Fertility Mandalas

These beautiful batik mandala paintings depict the Shiva Linga encompassed by the Lotus Flower. The Linga is representative of the "divine phallus" and fertility. The Lotus symbolizes ... and the serpent represents the the power that enables seeds to germinate and animals to conceive. More batik paintings can be found at Exotic India.

... more mandala art and inspiration can be found at my new website, Mandala Madness, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com.

The Shiva Linga

To give tangible shape to the idea of Shiva is not easy. He is after all, Maheshvara, the greatest embodiment of godhead, the cosmic spirit. Most people prefer to worship a symbol, one that fills the mind with awe and gives shape in the unconscious to the fabulous idea behind the image....

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Mandala Madness, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found in its entirety here: The Shiva Linga Mandala

Marriage Mandalas

To the people of Madhubani, marriage is an important ritual. Special motifs are painted on the wall in the kohbar ghar (the place where the nuptial night is arranged).

These kohbar paintings often have a lotus motif pierced by a bamboo shaft representing sexual union of the bride and the bridegroom. Parrots, which represent the lovers, are often painted around the rim of the central lotus mandala....

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Mandala Madness, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found in it's entirety here: About Madhubani Marriage Mandalas, a separate gallery of Marriage Mandala Art can be found here: Madhubani Marriage Mandalas.

Mandala of Auspicious Elements

A Maithila painting.

This mandala is rich in symbolism and is directly connected to the kohbar wall paintings for auspicious marriage. This painting, and many more can be found at Exotic India.

The parrots symbolize the love birds and they feature constantly as images of the bride and bridegroom in folk songs and poetry. They are an inseperable element in Maithila paintings representing the happy lovers. Encircling the parrots is a ring of fishes, brightly coloured in variety of patterns. The fishes are emblems of fertility and proliferation and thus an essential symbol of 'kohbar' paintings. Beautiful drawn and painted lotus flowers occupy the remaining space. The lotus signifies fertility and auspiciousness. since, it is associated with goddess Lakshmi, it is personified as the bride desirous of the qualities possessed by the goddess.