Abstract
Indian art and its iconography represent one of the richest expressions of
philosophical thought and religious devotion known to man. From initial
conception of the Vedas to the prevailing symbolism in both art and culture, there
is a historical continuity in which thought and expression persist and display an
unwavering integration. Each and every symbol used in Indian art, be it painting,
sculpture or architecture, is loaded with layers upon layers of meaning. An inquiry
into the concepts that enrich the cultural significance of a symbol inevitably leads
one the fundamental paradigms of Indian thought, which primarily assumed a
philosophical character and then in the wake of political, cultural and economic
needs fostered Hinduism and subsequently Hindu culture. In a presumably
dialectical fashion the symbols we find in art feed the Indian culture with
philosophical resonance of the past.
The significance of symbols is thus, threefold. First, they are tangible
expressions of various philosophical doctrines that defined the relationship
between the microcosm (individual) and the macrocosm (universe). Second, they
reinforce and regulate religious practices in their essence and form and third, they
transform the whole activity of art into something that is both creative and cultural.
This threefold significance, throughout Indian history, has kept satisfying the
primordial needs of being and becoming experienced by man in various degrees.
Interestingly, the symbols, which used natural elements instead of abstract signs,
found a greater cross-cultural acceptance. This acceptance had two dominant
reasons. One was the need to associate man with nature, which has been one of the
core features of every civilization, and the other was the involvement of aesthetic
considerations of the sublime that albeit their cultural variance largely converged
on representation of nature. Moreover the by default power of symbolism to feed
culture in a simple yet meaningful way, encouraged representation.
The subject of the present study is the well-known symbol of purna-kalaśa
with its threefold significance and cross-cultural acceptance. The inquiry is
directed to elaborate upon the conceptual underpinning, religious association and
South Asian Studies 31 (2)
562
cultural significance of purna-kalaśa and its cross-cultural use in Hindu and
Muslim architecture of the Sub-Continent
Naela Aamir. (2016) The Conceptual, Cultural and Artistic Significance of Purna-Kalasa and its Use in Hindu and Muslim Architecture of the Subcontinent, South Asian Studies, Volume 31, Issue 2.
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