Themes
Objects tell
Every object tells its own story. Horses play an important role in rituals and art. The horse of Aiyanar for example, tells the story about the god Aiyanar.
Fabric and commerce
Lone before the Europeans arrived in Indonesia, fabrics were being imported out of India. Most Indian fabrics are made of cotton. Silk is used as well, and sometimes wool. Popular decorative techniques include woven patterns, embroidery, dying and block-printing. Each of the subcontinent’s regions has its own decorative motifs.
Stories tell
Mahabharata and Ramayana are two of India’s greatest heroic poems. These long narratives have developed over three thousand years. Many versions exist of both poems in Sanskrit and vernaculars. The central theme is the struggle between good and evil, in which good triumphs in the end. Each year the Ramayana is enacted in a performance known as Ramlila.
God and gods
Hindu religion emerged from indigenous religious traditions mixed with influences from peoples who settled in India. Ancestors play a central role as intermediaries between gods and people.
Wanderings
Storytellers and actors brought their stories to every corner of India. Today their narrative boxes, scrolls and performances are increasingly replaced by modern mediums, yet they have not disappeared.
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