Reading Notes: Pattanaik's Calendar Art, Part D

I liked at the beginning of the first video when the narrator walks us through many stories in Shiva's life. One of my favorite things from this course is the Hindu artwork. Of these portraits, I particularly like the ones that feature a god/goddess/other character surrounded by important scenes of their stories. It is such a unique style of artwork that I haven't seen before. One of these portraits could also be easily used in the picture storytelling idea.

Perhaps my favorite quote from this video is: "Nothing is absolute. The forest transforms into a field and back into a forest again. The bride becomes a warrior, the killer becomes a mother, the tormentor becomes a guardian, the animal becomes god." This idea is explored in the second video when a few of the goddesses are discussed. Especially Durga, and the image of her that is discussed, intrigue me. I also like the idea that the demon she is standing on represents an ego that forgets the celestial beings and their role in the function of the world. Again themes of balance, transformation, and higher purpose are described through the forms of deities.

Bibliography: Pattanaik's Calendar Art, Part D
Image: Shiva's family history, Wikimedia Commons