@sundaralekhan Day 5: AU
This time around, I'm posing a secondary theme for my Sundaralekhan works — Arts. In the coming week, I'll be posting art for Sundaralekhan prompts in the form of studies of various art forms that revolve around Hindu mythology.
Taking this chance to highlight the Jagannath Mythology. Whether you call it an offshoot of Krishna lore, Vaishnavite subculture, or both Krishna and Vishnu lores getting influenced by stories and mythology of the Puri area, Jagannath mythology has it's own flavour to it and it's own little stories you won't find anywhere else and make only sense for the coastal town of Puri.
Featured are illustrations inspired by Anasara Paintings, which take the place of the triad in the temple when the three are away on Rath Yatra.
My favourite story from the Jagannath mythology is the tale of Mausi Maa. She gave shelter to Jagannath and Balabhadra when they were very poor. You may think when did that happen to Krishna and Balaram and when did they ever travel that far south to this little shrine in Puri? But that's the point of an AU! Vrindavan may be a model for Jagannath/Krishna lore, but Jagannath squarely belongs in Puri and the mythology worldbuilds itself around Odia locales and traditions. You can read more about Jagannath's unique family here.
I studied one of the Anasara Paintings from the book In the Absence of Jagannatha by Eberhard Fischer and Dinanath Pathy. Reference painting and details under the cut.
