Saturday 22 October 2011

The Elephant God Of India

There is no doubt and western historians accept the fact the Hindu civilization is perhaps the oldest in the world. It predates by almost 4500 years the Christian era, which really starts with the birth of Christ. Equally accepted is the fact that the elephant is closely interwoven in Hindu ethos and culture. The elephant has been used as an instrument of war and also as a herald for temple worship. This fascination of the Hindu with the elephant has to be understood in the context of one of the prominent Hindu Gods Ganesh having a trunk as a nose. In addition the abundance of the elephant during all periods of history to the present day is also a factor that has made the elephant a distinct part of Hindu culture.
The ancient Indian epic the Mahabharata makes the first mention of the elephant as an instrument of war. The battle between the Pandavas and the kauravas on the plains of kuruskshetra a town about 100 miles from Delhi is the first recorded use of the elephant as a part of military arsenal. Subsequently the elephant became the main stay of Hindu armies. The commander in chief usually went to battle mounted on an elephant. The elephant was a decisive element in battles fought on plains and without gun powder. It must be recorded that the Hindus were the first to use the elephant for war and the last to discard it as well.




Hindu Art

Indian art is filled with traditional history and devotional in nature. Its uniqueness is that it centers around Indian history, art and religion. In order to understand and relate to Indian art you must have knowledge of its Indian religious status and the political history.
To fully understand the encompassing work of the artist, you must first understand the nature of India ancient art history along with its political nature. In times past the rulers of India sponsored the arts and therefore had a profound influence over it.
Indian art purposefulness is devotional in nature and therefore to fully understand its meaning is to delve into the underlining meanings as they pertain to the India historical past.
When looking to buy this art there are a few variances of style to be aware of such as batik and or miniature paintings and sculptures.





The Gods Of India

India covers such a vast geographic territory that its parts can be talked about in isolation and it is almost like talking like an entire country in it. Regions in India differ in their landscape, climate, culture and tradition. The one thing which is common no matter where you go is the magic and sense of fulfilment you are bound to experience.
South India tours are extremely fascinating. The region is steeped in religion and fine art. You will find plenty of temples, monasteries and churches. Each state in South India has its own unique flavour and character which helps contribute to the diversity of the country.
Andhra Pradesh is most commonly known for housing the most prosperous and revered temple in the world. The temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, is located in Tirupati, a small town on a hill. Regarded most highly by every Hindu in India, this temple attracts millions of devotees all year round. Some come with faith which cannot be deterred, while others come out of sheer curiosity. The capital city of the state, Hyderabad, is extremely popular for its Moghul influence. You will find plenty of Muslim flavour in the architecture, food and even customs in this area. Pearls and semi precious stones are a speciality of Hyderabad.






Pictures Of God

With a title like this, how could any writer not take a look? And once I read the summary description and browsed a view pages through Amazon, I decided I needed to read it. I down loaded it onto my Kindle and quickly read it over the weekend. Loved it!
Part of my attraction to this book has to do with the perspective of the author. Brian Godawa is a professor of apologetics and begins the book by providing a picture of himself and his approach to the scriptures. He does this to help you fully appreciate what has changed in his approach to scripture and also to show that he has shared the mindset of most evangelical Christians of this era.
Logical reasoning was his strength. He could convincingly argue the historical basis for scripture, the logical reasoning behind God's laws and His plan of redemption and the need of man for God's salvation. In spite of this, he found that even when others would acknowledge the wisdom of his reasoning, that didn't necessarily bring them into a relationship with God. Something was missing.
He begins to look at scripture with a fresh eye and realizes that (as many people had previously pointed out to him) the Bible is a very confusing book. The book of Jeremiah is known for its lack of chronology. The story jumps around from present to past. The four gospel don't always mesh in their details. Why didn't God lay out his 'manual for living' in a more concise manner? Did He make a mistake? Did the writers misunderstand His directions?





Ganesh Statue

Lord Ganesha is considered to be the remover of all obstacles and is Lord of Beginnings and Lord of Obstacles.HE is considered as the god of intellect and wisdom.HE is the older son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Legend says it was Parvati who created Ganesh
A unique combination of his elephant-like head and a quick moving tiny mouse vehicle represents tremendous wisdom, intelligence, and presence of mind. the importance of Ganesha, to any hindu is unspeakable. For this reason you will find Ganesha statues and idols, in almost every, home, office, hotel, shops, everywhere.Tiny figurines of Ganesha are used as Pendants, rings and in decorative diya's. But, the most famous are the Ganesha Statues in wood, especially, which are considered pure.