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Study on the Prabhavalaya: Aureole of Gods and Goddesses

  • Editor

    • Prasanna E. Khamitkar[1]

     Volume 6, Number 2, 2016 I Full Text PDF

    Article DOI:  10.21659/chitro.v6n2.05

    Received on July 8, 2016.
    Accepted on July 26, 2016.
    Published on August 4, 2016.

    Abstract

    Most stand-alone Hindu sculptures of the murtis are supported with a prabhavalaya behind which means a “Luminous circle, an Aureole or a Nimbus ” that is the ornate arch, made of stone, wood or metal that stands just behind and above deity images in temples. To analyze the various images of prabhavalaya the author refers to the content extracted from various resources, sculptures of various temples and the most remarkable sculptures from some museums.  The author will try to make an effort to classify the visual understanding of the prabhavalayas found in various parts of India that forms as a screen to enhance the importance of various god and goddesses.

    Key Words: iconography, principle deity, motif, evolution, background, symmetry

    [1] Prasanna E. Khamitkar is working as an Assistant Professor at Symbiosis Institute of Design. He is graduated in Applied Arts and has his Masters in Indology. The author specializes in painting Indian Miniatures. Being a performing artist his artistic and spiritual understanding about the iconography of the deities in Hindu Pantheon has served several scholarly interpretations. Email: kprasanna108@gmail.com

    Images

    Figure no 1: Shiva as Mrityunjaya, Conqueror of Death: Pala Dynasty
    Figure no 2: Durga, late 10th – early 11th ; Ashutosh Museum, Calcutta
    Figure no 3: Surya of Konark 13th century AD, Eastern Ganga Dynasty
    Figure no 4: Recent iconographical details of Sun God
    Figure no 5: Dancing Ganesha, Pala Period late 11th century: Chazen Museum of Art
    Figure no 6: Vishnu with Lakshmi, Garuda, & attendants, Andhra Pradesh, India. Kakatiya period: 12th -13th century
    Figure no 7a: Conch and Discus on a prabhavalaya for Vishnu deity
    Figure no 7b: Trident and Drum on a prabhavalaya for Durga
    Figure no 8: Dismantled parts of a prabhavalaya
    Figure no 9: Prabhavalaya for a single deity
    Figure no 10: Prabhavalaya for a couple deities
    Figure no 11: Prabhavalaya for three deities
    Figure no 12: Prabhavalaya with other embellishments
    Figure no 13 : Symmetry
    Figure no 14 : Kirtimukha
    Figure no 15: Elements of a prabhavalaya
    Figure no 16: Background sockets
    Figure no 17: Prabhavalaya designed for Uma Maheshwar
    Figure no 18: Prabhavalaya for Durga
    Figure no 19: Prabhavalaya for Durga as Mahishasurmardini 18th /19th century
    Figure no 20: Prabhavalaya of Sun-God
    Figure no 21: Ganesha in a prabhavalaya
    Figure no 22: Vishnu in a prabhavalaya (front and back view)
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