Large Size Yakshi, The Celestial Dancer

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This 36 inch tall statue, carved out of a single log of India's finest Vangai wood of Kalakorchi region in Tamilnadu, is an excellent piece of wood-art. It is a model of a highly accomplished youthful Yakshi, a class of celestial female of Indian mythology and an ideal of beauty as conceived in ancient texts. Yakshas and Yakshis were subordinate kinds of gods like Gandharvas and Apsaras. Gandharvas were essentially the dancing and singing clan but Yakshas had multiple roles. They served best as gods' messengers. It is a Yaksha who is the hero of Meghadoot, one of the best known Indian classics, a long lyrical narrative of the great Samskrit poet Kalidasa. For a folly this Yaksha was expelled from heaven. When in exile at Ujjayani he prays 'Megha', the clouds, to carry his words to his loved wife at Amaravati, the capital of Indra. Yakshis were energetic youthful female of Indraloka singing, dancing and playing on musical instruments.

The 'Puranic' cult of 'Apsaras' and 'Yakshis' continued in India's temple architecture during the early phase of medieval era when at Khajuraho, Bhuvaneshvara, Konarka and hundreds of other places temple-exteriors were embellished using 'Apsara' and 'Yakshi' statues. Their figures represented the highest ideal of beauty and youthful vigour. This wooden masterpiece is a reminiscent of the same mythological and architectural tradition, though it has, especially in its modeling, a blend of North and South Indian art cults. The features that the artefact has been endowed with has typical South Indian character and its physical build is as much characteristic of North India. Temples of north do not have a single figure - male or female, without a form of dance. Rhythm is their essentiality. This Yakshi, though an instrumentalist, is as much in a dance move, but her dance form is more akin to South Indian Kathakali.

The statue, an example of excellent craftsmanship, represents a celestial being who appears to be both, a dancer and an accomplished instrumentalist capable of playing two instruments - a 'tanapura' and 'sarangi', simultaneously. A third - a 'mradanga' or long drum, is her third accompaniment, though she is no playing on it. The 'tanapura' one might play by a single hand but it is not so with 'sarangi'. In playing on 'sarangi' one has to apply two hands. Besides, she is not seated as is usually required in playing on these instruments. The sculptor has thus suggested her super-human status. With fine features - a sharp nose, passionately tempting cute lips, emotionally charged eyes, pointed but well shaped chin, beautifully rounded cheeks, a well defined neck and as well shaped and fascinatingly rounded breasts surmounted by finial like nipples, exceptionally proportioned figure and splendid ornamentation the Yakshi is the model of beauty. Save a sash around her shoulders and some passementeries on her waist, she wears no garments on her person but her elegant ornaments - especially the girdle around her waist and beaded laces and frills suspending from it, cover her nudity. The beaded necklace heaving upon her breasts so temptingly underlines their magic. The artist has packed with unsurpassed beauty every member of her being.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of ancient Indian literature. Dr Daljeet is the chief curator of the Visual Arts Gallery at the National Museum of India, New Delhi. They have both collaborated on numerous books on Indian art and culture.

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Sculpting Serenity: Unveiling the Art of Crafting Wood Statues

Wood has been a preferred material for sculptures and statues since ancient times. It is easy to work with than most metals and stones and therefore requires less effort to shape it into any desired shape or form. The texture of the wood gives an element of realism to the sculpture. The selection of an appropriate wood type is necessary for carving. Woods that are too resinous or coniferous are not considered good for carving as their fiber is very soft and thus lacks strength. On the other hand, wood such as Mahogany, Oakwood, Walnut wood, Weet cherry wood, etc., are preferred by sculptors because their fiber is harder. A wood sculptor uses various tools such as a pointed chisel in one hand and a mallet in another to bring the wood to the desired measurement and to make intricate details on it. A carving knife is used to cut and smooth the wood. Other tools such as the gouge, V-tool, and coping saw also serve as important tools in wood carving. Although the wood carving technique is not as complex and tough as stone carving or metal sculpting, nonetheless, a wood carver requires a high level of skills and expertise to create a stunning sculpture.

1. Selecting the right wood

The process of wood carving begins with selecting a chunk of wood that is required according to the type and shape of the statue to be created by the sculptor. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used for making artistic pieces, however, hardwoods are preferred more than softer woods because of their durability and longevity. But if heavy detailing is to be done on the statue, wood with fine grain would be needed as it would be difficult to work with hardwood.

2. Shaping the wood

Once the wood type is selected, the wood carver begins the general shaping process using gouges of various sizes. A gouge is a tool having a curved cutting edge which is useful in removing large unwanted portions of wood easily without splitting the wood. The sculptor always carves the wood across the grain of the wood and not against it.

3. Adding detailing

When a refined shape of the statue is obtained, it is time for making details on the statue using different tools. This is achieved by using tools such as a veiner to make and a V-tool to create decorative and sharp cuts.

4. Surface finishing

Once finer details have been added, the sculptor is ready to smoothen the surface and give it a perfect finish. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are used to get a smooth surface. The finer polishing is obtained by rubbing the surface with sandpaper. If a textured surface is required, this step is skipped. Finally, to protect the statue from excessive dirt accumulation, the sculptor applies natural oils such as walnut or linseed oil all over it. This also brings a natural sheen to the statue.