Mahamrityunjaya- Shiva, the Lord who Defeats Death to Protect His Devotees

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Markandeya’s parents performed austerities for the benevolence of Shiva, who, upon appearing, gave them two options. Either, they could have a son who lacked wisdom but would live a long life, or, they could beget a son who was to become an eternal example of knowledge, but would have a short life. The couple chose the second option, and as a fruit of their rigours, Marakandeya was born.

Markandeya, from an extremely early age, surpassed the great teachers in terms of knowledge of the sacred scriptures. His wisdom and mental abilities made his parents proud but also filled them with melancholy. As his 16^th birthday (his last one as per the boon of Shiva) approached, his parents revealed the truth to him. Markandeya however, an ardent bhakta (worshipper) of Mahadeva, the great Lord Shiva, showed no signs of fear.

Aware of the fickle nature of human life, Markandeya accepted the biggest truth of human existence in a split second. He prepared a Shiva-lingam (a form of Shiva commonly used for worship) and began venerating it. Soon, Yama, the lord of Death arrived to take his soul to Yamaloka (world of the dead). He ordered Markandeya to leave his home with him. However, Markandeya was not done revering his Shiva and asked Yama to wait for a few moments. To this Yama sneered, death waits for no one! He took the Yama-paasha (noose) and was set to take Markandeya by force. Concentrated on concluding by paying obeisance to his Lord, Markandeya wrapped his hands around the Shiva lingam and uttered a prayer for help. In the flicker of a moment, Yamantaka- the destroyer of Yama (death) appeared, leaving Yama awe-struck.

In this Pattachitra, on the left is Markandeya, arms wrapped around the Shiva Lingam, his face scenic, filled with adoration for his savior who answered his call. Towards the right, stands four-armed Shiva, obstructing the path of Yama, who with the noose in his left hand was ready to claim the soul of Markandeya. Near Shiva are two animals, the dark-skinned one being Yama’s buffalo and the white one- Shiva’s bull Nandi. Following the footsteps of their lords, the mounts are locking horns with each other, their ornaments swaying from the impact of their tussle. The traditional red-coloured background of the painting adds drama to an already dramatic episode.

After defeating Yama, Shiva pleased with Markandeya, gave him the blessing of immortality. As a result, Markandeya is considered one of the Chiranjeevi or immortals, who get to witness the countless cycles of time. The boon of boundless wisdom and triumph over death! Truly everything is possible when one has the protection of Mahadeva. 

Mastering the Ancient Technique: Exploring the Meticulous Creation of Pattachitra Paintings

The traditional Pattachitra is a scroll painting that is done on cloth. This is revealed in the name; Pattachitra is a Sanskrit term made from two words i.e. Patta meaning cloth and Chitra meaning picture. The main subject of this painting is portraying Hindu mythological narratives, scenes from religious texts, and folktales. Pattachitra paintings are especially practiced in eastern Indian states such as West Bengal and Odisha, and also in some parts of Bangladesh. This art form is closely related to Shri Jagannath and the tradition of the Vaishnava sect. It is believed that Pattachitra art originated in the 11th century and the people of Odisha practice it even today without any discrepancy. Bengalis use these scroll paintings for ritual purposes (as a visual device) during the performance of a song or Aarti.

Pattachitra paintings are characterized by creative and traditional motifs/designs, decorative borders, and bright colorful applications. The outline of the figure and motifs are bold and sharp. Some common shapes and motifs seen in these paintings are trees, flowers, leaves, elephants, and other creatures. The artists of Odisha and Bengal still use the traditional method of painting which gives a unique look to it altogether.

1. Canvas is prepared

The process of painting a Pattachitra begins by preparing the canvas (patta). Generally, cotton cloth is used for making the canvas. The local artists dip the cotton cloth in a mixture of tamarind seeds and water for a few days. The cloth is then taken out and dried in the sun. Now natural gum is applied over it to stick another layer of cotton cloth on it. Thus a thick layer of cotton cloth is formed. This layered cotton is sun-dried and a paste of chalk powder, tamarind, and gum is applied on both sides. The surface of the cloth is then rubbed with two different stones for smoothening and it is again dried. This process gives the cloth a leathery finish and it is now ready to be painted.

2. Natural colors are made using traditional method

The painters prepare and use vegetable and mineral colors for application in the painting. White color is made from conch shells, black is made by burning coconut shells, Hingula is used for red color, Ramaraja for blue, and Haritala for yellow.

3. Colors are filled in

The artist now makes a double-lined border on all four sides of the canvas. The local artists are so expert in painting that they do not draw figures and motifs with pencil but directly draw them with a brush. The paint brushes that the painters use are made of the hair of domestic animals, a bunch of which is tied to the end of a bamboo stick. The figures are now painted with natural colors using the indigenous brushes. The outline is thickened with black color.

4. Painting is given a finishing

Finally, the painting is varnished/glazed to protect it from any damage and to get a glossy shine on the surface.

The making of a Pattachitra is laborious work and therefore, one painting may sometimes take over a month to complete. Due to their classical look, these paintings are admired by people from all over the world. The artistic skills used in Pattachitra are passed down from one generation to another and thus are preserved to date.