Calendar

Indian popular religious prints have been published for nearly a century, first by German presses, later by Indian ones. The prints may take the form of calendars, posters, or simply images. The style of the representations is European. In the beginning they were Hindu images, but are now acquiring elements both of folk art and a romantic secularism. It is a living art currently influenced by the movie industry and non-Hindu religions. The images are a vehicle for advertising and are also used for religious worship. Images of Shiva with Parvati are regarded as fertility icons.

calendar art; popular religious art

Attributes indicating Shiva are the drum, crescent moon, snakes as necklaces, tiger skin, three white lines and vertical third eye on forehead, top knot of hair symbolizing power, with prayer beads and trident symbolizing duality of his character: serenity and dynamism. Nandi the bull is his mount. Found nearly always with Shiva is his erotic partner Parvati, the perfect expression of femininity. Like Shiva, she is perfect in worldly as well as ascetic attributes. They are symbolic together of everlasting perfect love.

Rectangular calendar print depicting Shiva, a four-armed man with light blue skin seated on rock with leg on left bent, foot touching side of knee on right. He wears an orange dhoti, snakes around neck, tiger skin over right shoulder, crescent and knot of hair on head. He is decorated with three white horizontal lines and vertical eye on forehead; trident leaning on left shoulder front. He holds a small drum and flame in upper hands, one lower hand holds a small trident with the other has palm upturned. Parvati is seated on right with leg on left bent, foot placed under knee on right. She wears red and gold-trimmed sari; gold headdress, belt and necklace. Behind Shiva is a bull with golden horns. Background is blue grey mountains, white peaks, and peach mauve sky. K. Madhavan is written on lower left corner of image. The word 'Wipco' appears circled at the bottom centre of the image.