Yashoda Sakhi Dasi, a devotee from the Hare Krishna Temple in Adelaide, dresses Idol of Krishna at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Source: News Limited
Dear Devotees and Friends,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
We had a great programme on the 18th of October 2013 at the Art Gallery of South Australia known as ‘Realms of Wonder’ unveiling Indian religious exhibits. There is a Krishna section as well with deities, paintings etc. But the highlight was an 8-foot wooden deity of Krsna which was decorated and dressed by ISKCON Adelaide temple devotees. The deity was placed in the foyer at the entrance and was the star attraction of the whole exhibition. We also did catering for about 400 persons and Srila Prabhupada’s books are now displayed in the Art Gallery bookshop. There was lot of talk about Hare Krsna, ISKCON etc during much of the programme. The Temple President HG Adipurusa Krishna Das also took the opportunity to hand over Bhagavad Gitas to important dignitaries and have invited them over to the temple. The event has been published in the mass media and herewith attaching the same so it can read by devotees world-wide.
Thank you.
Your servant,
Satananda Krsna Das
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Members of Adelaide’s Hare Krishna community have given a sculpture of their idol a makeover at the Art Gallery of South Australia, ensurin he looks his best for a new exhibition.
Realms of Wonder: Jain, Hindu and Islamic Art of India is the gallery’s first survey of art from India.
It opens tomorrow with more than 200 paintings, sculptures, textiles and objects dating back 1300 years.
AGSA curator James Bennett said it was the first time the gallery would show many of the works, all sourced from its expanding Indian collection or on loan from local art lovers.
The striking Krishna sculpture was gifted two years ago and while it has been displayed before Mr Bennett said people would see it in a new light.
“What you normally see in galleries is not how the sculptures would be in temples in India, where they are dressed and decorated as an act of devotion,” he said.
Head priest at Adelaide’s Hare Krishna Temple at Kilburn, Vedavyasa Das, and devotees Satananda Krishna Das and Yashoda Sakhi Dasi said the members of Adelaide’s 1000-strong Hare Krishna community were excited about the exhibition.
“It’s the first time we have been involved in anything like it in Australia,” Satananda Krishna Das said.
When decorating a sculpture of the teenage Hindu deity the more silk and jewels the better.
“Krishna means ‘all attractive’,” Satananda Krishna Das said.
“Krishna never ages and is beautiful in every form. We’re decorating him to make him look more princely.”
Jainism, Hinduism and Islam represent the three main spiritual traditions of India.
Among the many highlights of the exhibition is an invitation letter to a Jain monk dated to 1795 and considered one of the most important documents of its kind.
The Islamic display features an embroidered shawl collected by grazier and pioneer Samuel Stuckey during his travels to British India in the 19th century to negotiate the importation of camels to SA.
Realms of Wonder: Jain, Hindu and Islamic Art of India will be at the AGSA from Saturday, October 19 until January 27.
Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/art-gallery-of-south-australia-unveils-indian-art-treasures-in-its-new-exhibition-realms-of-wonder/story-fnii5yv7-1226742309017