The arts reflects the society and the thought process of who creates them. The sculpture of any civilizations is closely associated with its architecture and culture. The temples, sculpture, and pottery incorporated a fundamental principle of the culture and era when they were made. The purpose of the essay is to compare “The Statue of Zeus at Olympia” Vs “Mandala of Shiva and Shakti” and assess as to how they are similar and dissimilar in their looks and usage.
Mandala of Shiva and Shakti
The meaning of the term “mandala” means circle, and it refers to a plan the cosmos vision. In the middle of the circle, Shiva, the Hindu god sits with his consort Shakti in a white palace that looks like a temple. In the red square, there are four golden gates that are framed by red divine women, who are surrounded by a series of concentric rings populated by deities and yogis. There is a fantastical jungle filled with huts, ponds and a white river filled with fish and jewels. One can also see a deep blue ocean with a reflected moon (Mandala of Shiva and Shakti 2016).
The basic tools of worship in a ritualistic form in all religions included mantra, yantra, and mandala. Gradually, the ritualistic worship lost its purpose and direction. These three used in conjunction can create powerful combinations. The yantra which means tool or instrument comprises of specific geometrical shapes and figures with the diagrams of deities. Mandala is a focus for cosmic powers, and it forms the symbolic center of the universe. Everything in the universe is a manifestation of Shakti. The thoughts of every individual form a mandala and the guru are considered to be the most powerful mandala (Mantra, Yantra and Mandala 2016). The word “mandala” means circle and symbolizes the universal cosmos form and its wholeness. It seems as if the geometric projection of the universe has been reduced to an essential plane. There is a strict symbolic order in the plan that the devotee must follow to reach the higher levels of consciousness and before he can merge with the supreme. The devotees meditate on the mandala and often chant a mantra.
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
Statue of Zeus is listed among the Seven Wonders of the World and is a masterpiece by the Greek sculptor Phidias. The statue is placed at the Temple of Zeus at Olympia that lies in western Greece. The statue is plated with gold and ivory and is about 40 feet in height (Statue of Zeus 2016). It is ornamented with precious stones, gold, ebony, and ivory. The statue is famous for its divine majesty and goodness. The making of such a tall sculpture required creative engineering, which was luxuriously decorated with precious jewels and covered with gold sheets. The famous Greek sculptor Pheidias worked on Zeus while the temple was designed by Libon, another architect (The Statue of Zeus at Olympia 2016)t. The statue, well over 40 feet tall is both impressive and imposing. The creamy color of ivory was used for skin tone.
The statue is one of the masterpieces of sculpture, and its surviving details can be traced back to later visitors to Olympia. The Athenian sculptor, who made the statue, set his workshop outside the temple zone. The statue was placed on a three-foot high platform that was decorated with mythical figures. On the right-hand side of Zeus, stands Nike, the goddess of victory, which is made out of gold and ivory (Goerke-Shrode 2006). The long staff in the left hand of Zeus is made of different precious metals. The sandals of the god are made of gold and the wreath on his head are made out of olive branches.
Comparing the two
The concept of God was created by a very refined theologist of the 3rd century, who was able to merge the Egyptian sun with the Indian iconography of an androgynous Shiva. Shiva is looked upon as the creator of the world and accompanied by a series of symbols (chapter 3: Helios-Shiva 2011). The temple of Zeus carries the same style as the Parthenon in Athens and was a protective home for the cult statue of Zeus himself. Built during the climax of conventional Greek architecture, the temple was made in Doric. Zeus was the king of the Greek gods, and he has many temples dedicated to him. However, it is the temple of Zeus at Olympia that is recognized as the finest sculptural accomplishments. The temple and statue showcase creative engineering and the pinnacle of Classical sculptural design that required constructing the statue from a huge block of marble and gold (The Statue of Zeus at Olympia 2016).
In Greek religion, sacrifices and rituals were important and often took place around the altar of a god or goddess. To the north of the temple of Zeus, there was a large altar, which was like a huge mound on a platform. The building of the temple was like a symbolic house of the God and used as a treasury to store valuable donations. Little is known about access to comp people to the Temple of Zeus. However, it is known that when Pausanias visited Olympia, he was able to enter the temple freely and climbed to the gallery to see the statue clearly (The Temple of Zeus at Olympia 1).
The ancient Olympic Games were held in celebration of Zeus and oxen were sacrificed during the festival. Athletes made gifts of animals and prayed to the gods for victory. Olympia became a major site for the worship of Zeus as the games flourished over the years. Greek athletes traveled hundreds of miles to compete in the Games while those who were not Greek were not allowed to participate. The competitors walked past a crowd of onlookers, the religious officials and Olympic officials as they entered the site of Olympia. They walked past the western side of the Temple of Zeus and looked up top see the sculptures in the pediment (Barringer 211). Many would peer through the temple to catch a glimpse of the magnificent statue of Zeus. The military dedications at the Olympic games site point to an association of military and athletic contest. There is ample attestation in the ancient literature about the association between athletics and warfare as stated by Barringer (228).
In the Mandala of Shiva and Shakti, Shakti is considered to be the womb of the cosmos and the source of pure consciousness and primal energy. The cosmic and formless energy is present everywhere. It is the ultimate force behind the universe that is feminine by nature. Shaktism is closely associated with the worship of Shiva and is practiced in many different ways. However, devotional Shaktism is the most widely followed form of worship. From the mid-nineteenth century, the goddess has become a symbol of Indian nationalism (Shakti 1991).Shiva, the destroyer is one of the most important and impressive Gods of Hindus. The elements present in his statue carry symbols for one in their daily life. Shiva is considered the protector of right conduct and his trident weapons show will, knowledge and action (Temple Trips - Divine Destinations 2015).
When one compares the” Statue of Zeus at Olympia” and “Mandala of Shiva and Shakti”, there are more of dissimilarities than similarities. The main similarity is that both are based on the concept of Gods. However, the purpose behind is completely different. While one is in the form of sculpture, the other is an image. The Mandala of Shiva and Shakti is the oldest sacred image known in history and represents the sacred space of origination. Together Shiva and Shakti, form the universe and flow as cosmic dance. Olympia was a center of religious worship and the origin of Olympic games. The Olympic Games were meant to demonstrate the political strength and the physical prowess of the Greeks. Those games were looked upon as a part of religious rituals of the temple and Zeus. Greeks often made pilgrimages to worship the king of the Greek gods (The Statue of Zeus at Olympia 2016).
The great Statue of Zeus is a reminder of the proud aftermath of the Persian wars. When the statue was installed inside the temple, the image looked even more impressive than the statue of Atheen in Parthenon, made by the same sculptor. The crown of Zeus is the crown of a victory, and this was a god who was the champion of champions. The massive head of the statue almost reached the roof. There was a kind of halo glowing around the statue of Zeus because of the thinly cut marble roof (Koumoulides 5). The statue became so famous that the Roman emperor ordered that it should be brought to Rome. The statue was last seen on the site in AD 384.
While Mandala is a Shiva and Shakti is a complex diagram, used for meditation, the great Statue of Zeus reminds of the glorious past of Greek history, wars, and the Olympic Games. Mandala is used for mediation while the Statue of Zeus held importune during the Olympic Games and for the participants. While it would be difficult to replicate the Statue of Zeus. Given its colossal size, Mandala of Shiva and Shakti can be easily reproduced in a planar form of any size. While both Mandala and the statue of Zeus are used for worship and praying to gods, the reason behind and the ways are completely different. In the statue of Zeus, the focus is on one Greek god, in the Mandala, one finds many gods along with the main god and goddess Shiva and Shakti. The art in the Mandala denotes the completeness of the universe and shows the way to achieve individuation and a unique experience by looking within. The purpose behind is to become one with the universe and the cosmic forces. The vast statue of Zeus reminds one of the Olympic games and the rituals and religion of the ancient Greeks. To conclude on the paper, it is apparent that there are very few similarities between the Mandala and the statue of Zeus. Still, both are a reminder of the great architecture and culture from the ancient times.
Works Cited
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