Women in Hinduism: Exploring Portrayals of the Female in Ancient Hindu Sculpture

In Hindu mythology, there are four main goals that human beings should aspire to achieve in their time on earth – dharma, or righteous living; artha, or wealth acquired through the pursuit of a profession; kama, which is human and sexual love; and finally, moksha, or spiritual salvation. Accordingly, female characters are indispensable to the
promulgation of this holistic view that is reflected not only in the literature of Hinduism but also in its artistic products, with some traditions of the religion also going so far as to refer to female energy as the essence of the universe, manifested in the power of all deities, and the mode through which the human soul can attain unity with the genderless Absolute, also known as Brahman.

In line with this fundamental role of females, women are presented both as powerful goddesses of the highest order, to whose glory entire temples are dedicated and whose worship guides devotees towards dharma, artha, and moksha; as well as sensuous figures that are the epitome of feminine beauty and underscore the significance of kama. Moreover, apart from individualised representations of female figures and deities, feminine aspects are also integral to portrayals of gods in their composite androgynous forms, such as Ardhnaarishvara – a combination of the god Shiva and his wife Parvati – and Vaikuntha Kamalaja – composed of the god Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi. Finally, women are also presented in tandem with male counterparts (as is often the case in the ancient Hindu pantheon), highlighting the inextricable role of female energy in composing a balanced whole.

Consequently, with the aim of examining this diversity of female representations in ancient Hindu art, this exhibition will discuss a number of Hindu sculptures and carvings spanning across a vast geographical region that includes India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Cambodia, that best encapsulate the essential nature of women in Hindu mythology.

Here is a link to the full paper.

Work from:

Objects as History with Professor Nancy Grove