Elements of Hindu Iconography v1.c7.83

v1.c7.83

With the decline of the Hindu kingdoms, the temple building activity of the Hindus ceased; and with it, to a very large extent, the sculpturing of Hindu images also ceased. The orthodox school of sculptors, who followed the *Āgamic* instructions, has very nearly died out. The modern set of stone masons in South India manufacture stone images of very inferior workmanship (See Pl. *B*.). In Northern India there is a disregard of the *Āgamic* rules; and whether it is due to want of knowledge or to other causes, it has produced certain salutary results. Influenced by Western Art in all probability, Rajaputana, Central India and the Bombay Presidency have been able to adopt in recent times a realistic style of sculpture; and some of the modern marble images of Kṛiṣhṇa and Rādhā, of Viṣhṇu and Lakshmī, of Gaṇēśa and other gods and goddesses offered in the bazaars for sale, are very pleasing; a few of them are even artistic in reality. Freedom for the display of thought and feeling through art constitutes the very life of all art; and the art of image-making cannot be treated as an exception. It is not that the Hindu does not desire that the images of his gods and goddesses should be sculptured beautifully; but he will not easily tolerate any glaring departure from the rules laid down authoritatively in his *Śāstras*.