South Asian Arts

and Crafts
(India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal,
Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Maldives)
What you should know?

Most visual arts of India are illustrated and strongly

emphasized by the religious customs and beliefs of the
Hindus. During the early days, their culture has already
exhibited a well-developed heritage in all forms of arts.
These are all evident in their designs of architectures,
literature, sculptures, paintings, music, dance forms, theater
performances, and even in their everyday living.
 Evolution of Indian Art

The Indians have a tradition of visual arts

dating back more than five thousand years
ago. The Indian works of art are diverse in
their style, subject, and medium used.
 Bhakti

Means “portion” or “share” It came root

word bhaj. Which means “to partake in” or
“to receive one’s share.”

Terracotta

Is a typical brownish-red earthenware,

used mainly as an ornamental building
material and in modeling.
Buddha

Means “the enlightened one”

Buddhism

Is a religion that follows the

teachings of Siddhartha Gautama.
Buddhism’s main tenets are:

1. The Four Noble Truths

. Suffering
. Causation
. Cessation
. Eightfold path

2. The Noble Eightfold Path

(right way of living)
. Right understanding
. Right thought
. Right speech
. Right action
. Right effort
. Right livelihood
. Right concentration
. Right mindfulness
Stupa

Is a dome-shaped structure erected as a

Buddhist shrine.

Gupta Period

Is an ancient Indian empire founded by

Maharaja Sri Gupta.
The Gupta period was not just characterized by enormous
materials and wealth of by elaborate trade activity; it was
defined by its creativity.

During this period, a number of temples were constructed;

they are portrayed different themes of Hindu pantheons of
gods and goddesses that are aesthetically carved in
stones. These kinds of individual sculptures of great
beauty continued all over the country and became part of
the Indian arts and culture.
Chalukya Dynasty

This is an Indian royal dynasty that ruled large

parts of southern and central India between the
6th to 12th centuries C.E.

Rashtrakula Dynasty

This is a royal dynasty ruling large parts of the

Indian subcontinent between the 6th and the 10th
centuries C.E.
Paliava Dynasty
This has existed between the 3rd and 9th
centuries C.E., ruling a portion of what is today
southern India.

Chole Dynasty

This is one of the longest-ruling

dynasties in the history of southern
India.
Pantheon

This is a set of all the gods of a

particular polytheistic religion,
mythology, or tradition.
Hinduism

Is one of the world’s oldest religion

The word “Hindu” comes from the name of the river

Indus. Hinduism has no founder, single teacher, nor
prophet. Hindus actually only believe in one God,
Brahman, the eternal origin who is the cause and
foundation of all existence. The gods of the Hindu faith
represent different forms of Brahman.

Hinduism is practiced by more than 80% of India’s

population.
Understanding Shiva’s Gestures
1. The upper right hand holds the damaru – the hand drum
which symbolizes the ancient vibrating sound of creation.
2. In his upper left hand, he holds agni – a consuming fire of
dynamic destruction.
3. Lower right hand shows the abhaya – the hand that
removes fear, gives protection, and preservation.
4. His raised left leg exhibits the gaja hasta, pointed to his
lifted leg to provide refuge for the troubled soul.
5. Prahamandala, the surrounding effulgence that encircles
Shiva is a flaming body halo that only establishes the
visual limits of this complex and dynamic composition but
also symbolizes the boundaries of the cosmos.
India is also know for the
following arts:
1. Deepavali or Diwali – This is an ancient Hindu festival
celebrated in autumn (northern hemisphere) or spring
(southern hemisphere) every year. This is one of the
biggest and brightest festivals in India.

2. Rangoli – This is also known as Kolam or Muggu. This is

an Indian sacred folk art wherein the patterns are created
on the floor, in living rooms, or courtyards.

3. 3. Kathak – This is known as one of the ten forms of

Indian dance. This dance originates to the nomadic bards
of ancient northern India, known as kathakars or
storytellers.
DIWALI RANGOLI

KATHAK
Art of Mehndi

Mehndi came from the Sanskrit word that connotes the plant
Henna. It is a paste that is bought in a cone-shaped tube. It
was originally used only for women’s palms and sometimes
for men. Nowadays, it is culturally more common for
women.
Mehndi Art and its Meaning

Palm – Invokes images of opening and offering (usually sun,

flower, or mandala)

Back of hand – Acts as a shield-closing, defending, clenching-

symbolizing protection

Right hand – Male, projective

Left Hand – Female, receptive

Feet – Recognized as a point of divine contact considered a

holy junction, where the human being and earth meet
Common Mehndi Designs and Their Meanings

Birds – Messengers between heaven and earth

Butterflies – Transformation

Flowers – Joy and Happiness

Sun, moon, and stars – Deep and lasting love between partners

Paisleys – Fertility and good luck

Pakistani Art and Culture

The arts and culture in Pakistan originates back to more than five
thousand years to the period of the Indus Valley Civilization. The Indus
is the earliest known urban culture of the Indian subcontinent.
Pakistan’s art emphasizes the Islamic religion.

Truck Painting in Pakistan

The are of truck painting is one of the most indigenous popular art
forms in Pakistan. Their decorated trucks stand out in their colorful
and vibrantly ornate aesthetics.
West Asian Arts and
Crafts
(Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey)
West Asian Art Legacies

The art of West Asians can be dated by its earliest

presence in the form of little stone or clay fertility
figurines.
Lines

Is an element of art which marks on a surface that

usually varies in width, length, direction, color, and
degree of curve and can be two-dimensional or
implied.
Sumerians – Also called the “black-headed ones,” lived in
the southern part of what is now modern-day in Iraq.

Babylonians – Were the people from Babylon, the most

famous city in ancient Mesopotamia whose ruins lie in
modern-day Iraq.

Egyptians – Are the people froms Egypt, a country in Africa

and is among the oldest civilizations on earth.

Mesopotamia – (from the Greek word meaning “between

two rivers”) was an ancient region in the eastern
Mediterranean bounded in the southeast by the Arabian
Plateau, corresponding today’s Iraq mostly, but also parts of
modern-day Iran, Syria, and Turkey.
Assyrians – Were and ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient
Mesopotamia.

Persian – Is historically referred to some Iranian languages.

Today, speakers of the western dialect of Persian form the
majority in Iran.

Parthians – Were a major political and cultural power in

ancient Iran after the conquest of the Persian Empire by
Alexander the Great.

Sasanians – Were the last pre-Islamic Persian empire,

established in 224 C.E. by Ardeshir I, son of Papak,
descendant of Sasan.
Iranian Arts and Crafts

The art heritage of Iran is undeniably one of the

richest in the history of the world. It encompasses
many disciplines like architecture, painting
weaving, pottery, calligraphy, metalworking, and
stonemasonry. Even today, their sense of art is
still vibrant.
Persian Rugs

The Persian art of rug weaving is embedded in the roots

of their culture and customs.

Texture

Is an element of art the shows the way something

feels to touch (actual) or how it may look (tactile).
Persian Paintings
Many caves in Iran showed painted imagery of animals and
hunting scenes dating back to five thousand years ago. It was
during the Qajar era when coffeehouse painting emerged and
exhibited with some combination of European style.

Persian Pottery and Ceramics

A distinguished archeologist name Roman Ghirshman believes that the

Persians’ taste and talent can be seen through their designs of their
earthenware.
Persian Architecture

Iran’s architecture is one with an outstandingly ancient

Persian tradition and heritage.

Saudi Arabian Art

The richness of arts and culture of Saudi Arabia has

been shaped and rooted by its Islamic heritage,
historical roles, and traditions.
Visual Arts
The Wusums are the tribal symbols of Bedouin (a
seminomadic group), which are found to be prehistoric
art on rocks in the hills and deserts of Arabia.

Turkish Art
Turkey is a parliament republic largely located in
Western Asia and with some portions in the Southern
part of Europe. The Turkish art refers to all works of
visual are originating from the geographical are of what
is present-day Turkey since the arrival of the Turks in
the Middle Ages.
 Central Asian Arts and
Crafts
(Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan)
Kyrgyzstan Arts and Crafts
The arts and crafts of the Kyrgyz people have
progressed over the centuries. It was formed based on
the needs of the people’s everyday life and the traveling
way of life influenced it much. The Kyrgyz are known for
their major forms of arts and crafts like the following:

1. Stone works – The ancient stone sculptures near the

Burana Tower are located on the famous Silk Road,
Kyrgyzstan.

2. Felt art – These are traditional felt rugs (shyrdaks) in

a Kyrgyz yurt.

3. Wood carving – The Kyrgyz chess set is made of

wood.
4. Jewelry making Kyrgyz’s jewelry designs are usually
shaded triangles, intersecting circles, zigzags and four-
petal rosettes, radial and starry rosettes, bracket forms,
and a “running wave.”

5. Leather products – Animal skins were used to make a

variety of household articles including leather clothing
and footwear, kitchen containers, horse harnesses, tail-
straps, saddle-girths, bridles, and saddle clothes.

6. Patterned embroidery and weaving – Embroidery has

always been a female craft. Many embroidered items
were intended for practical use a well as for the
decoration of the yurt.
Kazakhstan Arts and Crafts

Since time immemorial, the Kazakhs would manufacture

stoneworks, bone, ceramics, metal crafts as combat
weapons like pale-axes (ai-balta), bows (sadaka), and
squivers (koramsak), tableware, clay, leather, and wood
arts. They also weave varied sorts of mats.
Uzbekistan Arts and Crafts

The are and culture of Uzbekistan is based on their

cultural heritage. In the Middle Ages, their arts developed
in the context of the art tracery, which became
predominant.

1. Engraving of copper, wood, and plaster-based materials

2. Jewelry making
3. Carpet making
4. Ceramic arts
5. Ornamental gold embroidery
6. Inlaid musical instruments
7. Decorative boxes for local tobacco, baskets, chests,
etc.
Turkmenistan Arts and
Crafts
The Turkmen’s applied folk arts are rich and diverse. Like other West
Asian countries, they are also known for carpet making, felt art,
embroidery, headdress making, jewelry making, leatherwork, ceramics,
and other decorative products. Observe the creativity, beauty, and
intricacies of their work:

Torba Carpet Headdress Jewelry

Tajikistan Arts and Crafts

The Tajik heritage has a wealthy culture which is evident

in their arts and crafts. Like their neighboring West Asian
countries, they are noted in visuals arts such as
architecture, sculpting woods and metals, headwear,
carpet weaving, footwears, musical instruments, and
many more.
 THE END
Theme: Studio Ghibli

Credits: Matthew Ben C. Badal

Reporters:

Drizzle Kate Neri