). “Iconographic Interactions between Kashmir and Central Asia”, in Deambi, B.K.K. (ed.). Kashmir and Central Asia. Srinagar : Centre of Central Asian Studies, 75–90.

Bhan, J. L. (2010). Kashmir Sculptures : An Iconographic Study of Brahmanical Sculptures, N. Delhi. Bhattacharya, G. 1989. “Deva : Caturmukha-Pancamukha : Brahmā and Śiva : Śilpa-Śāstras and art-objects”, in Bhattacarya, G. (ed.). Shastric Traditions in Indian Art. Heidelberg, 51–70.

Chandra, P. (1985). The Sculpture of India 3000 B.C.–1300 AD Washington.

Fisher, R. E. (1989). “Later Stone Sculptures (Ninth-Twelfth Centuries)”, in Pal, P. (ed.). Art and Architecture of Ancient Kashmir. Bombay, 105–116.

Ghai, V. K. (1968). Nilmat Purana ; a Cultural and Literary Study of a Kashmiri Purana (Vol.1), J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Srinagar.

Goetz, H. (1951). “The Beginnings of Mediaeval Art in Kashmīr”, JUB : 63–106.

Goetz, H. (1969). Studies in the History and Art of Kashmir and the Indian Himalayas. Wiesbaden.

Kak, R.C. (1923). Handbook of the Archaeological and Numismatic Sections of the Sri Pratap Singh Museum Srinagar. Calcutta.

Kak, R.C. (1933). Ancient Monuments of Kashmir. London.

Khwairakpam, R. D. (2015). Unveiling the Image of Women from the Waves of the “Rivers of Kings”. International Research Journal of Social Sciences, 4(2), 1-3, ISCAK.

Lyons, I., and Ingholt, H. (1957). Gandharan Art in Pakistan. Hamden.

Mitra, D. (1977). Pandrethan, Avantipur and Martand. New Delhi.

Nagar, S. L. (1988). Mahishasuramardini in Indian Art. New Delhi.

Pal, P. (2003). Himalayas an Aesthetic Adventure, Chicago.

Pal, P. (2007). The Arts of Kashmir.

Pal, P. (2009). “Durga in Kashmir”, in Pal, P. (ed.) Durga the Power and the Glory, Mumbai, 82–95.

Pande, B. M. (1971). Neolithic Hunting Scene on a Stone Slab from Burzahom, Kashmir, Asian Perspectives, XIV, UH Press, 134-138.

Paul, P. G. (1986). Early Sculpture of Kashmir. Doctoral thesis, University of Leiden, Printed Privately.

Shah, M. A. (2012). Discovery of Rock Art in Northern Kashmir : A Preliminary Investigation, Proceedings of the National Seminar on River Valley Civilization of Chattisgarh and New Researches in Indian Archaeology.

Sharma, B. N. (1993). “Carved Rock Relief at Nadihel in the Kashmir Valley”. In Gail, A.J. and Mevissen,

Siudmak, J. (1994b). “A Group of Three Standing Deities from Kashmir and their Antecedents in Late Gandhāra Art”, in Parpola, A. and Koskikallio, P. (eds.) SAA 1989, Helsinki, 681–694.

Siudmak, J. (2013). The Hindu-Buddhist Sculpture of Ancient Kashmir and its Influences, Brill, Leiden. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004248328

Stein, M. A. (1900). Kalahana’s Rajatarangini, Vol. I, Archibald Constable and Company. Ltd, Westminster.

Yatoo, M. (2005). Archaeological Explorations of Sopore and Bandipora, Kashmir, a Pre-Doctoral Thesis Submitted to the University of Kashmir, Srinagar.