6 months long exhibition of Indian sculpture in Israel

Celebrating India’s art and independence

Jerusalem Khabar(Nibidita Sen) Marking seventy-five years of Indian independence, there is a cultural collaboration between the Israel Museum and the National Museum of India in New Delhi, with the assistance of the Indian Ministry of Culture and the Embassy of India in Israel.

Besides serving as a significant catalyst for artistic production an exhibition of Indian art in Israel holds a special interest in a local context, due to the range of affinities between the two countries and due to the growing interest of Israelis in India and in Indian culture.

At the opening of the display, which marks India’s 75th anniversary as an independent state, President Herzog said, “India and Israel are natural allies, united by a fundamental commitment to the democratic ideals upon which both our nations were founded. Yet this evening transcends politics, commerce — even diplomacy. This evening shines a light indian people. I have no doubt the important artifacts showcased here will enrich the lives of those who view them.”

The Embassy of India in Tel Aviv was instrumental in facilitating the first-ever collaboration between the two museums. Ambassador Singla commented, “Indian temples of classical and early medieval periods of history were profusely adorned with sculpture which sought to synthesize beauty and divinity. This exhibition is a modest attempt to provide a peek into traditions in Indian faith and culture and also into India’s rich sculptural heritage.”

The sculptures of deities presented here exemplify the religious art and immensely diverse philosophy that developed on the subcontinent between the fourth and thirteenth centuries CE, under the rule of the great dynasties of the Gupta, Chola, and Pala kings. This period also saw the consolidation of the many forms of worship (puja) that confer well-being and spiritual meaning on the faithful and take place everywhere, at all times, in an endless number of shapes and traditions. The Hindu practitioner or religious community can pray to any god however they see fit, and even create new divine beings that will cater to a specific need, such as a rare illness that has attacked the village or a local ecological catastrophe; the gods, on their part, are obliged to respond, lest they violate the dharma – the cosmic order.

Miriam Malachi, the exhibition’s curator, added: “It is indeed a rare privilege to host India’s national treasures, and an honor not to be taken lightly. Tonight, we are celebrating in our exhibition gallery, to experience first-hand their beauty of Indian artpieces.”.

During the religious rite, the believer seeks direct contact with the god and welcomes the deity to dwell in an object – be it a sculpture, painting, or another material expression. The object, which thereby becomes a vessel of divine energy, allows the believer to see god and be seen by him. First, preparations are made that attract the attention of god and man alike, stimulating the senses: a bell is rung, incense is spread, suffusing the shrine with its sweet smell, and candles are lit, illuminating it with their warm, gleaming light. These actions are accompanied by the singing of hymns to the deity, intended to concentrate thought. The icon is washed in milk, anointed in aromatic oils, and cleaned with water; it is then dressed in sumptuous fabrics and decorated with jewelry and garlands of flowers. In return for the god’s aid, worshippers place gifts of rice, fruit, and flowers at the icon’s feet. The materials used in the rite are characteristic of the locale where it occurs. After the ceremony is over, the icon is emptied of the deity’s presence; thus, the sculptures displayed here are nothing but participants in a religious event that took place in India hundreds of years ago, and continues to occur, in one way or another, to this day.

Israel Presidents speech during the opening of the event https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxASwzqcy7s

Video of the exhibition https://youtube.com/shorts/KXx_758raL4?feature=share

One can buy tickets from this link https://www.imj.org.il/en/exhibitions/body-faith