Viswavirat Swarupam

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 purposes. This print was produced, framed, and displayed in a prayer room for 'puja' or worship.

popular religious art

Rectangular print, depicting a sixteen-armed deity; one arm raised with palm shown, one down by side and seven fanning out on either side of him. Red 'U' on forehead. The figure's sixteen hands each hold different object: mace; sword; arrow; cobra; trident; disc; etc. Wearing: one deity image on each forearm; floor length waist wrap covered by landscape scenes, animals, and other deities. Figure flanked by two blue skinned deities, Shiva and Krishna. Shiva has three horizontal white stripes and a red dot on forehead. Krishna has red ‘U’ on forehead. Diagonal lines of deities stand on either side. Print's lower left corner, male (Rama ?) with bow and arrow-filled quiver, stands, prays, while looking up at central male. Lower right, blue-skinned, four-armed male (Krishna) faces kneeling person. Above at print's top, hierarchic organization of five cobra heads towering behind. Central, frontal-facing one is larger than others. Light blue background at print's top half; light yellow green at lower half.