Painted
Prayers
At some point in each year, the women of almost every Indian household
create decorative designs on their walls or floors. Their purposes
are varied: to cleanse, to beautify, to honor, to bring good luck,
to prevent evil, or to pray for a specific wish. Most often their
intention is spiritual, a ritual invocation to the gods. Each region
and group of communities has a unique artistic style and each household
its own creative innovations. When considering India as a whole, the
breadth of this art is inconceivable.
Portraits
More than one billion people live in India. They represent a remarkably
kind and hospitable culture. During the past three decades of travel
in India, Stephen Huyler has been the recipient of innumerable kindnesses.
These portraits are his tribute to some of those individuals.
Meeting
God
Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion is a window into the third
largest religion in the world. One in six human beings is a Hindu,
two million of which live in the United States, yet most Americans
are as yet unaware of the basic concepts of this world-wide phenomenon.
The photographs in this gallery portray many of the rituals, prayers,
customs and festivals that punctuate daily and seasonal life in India.
Shakti
Shakti is the principle word
for strength and power in almost all Indian languages. It is synonymous
with the generic name for the Goddess. Just as Hindu Goddesses are
considered stronger than their male counterparts, so he women of India
are viewed as the source of strength and power in society.
This gallery is a view of some of those Goddesses and women.