Let's admit it. We all feel strongly about religion, in both, our acceptance and denial of it. It becomes part of us, willingly, or otherwise. We find ourselves changing the way we dress and eat, but like the unmistakable scent of jasmine oil making its way to your nostrils in a local train compartment, religion shows up every now and then. Like the cloud of dust and smoke which pervades our city air, we find ourselves surrounded by religion. We take it in with our senses, sometimes deliberate, but mostly passive. In the chaos and cacophony of our everyday lives, religion continues to play peek-a-boo. Whether a dainty rosary hidden beneath a Zara shirt, an ‘Om’ under a grungy wristband or a Kusti around a pair of ripped jeans – religion peeps every now and then, only just to get noticed, and then blend into the medley of faith and beliefs that our society is.
In this series of artwork called 'Religious Peeps' I've tried to depict the unpredictability of people in India, especially when it comes down to their religion or beliefs. People are perfectly secular and joyous on the face of it, but there are things hidden within them, that at the slightest of provocation, can wreck havoc.
In this series of artwork called 'Religious Peeps' I've tried to depict the unpredictability of people in India, especially when it comes down to their religion or beliefs. People are perfectly secular and joyous on the face of it, but there are things hidden within them, that at the slightest of provocation, can wreck havoc.
'The Kirpan' of The Sikhs
The kirpan is a ceremonial sword or dagger carried by baptised Sikhs. It is a religious commandment given by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 in which all baptised Sikhs must wear five articles of faith at all times, the kirpan being one of five articles.
The kirpan is a ceremonial sword or dagger carried by baptised Sikhs. It is a religious commandment given by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 in which all baptised Sikhs must wear five articles of faith at all times, the kirpan being one of five articles.
'The Sudreh and Kushti' of the Zoroastrians
The Sudreh is the Avestan term for the undergarment worn by Zoroastrians, which is worn alongside the Kushti. The Sudreh contains a small pocket in the front, which is supposed to collect one's good deeds. It is worn to protect the wearer from evil acts. The Kushti is the sacred girdle worn by Zoroastrians around their waists. The Kushti is made of 72 fine, white and woollen threads, which represent the 72 chapters of the Yasna, the primary liturgical collection of texts of the Avesta.
The Sudreh is the Avestan term for the undergarment worn by Zoroastrians, which is worn alongside the Kushti. The Sudreh contains a small pocket in the front, which is supposed to collect one's good deeds. It is worn to protect the wearer from evil acts. The Kushti is the sacred girdle worn by Zoroastrians around their waists. The Kushti is made of 72 fine, white and woollen threads, which represent the 72 chapters of the Yasna, the primary liturgical collection of texts of the Avesta.
'The Rosary' of the Catholics
The Rosary (from Latin 'rosarium', meaning 'crown of roses' or 'garland of roses') is a form of prayer or a string of prayer beads used especially in the Catholic Church to count the component prayers.
The Rosary (from Latin 'rosarium', meaning 'crown of roses' or 'garland of roses') is a form of prayer or a string of prayer beads used especially in the Catholic Church to count the component prayers.
'The Ta'wiz' of the Muslims
The Ta'wiz is a locket usually containing verses from the Quran or other Islamic prayers and symbols.The Ta’wiz is worn by a small minority of Muslims and many Sufis with the belief that it will remove the wearer of any evil or affliction put on them through black magic,keep them safe and also bring good luck.
The Ta'wiz is a locket usually containing verses from the Quran or other Islamic prayers and symbols.The Ta’wiz is worn by a small minority of Muslims and many Sufis with the belief that it will remove the wearer of any evil or affliction put on them through black magic,keep them safe and also bring good luck.
'The Janeu' of the Hindus
In Hinduism, the "Janeu" (Sanskrit: yajñopavītam or upavīta) is a thin, consecrated cord, composed of distinct cotton strands, worn to symbolize the permission given to the wearer to perform sandhyavandanam (A mandatory religious ritual that needs to be performed by all brahmins of the Hindu religion who are initiated into the sacred thread ceremony called 'Upanayanam') and recite the Gayatri Mantra. The sacred Yajñopavītam is known by many names (varying by region and community), such as Bratabandha, Janivaara, Jandhyam, Poita, Lagun, Yajnopavita, Yagyopavit, Yonya and Zunna
In Hinduism, the "Janeu" (Sanskrit: yajñopavītam or upavīta) is a thin, consecrated cord, composed of distinct cotton strands, worn to symbolize the permission given to the wearer to perform sandhyavandanam (A mandatory religious ritual that needs to be performed by all brahmins of the Hindu religion who are initiated into the sacred thread ceremony called 'Upanayanam') and recite the Gayatri Mantra. The sacred Yajñopavītam is known by many names (varying by region and community), such as Bratabandha, Janivaara, Jandhyam, Poita, Lagun, Yajnopavita, Yagyopavit, Yonya and Zunna
