Wood-Sculpture of Lord Ganesha

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The four-armed form of Lord Ganesha, carved with child-like tender body-parts, short height, especially the legs’, and the innocent bearing on the face, reveals rare magnificence and divine aura. He is carrying in three of his hands the elephant goad, noose and a bowl full of ‘laddus’, the fourth being held in ‘abhaya’, the gesture of protection. Warfare or conflict not his choice the goad and noose : tools of assuring ‘abhaya’, he uses just to ward off evil and protect weak and poor which are his prime obligations. ‘Laddu’ is symbolic of his bounties he bestows. As suggests its ‘abhaya-mudra’ and the standing posture, the represented image is votive and formal in character, though it is apparently not for sanctum or ritual worship as wood images unless periodically replaced and have some tradition behind them as the Jagannatha images-set at the Puri shrine, could hardly sustain day-today rituals. Carved in the tradition of temple wood carving for a donor the artifact has been conceived purely on aesthetic lines. An art-piece with rare auspicious nature it is capable of adorning any space, a sitting chamber or even a shrine domestic or public.

This four-armed image of Ganapati, though a new form with divinity radiating from every part, is a blend of many elements of his form as evolved in the long sustained Ganapati iconographic tradition to include his thirty-two classical forms enshrining various Puranas. A four-armed form with gold-like lustrous body revealed in the wood’s natural colour, innocence on face and the style of figure, are elements of Bal Ganapati iconography. Different from Bal Ganapati carrying in all four hands and in trunk some eatable, this image carries just a basket of ‘laddus’ in one of his hands, and a ‘laddu’, in his trunk. A standing posture as Ganapati has in this statue is characteristic to two of the classical forms : Vira Ganapati – all conquering, and Nratya Ganapati – dancing Ganesha. Vira Ganapati is a multi-armed fearful form that Lord Ganesha assumes for dispelling detrimental forces. A benign innocent image as this wood statue represents has hardly any element of Vira Ganapati iconography; however, with a mild twist in legs and a little lifted heals it incorporates an aspect of Nratya Ganapati. The single tusked image, the statue represents the great lord as Ekadanta symbolising great sacrifice and singleness of mind. Though a subsequent form, the statue represents him also in a form of ‘Abhaya Ganapati.

The centrally carved on the wood-plaque the image of the elephant god has been installed on a large lotus and with a lotus ‘prabhavali’ around. It consists of a base comprising two lotus mouldings carved with upward and inverted lotus motifs that a four petalled flower in the centre locks rising along two parallel lotus columns to a semi-circular apex topped by an elaborate Shrimukha. The Shrimukha’s large and beautifully conceived whiskers are amazingly beautiful. The elephant god’s figure with slightly twisted legs is standing on the fully blooming lotus consecrated in the centre of the base of ‘prabhavali’. He is wearing a moderately tall crown and has behind his head a halo symbolic of his divine aura. His ensemble includes just a loincloth overwrought with decorative frills and laces. Besides a pair of belly-bands, one quite close to his chest, and a decorative large lace typical of Ganapati icons, the image has been carved with a few but elegantly conceived ornaments worn on his neck, arms, wrists, ankles, feet and waist. His beautifully designed ears perfectly align with the halo ringing around his head. Absolute composure, benignity and a child-like innocence on the face and thoughtful eyes define the iconography of Lord Ganesha. In plasticity, modeling of form, minuteness of details and in creating the desired effect, the artifact is outstanding.

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.

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.