In a culture known to worship all that lends it nourishment, it is no wonder that the soorya (Sanskrt for sun) has been personified into a formidable soorya-devata (solar deity). The signature kalamkari painting that you see on this page captures the iconography of Lord Soorya as has been expounded in the fascinating narratives of the Puranas. His dark body is adorned in a world of resplendent gold jewels, His omnipotent eyes shining bright as He looks ahead into the distance and holds still the devoted onlooker.
The most inimitable part of Lord Soorya’s iconography is the chariot He rides, drawn by exactly seven horses. These horses may be representative of the seven heavenly bodies, the seven days of the week, or the seven major nerve plexuses (‘chakras’) of the human body according to hathayoga. Beneath His padmasana (lotus-seat) is an image of the dusky, flute-wielding Lord Krishna. A solid azure background populated with heavenly bodies and intricate embroidery, inherent in kalamkari art, on all four corners of the composition.
44 inch x 47.8 inch
