Sunday,
May 22, 2011. I visited a museum in central Jakarta, the National Museum. The
National Museum is more also known as “Museum Gajah”. It is characterized by
the presence of the King of Thailand's elephant statue to President Soekarno,
who mounted the front page of the museum.
The
museum is located at Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat 12, Jakarta Pusat. The Museum was
officially opened in 1868. It collected about 141.899 pieces collection. The
National Museum is a museum which is mainly filled with a variety of
archaeological heritage of Indonesia. Tens and even hundreds of statues of
various sizes from wallet-sized to larger than a human is there. This sculpture
is a collection of various discoveries arkeologies at several places in the
country. For the third task of this history, I will discuss one of the statues
found at the National Museum, Ganesha.
In
Hindu, statues known antropomorsis term, is a depiction of a half-beast.
Ganesha is one of the statues antropomorsis. Particular characteristic is described
as a human-headed elephant (half elephant). Ganesha is described with an
assortment, some sitting, some standing, and sometimes depicted dancing. If in
a sitting position, can not cross-legged ganesha, Ganesha is always portrayed
as paunchy. Ganesha has a bun of hair resembling a crown. Crown-shaped crescent
and a crescent moon on top of there skull called Ardhacandrakapala, as a sign
that the son of Lord Shiva. Another characteristic is trinetra, which is only
possessed by Shiva and Ganesha. His has an elephant ears, with its trunk. Trunk
always to the left to suck honey in a bowl in his left hand symbolizes the
childish character in Ganesha, who stated that he was a child. Bowl is
sometimes described as the cranium, the skull is cut open. Symbol depicting
Ganesha was absorbing the brain (head). Is called the god Ganesh. Ganesha
described science as being absorbing the brain, where the brain is described as
the source of origin of the human mind which is the source of knowledge.
Ganesha
has four hands or also called chess biuja. This is what distinguishes man from
the gods. Of the four hands, hands in front of the right to bring a broken tusk
(ekadanta). There is also a statue that depicted intact and there is also
depicted broken. Fault that can be used ganesha ivory to kill his enemies.
Right
hand rear carrying prayer beads, while the rear left hand carrying an ax. As
the depiction of other gods statues, Ganesha statues have a sacred circle or
light behind his head, in Sanskrit called Sirascakra (sira means head, chakra
means wheel or circle). However, there is the statue of Ganesha is depicted
with backrest and without backrest. When placed in the middle of the temple
niches usually do not have a backrest. Ganesha also has a strap caste or Upawita
snake, but it also comes with a necklace, brown shoulder, wrist-strap and ankle
bracelet.
Another
depicted Ganesha statues are standing and lift one leg. It is depicted dancing
Ganesha, therefore also called the king of dance. His father, Lord Shiva is
actually called the king of dance. Ganesha dance's called "tarian jenaka", because of his fat body. Ganesha much preferred because of the playful behavior. Ganesha is
also known as repellent barrier. In addition ganapatya Ganesha is also called,
the leader of the gana, the disciples of Lord Shiva. Ganesha is considered as
high among the ranks of the army commander of Lord Shiva. Therefore Ganesha is
also known also as the god of war. The vehicle of Ganesha is a mouse.
*
Birth *
Although
Ganesha known as the son of Shiva and Parvati, the myths
in
the Puranas have uncertainty about the birth. He could have been created by
Shiva, or by Parvati, or by Shiva and Parvati, or appeared mysteriously and was
discovered by Shiva and Parvati. There are various versions about the birth of
Ganesha, but the most famous stories from the book Siwapurana.
Siwapurana
narrated in the book, one day Parvati (wife of Lord Shiva)
want
to take a shower. Not wanting to be disturbed, it creates a son. He ordered that the child does not allow anyone into his house while
Goddess Parvati bathing and should only be carried out the orders
Goddess
Parvati alone. The order was executed the children well.
Once
when Lord Shiva was about to go into his house, he could not enter because it
was blocked by small children who keep her home. The boy was banned because he
wanted to carry out orders properly Parvati. Shiva explained that he was
Parvati's husband and the house that kept the boy is his home too. But the boy
did not want to listen to the command of Shiva, according to her mother's
command to not hear any orders. Shiva eventually run out of patience and
fighting with his own son. The battle is very fierce until finally Shiva using
trident and cut off the boy's head. When Parvati out of the shower, she found her son's
lifeless. she was angry with her husband and demanded that her son was revived.
Shiva aware of his actions and he complied with the request of his wife.
On
the advice of Brahma, Shiva sent his servant, that is the gana, to chop off the
head of any creature was first seen facing north.
When
it comes down to earth, gana find an elephant was facing north. Elephant's head
was cut to replace the head of Ganesha. Ganesha finally revived by Lord Shiva
and has since been given the title of Gods Salvation.
*
Family and wife *
In
the family, Ganesha brother named Skanda, also called Kartikeya, Murugan,
and others. Regional differences provide a different version of the level of
their birth. In North India, Skanda is generally considered an older, while in
South India, Ganesha is considered the first born. Skanda is the god of war who
famous around the year 500 SM to 600 M, when the cult against him was reduced
significantly in North India. Along with the waning of Skanda, Ganesha began to
flourish. Some stories tell the rivalry between the brothers, and may reflect
the tension between the sect (cult devotee of Ganesha and Skanda). Parental
status of Ganesha, a broad subject for scholars, has various versions of the
stories of myth. One pattern in myths
identifies Ganesha as an unmarried brahmacarya. This view is commonly found in
South India and in some areas of North India. In another example, it is
associated with the concept of Buddhi (intellect), Siddhi (spiritual power),
and Riddhi (prosperity); three qualities are sometimes personified as the
goddess, who
Ganesha
is said to be his wife. He can also be described with one's spouse or a
nameless servant (Sanskrit: a tie). In another example, it is associated with
the goddess of culture and art, namely Saraswati or Sarda (mostly in
Maharashtra). He also grab the goddess of fortune and prosperity, Lakshmi.
Other examples, especially prominent in the Bengal region, connecting Ganesa
with banana tree, Kala Bo. Book Siwapurana said that Ganesha had two sons:
Ksema (prosperity) and earnings (profits). According to the North Indian
version of the story, his son often called Suba (safety) and Profit.
Hindi-language film in 1975 titled Jai Santoshi Maa shows Ganesha married to
Riddhi and Siddhi and having daughter named Santoshi Ma, the goddess of
satisfaction. This story has no basis from the Puranas.
*
The appearance of the first *
Ganesha
appeared in his classic form as the god that is easily recognizable with the
attributes that reflected well in the beginning of the 4th century until the
5th century. Shanti Lal Nagar says that the statue of the earliest, which is
known as a form of Ganesha is in a niche in the temple of Shiva in Bhumra,
which is interpreted from the time of Gupta empire. The cult itself against him
appeared around the 10th century. Narain summarizes the controversy between
devotees of Ganesha and academic views on the development of Ganesha as follows:
What
has been unexpected is the appearance of Ganesha are somewhat
dramatic
point of view of history. Vanguard is not clear. Openness and extensive fame,
which transcend territorial boundaries and schools of, it's amazing. On the one
hand there is the trust for the people of the orthodox against the origin of Ganesha
from the time of the Vedas and the Puranas there is a confusing explanation,
but it is a mythology that was quite interesting. On the other hand there are
doubts about the idea and the statue of this god before the fourth to the fifth
century AD.
*
Beyond India and Hinduism *
Trade
and cultural relations have been expanding Indian influence in West Asia and
Southeast Asia. Ganesha is one of the many Hindu deities who touched foreign
lands as a result. Ganesha is worshiped particularly by merchants and his
entourage, who went out to malakukan India trade relations. The period from
about the 10th century
onwards was marked by the development
of new networks of exchange terms, the formation of trade unions, and the rise
of financial circulation. During this time, Ganesha became the main deity
associated with traders. The earliest writings that contain an appeal to
Ganesha before calling other deities associated with a community group of
merchants. Hindus migrated to the archipelago and took their culture, including
Ganesha with them.
