Artwork: Bharatanatyam Dancer-in-Training

 My latest artwork, a pastel portrait of a young girl performing the Bharatanatyam Dance which originates in Tamil Nadu, India. ©2021 Melissa Enderle

It's the dead of winter in Madison, WI. Along with other teens of South Indian origin, I am performing at the Olbrich Botanical Conservancy. Although the weather is vastly different than that of Tamil Nadu where our ancient dance form of Bharatanatyam originates, this is a great opportunity to showcase a bit of South Indian culture. I take great care to form a complex mudra with my fingers, mindful of its spiritual symbolism. Deep in concentration, I imagine myself performing in a Hindu temple far away in India.

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Manipuri Dancer: My latest artwork

 

Manipuri Dancer

Pastels on PastelMat paper
Chennai, India

©2020 Melissa Enderle

The full moon is out tonight. I am playing the role of Lord Krishna as we perform at the Kalakeshetra Fair in Chennai, India. The crowd always loves seeing the love between Lord Krishna and Radha being reenacted. Just like the Bharatanatyam dancers of Tamil Nadu, much emphasis is placed on the hand and upper body gestures I make. We don't wear anklet bells or perform such forceful footwork though. The tube-skirted Radha and I dance gracefully, accompanied by kartal cymbals, a barrel Pung drum, and singers chanting beautiful Sanskrit poetry. As I move about in our courtship dance, the feathers from my headdress and tassels affixed to my arms sway in the humid air. Did our Lord Krishna have as much fun when he courted Radha? I wonder.

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Sanghyang Dancer, Pastel

My latest pastel painting - Sanghyang Dancer

As the last performer of the night, I want to leave a lasting impression on the audience and of course, the gods. I am proud to be one of a small select member of the Pemangku temple priests. I deeply breathe in the incense that a fellow priest wafts in my direction. Now possessed by the celestial soldier deity Gandarwa, I enter a trance and mount my hobby horse.  The chants and percussive rhythms of my fellow performers encourages me to imitate the movement of a soldier on horseback as I dance in a circular motion around the blazing fire of coconut shells. After several circumnavigations, I have achieved the state needed to pass directly through the fire, filled with the energy and powers of Gandarwa to scatter the red hot coals with swift kicks of my bare feet. Surely I, as with previous Sanghyang dancers, now have been endowed with the power to drive out illnesses and disease. 

See more artworks at http://www.melissaenderle.com

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Relief Carvings at Prambanan

The relief carvings at Prambanan were beautifully carved. This one was one of my favorites; I love the tender intimacy between the two figures.

Many of the relief carvings are very narrative and retell the story of the Hindu epic Ramayana. Another wall was adorned with relief carvings of Brahmin sages and devatas. 

Inside the three main temples devoted to Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma, one can still find some sculptures. They are in various states of preservation; many have heads and/or limbs missing. It was quite dark inside the temples, making hand-held photography (especially with limited time) a bit more tricky.

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The Jigsaw Puzzle at Prambanan

Along with the Buddhist Borobudur temple nearby, the Hindu complex of Prambanan competes for the distinction of most important site on Indonesian Java. Both have deservedly earned the distinction of being a UNESCO World Heritage site. Borobudur is the world's largest Buddhist temple and Prambanan is the largest Hindu complex in Indonesia and one of the largest in Southeast Asia. 

Just as the Borobudur temple struggled with natural calamities, the 9th century Hindu Prambanan complex faced a devastating earthquake and volcanic destruction already in the early 11th century. Combined with the shift of political power at this time, Prambanan was largely abandoned. A subsequent major earthquake in the 16th century caused further collapse, at which time the temple became swallowed up by the jungle. In the 17th century, a British surveyor rediscovered the site, but it wasn't until the 1930s that proper restoration really began. An earthquake in 2006 caused severe damage to the temple and the surrounding area, including the destruction of 300,000 homes and the loss of over 6,000 lives. 

Efforts have been made to rebuild some of the 240 temples within Prambanan, but it is unlikely that all can or ever will be restored. Some of the blocks were taken by locals for construction materials and many of the statues were stolen. Financial support is always a need.

The tour guide I had within the complex also had worked on the restoration effort. He described how each block was numbered, moved, and regrouped. Restorers utilized the traditional interlocking method for reconstruction. Concrete was also used to strengthen the structure. In the quest for authenticity and accuracy, it will take some time to complete the individual projects.  

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Wedding Gowns and Dwarapalas

On our way to the UNESCO World Heritage Hindu temple of Prambanan, we stopped at some smaller temples, including Candi Plaosan. Built around 825 AD, this Buddhist temple was gifted by a Hindu prince to his Buddhist princess wife from another dynasty. Although comprised of 174 buildings of varying sizes, many of the structures suffered significant damage during the 2006 earthquake. 

Despite its proximity to Prambanan (about 1 km northwest), it lacked the large crowds, enabling ease of exploration.

Two massive Drawapalas serve as guardian figures in front of the two main temples at Plaosan.

Flanking the outer walls of the main temple are beautiful carvings of Bodhisattvas. Some of the carvings reminded me of those at Tamil Nadu's impressive Thanjavur Hindu temple, except that the color of these stones were much darker than those in India. 

Inside the main temples, portions of sculptures remained, although some were headless. 

During the time I was there, Plaosan became slightly more lively when a wedding party arrived to take a few photos. Although many of the members were dressed in jeans, the bride was dressed in a Western gown and the groom in a white Indonesian outfit. As in other places, several people came up to me, asking if they could have a photo taken with me. 

Having had a chance to explore most of the site, we now were ready for the granddaddy of them all - Prambanan.

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Konark Temple - Ancient Sundial wonder

A shared post from a friend on Facebook reminded me about one of the amazing sites I visited in India - the Konark Sun Temple. A 13th century Hindu temple in Bhubaneswar, this UNESCO World Heritage site filled with incredible carvings, but its significance goes beyond this. 

In 2009, I wrote several blog posts about the temple, including one just on the wheel.  My guide had explained that the wheels could accurately determine the exact time and day, but he didn't go into many specifics. The video above includes a great deal more details about the wheels as a sundial, as well as other wheels that likely serve as a moondial.

According to the narrator, modern knowledge about the temple & its wheels is very limited, with much of its mysteries concealed by yogis. 

Hearing again about these ancient wonders puts me in awe. Such an incredible combination of knowledge and beauty. What kind of impression will future civilizations have of our current society?

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Two-Wheeled Floral Sellers of Hanoi

During the Korean fall festival of Chuseok, a friend and I headed out to Hanoi, Vietnam. Although this trip would be very short (only a few days off of school), it would give us a quick flavor of the country, utilizing some cheap airfare secured last spring. A driver from the hotel picked us up at the airport. It's so nice not having to think about transport.

After checking in at our hotel, we headed out in the late afternoon. The activity outside immediately hearkened me back to India. I love the activity on the street - people dining on plastic chair cafés, others selling their wares, transport of all different sorts. Gone was the go-go-go streets of Seoul, where every person was glued to their cell phones - even when crossing busy streets.  

Back again were the fresh flowers. Whereas in India I usually spotted the women selling their flowers at small makeshift stands along the street or near the temple, many of the floral sellers of Hanoi were on two wheels. In this flat city, no-speed bicycles were a perfect choice. Carefully arranged and secured to their mobile store, the women slowly pedaled their way through the busy streets.

With the city's hoards of motorbikes, I wasn't surprised to see some donning flowers as well. Not quite the same charm as the bicycle sellers though.

Unable to visit the big flower markets due to time, I would have to be satisfied with these mobile floral sellers. Such rainbow beauties definitely brightened my day.

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A Hairy Deal

One of the more unusual "stalls" at the Shaxi Friday market was this one, consisting of two bags of hair and a scale. Quite likely, this purchased hair would be made into wigs. I wonder how much the seller received for the hair. Would she receive a higher price for longer pieces, or did it go simply by the weight?

It made me think of the large amounts of hair that is generated at Hindu temples (most Hindus have their head shaved at least once in their lifetime and some donate it multiple times to show their piety).

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Step by Step

This red-robed man at Lingyin Temple attracted a bit of attention. Prone on the ground, he then stood up, took a step, raised his arms upward and then pressed his hands together, after which he resumed the prone position, aided slightly by the wooden mitts. Obviously practiced, he slowly but steadily made his way up the stairs in a similar manner. During a very brief rest above the flight of stairs, a visitor approached him and gave him some money.

The act of outward piety and bodily sacrifice reminded me of my trip in south India down to Velankanni. Here I observed people (of Christian, Hindu, Muslim, and perhaps other faiths) crawl on their hands and knees as an act of devotion. Along the road, we had passed by people who had been proceeding along the pavement on their knees for many kilometers. 

Crawling to a church shrine in Velankanni, India

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Masjid Melange

As I've already mentioned, Malaysia is a mixture of cultures. The Masjid Kampung Kling in Melaka is a great example of this. A neighbor of the Cheng Hoon Teng Chinese temple, this mosque dates back to 1748, with the current brick structure erected in 1872. According to the sign on front, "the architecture of this mosque is Sumatran, with strong Hindu influences. This is particularly evident in the minaret, which resembles a pagoda. On closer inspection, you will find an unusual blend of English and Portuguese glazed tiles, Corinthian columns with symmetrical arches in the main prayer hall, a Victorian chandelier, a wooden pulpit with Hindu and Chinese-style carvings, and Moorish cast iron lamp posts in the place of ablution for pre-prayer cleansing."

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Hakata Gion Yamakasa

Amongst the neutral colors of the Kushida Shinto Shrine in Fukuoka, this colorful structure caught my attention.

Standing around 10 meters, the Hakata Gion is one of twelve Yamakasa scattered throughout the city. They are an integral part of a festival said to have originated in the 13th century in attempts to secure protection against the plague. Each July, seven portable (but tall) Yamakasa are carried five kilometers through the city to the Kushida Shrine. With the exception of the ones presently displayed at Kushida, both the portable and non-portable ones are destroyed after the festival. 

The brightly painted figures and ornaments are created by traditional Hakata puppet makers. Inspiration comes from history and myths.

The image above, with its  strong female figure, tiger, and grimacing male figure reminded me of the  Kali Puja displays I saw in Kolkata, India. No string of heads here, but plenty of flamboyant emotion. 

Kali Puja display (detail)

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Critters at the Shrine

With the sculptures of various creatures around the shrine (including the ox previously featured), it felt a bit more like the many Hindu temples of India. True, the creatures at Hindu temples often were of gods or their avatars, but their presence at both added a little dynamism to the scene.

The entrance at most Shinto shrines are guarded by stone statues of a Chinese-like lion or Korean-like dog. Typically appearing in pairs, the curly "dog" with its mouth open is supposed to spit out good luck, while the other paired member has its mouth closed to catch evil.  

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Behind the Layers

Bongwonsa Temple, Seoul

Although I find the highly intricate paintings on temples to be exquisitely beautiful, the faded scenes also attract my attention. What stories do these flecking paints or stained surfaces have to tell us? How do the processes of pigment application vary from when the murals were first created? What devotion the artists must have had, painstakingly rendering each detail. What would they think to see their designs all faded away?

Thanjavur Hindu temple, India

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The Flowing Skull

One of the more interesting and unusual sculptures at the 2013 Lotus Lantern Festival held by the Cheonggyecheon Stream in Seoul was this figure. Holding a skull that seemed to have representative water flowing into an open lotus, the figure was definitely intriguing. The sculpture reminded me of the Kali Puja festival I saw in Kolkata, India. Kali, a Hindu goddess who developed a taste for killing after she was asked to assist in slaying a menacing foe at a battle. She is depicted with a garland of heads of her victims, as well as carrying a recently decapitated head.  

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Ganesh Chaturthi - Seoul-Style

Having read my Facebook post about how different this weekend's cultural experience (seeing the musical Wicked) was from that which took place a year ago (Ganesh Chaturthi in Chennai), a colleague asked if I wanted to go with her to a Ganesh celebration one of her students had told her about. Boarding the back of her scooter, we proceeded down the fairly quiet Sunday morning streets of Seoul until we reached Seoul National University. As we were nearing the building, the number of salwars and saris was a good indicator that we were on the right path. Inside the lecture/performance hall, I was suddenly transported back to India, with women and children (and some men) donning their Indian garb. In one corner of the stage a Brahmin priest from the Mumbai area was chanting some Sanscrit verses, while another priest and a priestess rang the small bell and whisked the multi-wicked lamp around the decorated ivory idol of Ganesh. Around Ganesh were many plates of fruit, sweets, milk, and some roses. Not the elaborate floral decorations of India, but they would have to do. After more chanting and pujas, Hindu devotees came up to pay homage to Ganesh. I stayed for a bit longer, watching some Indian children do some simple dances, recite a poem, some chanting, a very boring speech, and some more chanting. None of the women wore fresh garlands of jasmine in their hair; a couple girls had a white fake set. A meal was to follow (at some point), but knowing that the event was on "Indian Standard Time," I wanted to get home to do some drawing.

From talking to some of those sitting near me, it was apparent that keeping their Hindu culture was important to them, but fairly significant challenge in a place like Korea. Most parents are sending their children in Korea to top international schools, which typically happen to be Christian ones. Interestingly enough, the parents didn't seem to be concerned about having to send their children to a Christian school (as this is a very common practice in India), but that their children were growing up knowing very little about their own culture, traditions, and religion. The small Indian children's group of which the performing children were participants is a helpful part in addressing this, but does not make up for the permeating cultural influence families would have experienced in India. Boring speeches and less-than-smooth performances aside, I hope that the children in the audience had their curiosity at least a bit piqued about some elements that are so much of their tradition.
For those families who are living overseas (especially in cultures so different than their own), how do you seek to ensure that your children experience and understand some vital parts of your traditions, culture, and beliefs?

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Bukak Pavillion

On top of the Bukak Mountain in Seoul stands a pavillion with a traditional Korean design. From here, one has great views of the city. Much like the Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu (south India), I am in awe of the decorative detail work and colorful, aesthetic design of these buildings. Even in the dark, I just had to shoot some photos. 

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Lotuses at the Bongwonsa Temple

Adorning the grounds of the temple complex were large pots containing lotuses. These were brought here for a special lotus festival. A very common symbol in both Hinduism and Buddhism, it represents spiritual perfection, mental purity, enlightenment, and wisdom. The beauty of the buds, greens, and blooms definitely enhanced the beauty of the place.

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Happy Puthaandu!

Ah, yes. Another festival here in India. According to the Tamil calendar based on the solar cycle, today marks the Tamil New Year. (Of interest, the Tamil calendar has a sixty year cycle and each year has twelve months. Once a sixty year cycle is completed, a century has been achieved and the first year begins again). According to Hindu mythology, it is on this day that creation was initiated by Brahma the Creator.

Although I didn't see any particularly fancy kolams this morning on my walk, homes are traditionally decorated with beautiful kolams, along with mango leaves. Seasonal fruits and vegetables, along with money would be placed in the puja closet or altar in a Hindu's home. Their homes may be cleaned and even repainted in anticipation of this festivity. A Hindu colleague of mine described how she was anxious to return home after school, so she could make the special sweet food and take it to the temple for distribution to the poor and needy. Food prepared on this day would include equal portions of sweet and bitter flavors - a reminder that we need to take the good and bad in life. Her family (most Hindu festivities involve gathering with one's family members, particularly one's elders) would gather in the evening at the temple and partake of a special chant that would last for nearly an hour. Along with reminding devotees that bad must be taken with the good, they also look at the year now before them. Puthaandu ushers in the summer season (although it's been hot & humid like summer for many weeks now). Perhaps because it's too hot to do much celebration after this point, the Tamil Hindu festivity calendar is in a lull until July/August.

resource: THE HINDU newspaper, April 13, 2012.

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