In A World Of Gods And Goddesses: The Mystic Art Of Indra Sharma

Book Summary

This winner of the 2002 Benjamin Franklin and Gold Ink awards "offers readers accessible insights into the diverse traditions of Hindu art and Hinduism itself" ("Publishers Weekly"). Lavishly illustrated. Deriving inspiration from the Puranas and Upanisads, Indra Sharma -- one of India's most noted painters -- has personified divine images of Hindu gods and goddesses through his paintings, which adorn millions of Hindu households throughout the world. Painted on dreamy, ethereal backgrounds, his paintings reached the common person through the medium of affordable prints. These captivating creations generated over decades of dedicated work are an artistic representation of the Hindu pantheon. They tell of ancient stories and transport the viewer to the miraculously divine world of the Hindu universe. Indra Sharma is considered India's most prolific and sensitive painter. Of several hundred of his masterpieces produced over the past five decades, a selection is presented here in this coffee-table edition to preserve these timeless paintings for posterity. Through them, the reader will encounter the Mahabharata and Ramayana, and pay respects to the revered deities -- Ganesh, Shiva, Rama, Krsihna, Saraswati, Lakshmi and others -- elevating themselves to spiritual heights. To open this book is to open the gates of the great temple of Hinduism, experiencing a pilgrimage within. Quite literally, work for Indra Sharma is worship. His paintings become a medium for offering prayers to the infinite divinity of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. This type of meditation through painting is a mystical experience for the artist as well as the viewer. Step into a world of sages and kings, demigods and demons, heroes and villains -- A World of Gods and Goddesses.

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