yantra (Painting)

Yantras are geometric paintings, forms of symbolic art with high spiritual content. Essentially, these Hindu tantric paintings are tools for contemplation and visualization practices, serving as substitutes for anthropomorphic images of Hindu deities. The tantrika or sadhaka, the practitioner, performs sadhana, or worship, that consists of repeated rituals and meditations using tantric texts, ritual chants (mantras) and yantra paintings. Essential to these images is the notion that by meditation on anything as the self, one becomes that, this yantra is not secular artwork but a path toward truth and self realization both for the maker and spectator.

This yantra is from the Kali mandir, or temple, in Harinagar, Bihar.

A yantra for Dhumavati.

Hindu tantric painting, or yantra. Small, square shaped painting of a geometric design. Green circle in centre with one triangle right side up and an inverted one over it, overlapping each other forming nine small purple triangles within a green circle. Eight red petals with white edging and small blue dots on edging. One yellow ground square with low t-shaped horizontal appendages. Cream around the edges. Hindi script written on the back.