By far the most popular format in Indian was the iconic representation of a divinity, either isolated or accompanied by a symmetrically arranged retinue. Indian artists use the wide range of materials at hand to create almost every conceivable type of sculpture, but certain varieties were especially favored. Indian stone sculptors preferred soft, fine-grained stones that were well suited to intricate detailing and elaborate undercutting. Often called “bronzes,” most Indian metal sculpture – everything from portable household images to large temple icons – were actually cast by the cire perdue (lost wax) process from a wide variety of copper alloys. When Indian artists made religious sculptures, they frequently chose sturdy materials such as metal or stone, though sometimes wood-carving was also preferred. The principal gestures, which are also those of dancers and actors, are known as mudra in Buddhist and as hasta in Brahmanic works. To the Indian sculptor the purpose of a statue is to serve as an aid to meditation and its position, its expression, its gestures and even its costume have a very precise meaning. The artist, in particular, must conform to a fairly strict system of aesthetic principles his aim is to create not a work of art as such, but a religious work which, if it is to have value, must scrupulously respect the established rules. Have a taste for codifying rules and regulations, a characteristic to be found in the eternal system of castes, and permeating every sphere of activity. The art of India can only be understood in relation to the essential characteristics of the country that produced it.

Raghav sachar om jai jagdish