The Indian goddess has captivated the country's artists for centuries, in avatars that range from the nurturing mother to the Khajuraho temptress, while more modern interpretations may even puncture the myth of the devi as a spiritual being, discovers Meher Marfatia

She answers to a hundred names, wears an equal number of faces, has countless talents and tasks. The Indian mother goddess, or Devi Ma, embodying every aspect of womanhood - and more - has captivated the country's artists for centuries, amply illustrated by Tanjore paintings, Chola bronzes, Konark and Khajuraho temple sculptures. The last hundred years present a progression of genres in which the goddess in art has evolved. It is chiefly a change from the late 19th and early 20th century iconic religious stature accorded to 'prettily' portrayed devis like Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) and Saraswati (goddess of music and learning) by Raja Ravi Varma and Abanindranath Tagore, to aggressively sardonic comment by contemporary painters and sculptors giving a feminist spin to previous 'goddess' artistry. Resembling the voluptuous heroines of Titian and Rubens, the mythological goddesses and coquettish women of Ravi Varma exemplified a Bharatiya ideal of beauty with formulaic features - flowing hair crowning fair-skinned buxom bodies, swathed in silks and gold ornaments.

In her essay 'Clothing the Goddess: The Modern Contest Over Representations of Devi', Tapati Guha-Thakurta debates: How does nudity or semi-nudity of female forms in 'goddess' imagery become a problem in India? The writer examines the issue of creative freedom in the light of the infamous incident of the 'rape of Hindu goddesses' charge levelled by right wing groups attacking M.F. Husain's 'disrespectful' Saraswati drawing.

Dadiba Pundole of Mumbai's Pundole Art Gallery remarks, “The idea, even in classical interpretations, has been not to clothe. Most ancient goddesses merely had a girdle or belt circling a narrow waist, necklaces above bare breasts…. Distinct periods of Indian art represented the same devi differently.” Making a distinction between 'the classical take' on goddess imagery, as veteran artist Badri Narayan renders her and the more strident 'feminist take-off' developing in the hands of major artists currently, Pundole further separates nudity from nakedness.

Women in politics have also visibly affected artists. Remember Husain's impression of Kali showing Indira Gandhi riding a tiger? And what better than his paeans to popular movie maidens, from Madhuri Dixit (Gajagamini) to Tabu, demonstrating the 'screen goddess' allure.

Different Strokes?
Do women's portrayals of goddess figures stand distinct from men on the same subject?

There is little escaping the sexually frontal focus male artists appear to thrust on goddess motifs, seems the general opinion. If the 'male gaze' does impinge, can feminine perspective effectively foil the 'erotic fantasy' focus, as in the Durga/Mahishasuramardini paintings by Madhvi Parekh and Arpita Singh, combining depictions of divinity and motherhood with violence?

According to Reena Saini Kallat, “Women tend to look at a larger picture, working on incredible, all-encompassing images that incorporate so much else besides the sexually charged figures many male artists need to make a statement with.”

[ Meher Marfatia was Verve's first copy editor. Over the last 20 years, her articles have featured regularly in leading newspapers and magazines. A regular contributor to Verve, she has a special interest in literature and the arts, has seven published titles of children's books and is now readying to release two more.]