India continued

In Tamil Nadu, I saw many temples of course, and this time many temples dedicated to the Goddess. It is not allowed to take pictures of the shrines, and non-hindus are sometimes warmly welcome and sometimes barely tolerated. As a result, I don't have pictures of what moved me most. I wrote last year about what I felt in temples here.

I was surprised to feel a totally different kind of energy in Shiva temples and Shakti temples. I am sometimes very naive.

Here are a few pictures of expressions of faith...

Tiruvarur Temple - in each little house there is a statue.

Tiruvarur. Nandy looking after a Shiva lingam.

A statue in Arunchaleshvara Temple, Tiruvannamalai - temple dedicated to the element of fire.

Yoni (symbol of the Goddess) in Kamakshi Amman temple, Kancheepuram.

Offerings for fertility in Kamakshi Amman temple, Kancheepuram.

Ceiling in Palani, in the temple dedicated to Murugan, son of Shiva

Textile tribal snake - TRC museum

Mask against evil spirits.

Celebrations in honour of Goddess Kali, who defeated demons, but in her rage did not stop and tramped Shiva to death. Pondicherry. Don't ask what is in her mouth !!!

Village car festival in honour of Vishnou

Food stall, village, Nilgiris

Tribal Gods, TRC museum

Prehistorical rock art, Karikkiyur, Nilgiris.

Temple footprints.

Hello !

Pondicherry street office

For the last 2-3 weeks I managed to sneak out of my office and... went back to Tamil Nadu, India. I had a great time of course.

This time I managed to get a little closer to textile and jewellery craft people. This was possible thanks to the information found about Indian crafts on the CDs sold by the Craft Revival Trust. Thank you Lainie for the link !

I found my way to the wonderful Tribal Research Centre (TRC) in M Palada, near Ooty in the Nilgiri mountains. With a total tribal population of about 28,000, the Nilgiris is an important tribal district. You can read more about the tribes here. In the museum you can see many fascinating objects made of clay, wood and vegetals. Here are a few pictures relating to Toda embroidery, which is world famous.

Toda woman embroidering a Poothkuli shawl - Photo (c) TRC museum

Tribe scissors - Photo (c) TRC museum

Toda ancient shawl - Photo (c) TRC museum

Toda modern shawl with traditional flower motif bought in Ooty

If you are in the region, you can buy Toda embroidery in Ooty and there is also a recommended Woman's Cooperative in Kotagiri.

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In Pondichery, I saw a patchwork exhibition at Aurodhan Art Gallery. The artist name is Vatika and he has a shop and guesthouse near the gallery, François Martin Street. I love the way he mixes printed textiles, embroidery and beads.

Vatika at work

Across the road there is a shop named Excellent Bengal Handicrafts specializing in fairtrade ecofriendly Kantha embroidery from Bengal. Ms Bharati Dhar, director, aims to save traditional arts of India, provide skills and jobs opportunities to under priviliged villagers and use natural, waste and recycled goods to manufacture simple and stunning products of a vast variety. She is trying to expand her work. If interested in helping her, she has a facebook page, her email address is bharatidhar@yahoo.com

Hidden friends

Theodora, San Vitale, Ravenna

When I was a child I was given a poster of Empress Theodora. For years she stared at me from over my bed. It didn't always feel comfortable, such a weird gaze, but sometimes it made me feel good or it sent me into long daydreams. It was my mother who gave me this picture, saying very little but with much intensity. I just knew it was a precious gift.

And so this summer, we visited Ravenna and saw the original mosaics. I insisted on that. Funnily enough, everybody enjoyed the visit of the Basilica San Vitale and the mausoleum nearby. In the Basilica, I found many red, black and white tiles. An interesting website with many photos is here.

My pictures of the floor of Basilica San Vitale, Ravenna

A few moment ago, I followed a link suggested by my friend Tally and suddenly found a story of Theodora's life (longer version here). A truly wonderful lady. I'm amazed that my mother casually gave me a feminist (christian) icon with many jewels to put in the traditional place of the crucifix.

Isn't it strange how we are surrounded by hidden friends all the time ? If we manage to stop the noise inside and outside just for a moment, then we start to hear their voices...

And from a textile point of view I am amused to hear that in her time, the Blues and the Greens were fighting each other :o)

Back from Italy and Bead Journal Project 2008

Alley in the fishing port of Chioggia, Venetia, Italy

Vegetable stall along the road, Venetia, Italy

Hello, I'm back from a lightning trip to Italy, one of my favourite places on earth ! I am very tired but I have the impression that everything is new in my head.

Graphosoma Lineatum

Today is the first day of Bead Journal Project 2008. Last year I chose to work mainly around the journal theme, trying to express faithfully moods, thoughts and dreams that came each month. In the end, I was a little annoyed by the lack of formal unity of my efforts. So this year, I have decided to work mainly with 3 colours, red, black and white, and to expand my format to a felt square.

South Indian Temples

Shiva Nataraja temple, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu

Entering a Hindu temple is quite an experience. From the outside, it is often a very high and colourful building, whith so many sculptures it makes your head spin.

Rameshawaram corridor

As you approach the center of the temple through very large and high corridors, you leave the light of day behind you and immerse yourself more in more into the darkness. It is cool inside, and very peaceful. You might hear mantras or people singing and laughing. It is not permitted to take pictures in the temple so you'll have to use your imagination for most of what follows....

Ganesha, Thanjavur

Shiva, Thanjavur

Everywhere there are amazing sculptures, some of which are smothered in ghee (clarified butter), ash and sacred powders, some of which wear clothes, some of which are adorned with food and flowers. I remember vividly a sculpture of a couple on a pillar in Chidambaram ; the man tall and tenderly protective, the woman smaller and all in sensuous curves, the man had his hand under the woman's chin and somebody had placed a few raisins there. A very moving picture.

Praying in Madurai (c) Claude Renault

Devotees are everywhere, some stay standing, others kneel, a few lie on the floor to show their absolute worship. Some shave their hair and give them away to the temple.

The central shrine is generally not visible to non-Hindus. It is a small dark cave in which a representation of the God is placed (often a lingam and a yoni). Lots of candles are lit. The doors of the shrine are only open a few hours a day. Fire and water always present.

After receiving darshan (benediction), devotees are given a little spicy milk to drink from their cupped right hand. All in all there is a powerful smell of milk and butter that reminds the sweet sour smell of young babys. Therefore it feels a little like being in your mother's womb again.

Theyyam (c) Claude Renault

In some temples in Kerala region there are trance dancing performances known as Theyyatam at certain times of the year.

All in all something very powerful can be felt there. On my first visit to a temple, I simply cried. Later, I understood that at least in India, God certainly exists. You can see it in the shiny eyes of the people .

Houses

While in Tamil Nadu, I fell in love with the old houses. They often have terraces on which people can sleep on hot nights. There is often a palm tree roof or a palm tree room on the terrace.

Doors are decorated at the bottom with yellow and red paint, which is supposed to be auspicious, and above them the God of the house is sculpted ; you might find a heart for a Christian, a David star for a Jew, an elephant for a Hindu etc...

Each day, women wake up early to prepare breakfast and clean the house. When they have finished they draw lucky kolams in front of their doors. Traditionnally these were made using rice flour to feed insects and birds, nowadays people use chalk or paint.

I learnt a lot about these houses in the superb Dakshina Chitra village museum, and wandering through Pondicherry's streets on foot.