Catalogue Book

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 simple images. They are also used as book covers, cards, and packaging labels. 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 is a catalogue of posters available for purchase.

calendar art; popular religious art

Large, rectangular shaped flip book consisting of one hundred and six posters bound together with metal clasps and red paper strip. Thirty-six images of gods and goddesses. Remaining are of various male individuals, photographs of temples, Christian and Moslem scenes, females, babies, children, animals, flowers, female pinups, landscape scenes, city scenes and calendars. The cover depicts Durga, an eight-armed female, in an orange sari seated on a tiger. She is wearing an ornate gold crown. Each hand holds an object: mace, sword, disc, flower, long-staffed trident, bow and arrow. Remaining hand holds palm outward. All on blue circular background surrounded by rings of green. Lower half of cover states: 'The National Litho Press, Sivakasi, 1980' and the address.