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Symbolic Elephant Motif in Traditional Indian Textiles and Embroideries

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dc.contributor.author Kumar, V.
dc.date.accessioned 2016-08-25T04:09:13Z
dc.date.available 2016-08-25T04:09:13Z
dc.date.issued 2016
dc.identifier.citation Kumar, V. 2016. Symbolic Elephant Motif in Traditional Indian Textiles and Embroideries. In: International Conference on Asian Elephants in Culture & Nature, 20th – 21st August 2016, Anura Manatunga, K.A.T. Chamara, Thilina Wickramaarachchi and Harini Navoda de Zoysa (Eds.), (Abstract) p 56, Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. 180 pp. en_US
dc.identifier.isbn 978-955-4563-85-8
dc.identifier.uri http://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/14075
dc.description.abstract The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. India had always been known as the land that portrayed cultural and traditional vibrancy through its conventional arts and crafts. Widely used as motif in Indian textiles, Elephant is a symbol of wisdom, fertility, prosperity, strength and royalty. Elephants are important in Indian mythology too. Lord Ganesha bears an elephant head, symbolizing great intellect and wisdom. As vahan of Indra, the Vedic deity, the elephant is associated with rain and fertility. It was depicted on the seals excavated from Indus valley sites and on the Hindu and Buddhist architecture. Elephants are also a symbol of royalty. In Asian cultures, the elephant is a symbol of good luck, happiness and longevity and have been interpreted in the motif as the result of religion, customs, natural surroundings and social beliefs of that particular area to which its creator belongs. A motif is the most basic unit or the smallest unit of pattern. The motifs in textile design may be classified as geometric, realistic or natural, stylized and abstract and are linked to natural, cultural, religious and socio-economic factors prevailing in any society. Though always speculative, the meaning of the motifs used in decoration of textiles may change with cultural context but the symbolic meaning of various motifs remains the same wherever they are applied, be it the famous Pipli applique work of Orissa, Madhubani paintings of Bihar, Patola Ikat weaves of Gujarat, Pochampalli weaves of Andhra Pradesh or the little known Manjoosha painting of Bihar. en_US
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka en_US
dc.subject Traditional Textiles en_US
dc.subject Traditional Embroideries en_US
dc.subject Symbolism en_US
dc.subject Culture en_US
dc.subject Elephant motifs en_US
dc.title Symbolic Elephant Motif in Traditional Indian Textiles and Embroideries en_US
dc.type Article en_US


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