Penelope Gan | Photo Blog » Art

The Cathedral-Mosque Mezquita de Cordoba

ganpenelope — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:18:39 +0000

Taking over two centuries to complete (784 – 987CE), the Mezquita de Cordoba has accommodated to many spiritual and religious purposes; originating first as a pagan temple, then to be converted to a Visigothic Christian Church, followed by its transition to a mosque by the Umayyad Caliphate with the Islamic conquest of the Visigothic kingdom, only to be transformed to a Roman Catholic church after the Spanish reconquering the area.

As a result, the Mezquita de Cordoba is known by the local inhabitants of Cordoba, Spain as the Mezquita-Catedral which translates to Mosque-Cathedral in English. Likewise, it incorporates an eclectic mix of Moorish and Renaissance architecture with minarets being adapted into cathedral bell towers and gilded prayer niches with Quranic inscriptions sitting alongside Renaissance styled cathedral nave.

Most notable for the giant arches – with 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble and granite – taken from pieces of previously occupied Roman temples and the Merida amphitheater, the red and white voussoirs of the arches of Mezquita de Cordoba are purported to be a result of inspiration from the Dome of the Rock – a shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem that was completed in 691CE. Expanded and improved extensively by the Umayyad Caliphate, the four stages – which is evident walking through the Mezquita de Cordoba – have resulted in richly gilded prayer niches, a centrally located honeycombed dome with blue tiles finished with stars, a breathtaking mihrab with geometric and flowering designs of floral, stained glass windows, screens of finely carved wood, minarets, colorful mosaics, a courtyard and a staircase and a bridge linking the prayer hall with the Caliph’s quarters.

Alterations to the works of the 4 Caliphs by the Roman Catholic invaders under King Ferdinand III of Castile saw the constructions of Chapels within the mosque, the erection of a cathedral nave right in the middle of Mezquita de Cordoba’s expansive structure and bells attached to minarets to serve as cathedral bell towers.

It is said that the Mezquita de Cordoba’s conversion to a Catholic church – the Catedral de Córdoba – was what saved it from being destroyed and continued to be preserved during the Spanish Inquisition.

The desire of men to convert this coveted structure remains to date with Spanish Muslims continued lobbying with the Roman Catholic church to allow them to pray in the cathedral; of which were rejected on multiple occasions by the Spanish Catholic authorities and the Vatican since the early 2000s. This quest turned into a violent incident in 2010.

Source: Lonely Planet, Wikipedia and Sacred Destinations

The Mevlevi Sema Ceremony

ganpenelope — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:18:23 +0000

Known more commonly as the Whirling Dervishes due to their famous practice of whirling as a form of remembrance to God (dhikr) in initiating the Sufi path (dervish), the Mevlevi Order (Persian: مولويه - Molavīyeh) is a Sufi order founded in Konya, Turkey by the followers of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet, theologian and Islamic jurist.

Following his death, the Mawlawi order was founded in 1273 by his successor, Hüsamettin Çelebi. The Mawlawi believe in performing their dhikr in the form of a “dance” and musical ceremony known as the Sema, which involves the whirling, from which the order acquired its nickname. The Sema represents a mystical journey of man’s spiritual ascent through mind and love towards “Perfection”. Turning towards the truth, the follower grows through love, deserts his ego, finds the truth, and arrives at the “Perfect”. He then returns from this spiritual journey as a man who has reached maturity and a greater perfection, able to love and to be of service to the whole of creation.

Rumi has said in reference to Sema:

For them it is the Sema of this world and the other.
Even more for the circle of dancers within the Sema
Who turn and have, in their midst, their own Ka’aba.

The origin of Sema is credited to Rumi where it narrates the story of Rumi walking through the town marketplace one day, when he heard the rhythmic hammering of the goldbeaters. It is believed that Rumi heard the dhikr, “la elaha ella’llah” in Arabic “لا اله الا الله”, or in English, “There is none worthy of worship but Allah(God)“, spoken by the apprentices beating the gold, and was so filled with happiness that he stretched out both of his arms and started spinning in a circle. With that, the practice of Sema and the dervishes of the Mevlevi Order were born.

In 2005, UNESCO proclaimed the “The Mevlevi Sema Ceremony” of Turkey as amongst the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

The Sema is practised in the samahane (ritual hall) according to a precisely prescribed symbolic ritual with the dervishes whirling in a circle around their sheikh, who is the only one whirling around his axis. The Sema is performed by spinning on the right foot. The dervishes wear a white gown (symbol of death), a wide black cloak (hırka) (symbol of the grave) and a tall brown hat (kûlah or sikke), symbol of the tombstone.

Sema ceremonies are broken up into four parts which all have their own important meanings.

Naat and Taksim - Naat is the beginning of the ceremony where a solo singer offers praise for the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The first part is finished with taksim(improvisation in free rhythm) of the ney reed flute which symbolizes our separation from God.

Devr-i Veled - During the following Devr-i Veled, the dervishes bow to each other and make a stately procession in single file around the hall. The bow is said to represent the acknowledgement of the Divine breath which has been breathed into all of us. After all the dervishes have done this they kneel and remove their black cloaks.

The Four Salams - The Four Salams are the central part of Sama. The samazens or whirling dervishes are representative of the moon and they spin on the outside (sufi whirling) of the Sheikh who is representative of the sun. They, as previously mentioned, spin on their right foot and additionally, they have their right palm facing upwards towards Heaven and their left hand pointing at the ground. The four salams themselves are representative of the spiritual journey that every believer goes through. The first one is representative of recognition of God, the second one is recognition of the existence in his unity, the third one represents the ecstacy one experiences with total surrender and the fourth one, where the Sheikh joins in the dance, is symbolic of peace of the heart due to Divine unity. After the four salams, this part of the ceremony is concluded with another solo Taksim.

Concluding Prayer - The fourth part of the ceremony is a recitation from the Holy Qu’ran and a prayer by the Sheikh and then the Sema is complete.

Djamaa el Fna and Kautoubia Mosque

ganpenelope — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:18:50 +0000

Marrakesh – famed for Djamaa el Fna, its vibrant main square dubbed the most exhilarating meeting place in the world, Marrakesh which is situated in southwest Morocco also features the landmark symbol in its walled old city (medina): the 800 year old minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque.

The minaret, capped with three golden orbs, not only dominates the Marrakesh skyline but also enhances the mosque’s reputation as a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. It was completed during the rule of Almohad Caliph Yacoub el-Mansour (1184-199) and stands nearly 230ft (77m) high and almost 40 ft (13m) wide.

The city’s character is, however, defined by Djamaa el Fna in the city’s medina square. By the day it is the scene of locals and tourists haggling for bargains with market traders and watching snake charmers.

The souk (or marketplace) bordering the square is the largest in North Africa; its alleyways are crammed with stalls selling carpets, kaftans, embroidered slippers, leather ware, lamps and other Moroccan craft items.

By night the main square is transformed into a mesmerizing theateric scene of street entertainment of every kind: fire-eating, juggling, singing, acrobatics, story-telling, dancing, magic, drumming, fortune telling and stalls selling traditional medicines or Moroccan dishes of sheep’s brains and eyes, and goats’ testicles sizzling on the pan with smells wafting up to the Moroccan clear cloudless sky.

Taj Mahal, the Crown Palace

ganpenelope — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:18:11 +0000

The Taj Mahal (Crown Palace) is regarded as one of the eight wonders of the world. Some Western historians have noted that its architectural beauty has never been surpassed and is the most beautiful monument built by the Mughals, the Muslim rulers of India.

Built entirely of white marble, the Taj Mahal was constructed over a period of twenty-two years, employing twenty thousand workers by Emperor Shah Jahan (died 1666 C.E.) in the memory of his dear wife – queen Mumtaz Mahal (her real name was Arjumand Banu*) at Agra, India. Completed in 1648 C.E. at a cost of 32 Million Rupees, the Taj is an “elegy in marble” or some say an expression of a “dream.” Glowing in the light of the full moon, the Taj transforms to take on a dreamy fairy like existence – as if floating and suspended in clouds – on a foggy morning when viewed from across the Jamuna river.

The Taj serves as a Mausoleum that houses the grave of queen Mumtaz Mahal at the lower chamber. The construction documents show that its master architect was Ustad ‘Isa, the renowned Islamic architect of his time, employing specialised expert craftsmen from Delhi, Qannauj, Lahore, Multan, Baghdad, Shiraz and Bukhara.

The Taj stands on a raised, square platform (186 x 186 feet) with its four corners truncated, forming an unequal octagon. The architectural design uses the interlocking arabesque concept, in which each element stands on its own and perfectly integrates with the main structure. It uses the principles of self-replicating geometry and a symmetry of architectural elements.

Its central dome is fifty-eight feet in diameter and rises to a height of 213 feet. It is flanked by four subsidiary domed chambers. The four graceful, slender minarets are 162.5 feet each. The entire mausoleum (both internal and external chambers) is decorated with inlaid design of flowers and calligraphy using precious gems such as agate and jasper. The main archways, chiseled with passages from the Holy Qur’an and the bold scroll work of flowery pattern is captivating. The central domed chamber and four adjoining chambers include many walls and panels of Islamic decoration.

The mausoleum is a part of a vast complex comprising of a main gateway, an elaborate garden, a mosque (to the left), a guest house (to the right), and several other palatial buildings. The Taj is at the farthest end of this complex, with the river Jamuna behind it. The large garden contains four reflecting pools dividing it at the center. Each of these four sections is further subdivided into four sections and then each into yet another four sections. Like the Taj, the garden elements serve like Arabesque, standing on their own and also constituting the whole.

Shah Jahan’s grave was later added to the Taj Mahal.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

* In the tradition of the Mughals, important ladies of the royal family were given another name at their marriage or at some other significant event in their lives, and that new name was commonly used by the public. Shah Jahan’s real name was Shahab-ud-din, and he was known as Prince Khurram before ascending to the throne in 1628.

Sanghyang Exorcism Fire Dance

ganpenelope — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:18:37 +0000

Sanghyang which means trance traces its origins back to the early paganism-meets-Hinduism days of Bali. Making a strong presence in Balinese Hindu culture as an exorcism ritual, the Sanghyang trance was meant to protect its believers against evil spirits and ward off epidemics.

Sanghyang can take on many forms but the most popular to date is Sanghyang Djaran – djaran meaning horse.

Sanghyang Djaran‘s popularity is in part credited to German artist – Walter Spies – who made adaptations to this ancient ritual with his choreographed Kecak dance that unveils a portion of the famous Ramayana epic via a trance like dance accompanied by a cacophony chorus of hundreds of men sitting in concentric circles chanting in a swaying movement and a story teller.

Nonetheless, it should be noted that Djaran, or horse, on its own had a long standing with the Indonesians long before Walter Spies in collaboration with Wayan Limbak popularised the idea of Sanghyang Djaran to the world with the ‘birth’ of the Kecak dance in the 1930s. In addition to Bali, the hobby horse has been associated with trance in Java and is also seen in the Kuda Kepang ritual of West Java; all of which were intended to that protect society from ills.

In Sanghyang Djaran the ‘horse rider’ is lulled into trance by the repetitive sound of the gamelan suara (chants) and in his state of trance dances around a flaming pile of coconut husks in circles before moving into the smoldering pile. His movements are in sync with the rising and falling chorus of chants.

Kecak (ˈketʃak)

ganpenelope — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 00:18:08 +0000

Originating from the Sanghyung exorcism ritual, Kecak gained traction as an art form in the 1930s through the collaboration of German artist Walter Spies and Wayan Limbak a local. Pronounced ‘ketʃak, it is a form of Balinese music drama performed primarily by hundreds of men wearing only black and white checked loin cloth around their waist sitting in concentric circles, swaying, standing up and lying prone as they percussively chant “chak – a – cak – chak”.

Incorporating fragments of the popular epic Ramayana, the story teller’s voice can be heard amongst the swaying masses of voices in traditional Balinese language, lending Kecak the alternative name of ‘Ramayana Monkey Chant’.

Whilst there are many groups of Kecak performers in Bali – with almost every community hosting one that comprises of the entire village’s population of men – not all Kecak are created equal. Nonetheless, witnessing any of the groups performing this trance inducing exorcism dance at dusk is a mesmerizing hair raising experience not to be missed; Kecak is a triump of style and mood, rather than story, which will leave you wide-eyed, transfixed and haunted by the sounds of “chak – a – cak – chak” for weeks to come.

Strokes of Hope

ganpenelope — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:06:28 +0000

Drawing from their long history of Buddhism, Tibetan art has always been synonymous with Thangkas – religious scrolls that projects iconographical and religious elements. However, with changes in Lhasa brought about by the arrivals of pilgrims from all corners of the world prostrating in front of the Jokhang and thus the emergence of a plethora of entertainment venues hosting kitschy Tibetan cultural shows, Tibetan artist have been undergoing ‘similar’ transformation or ’progress’.

Tired of being exotic-sized in the West as “mystics,” and “ethnic”, they have broken norms and boundaries, fiercely defending their right to express their own identities within the modern dialectic under the purview of art schools such as the Gendun Choephal School in Lhasa.

Neither a traditionalist tantric influence nor an avant-garde fan, I was instantly attracted to the middle-of-the-road approach used by this artist at the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre. What was pleasantly surprising, if not shocking, was to find a docile lady in exile producing such fine pieces that continues to reflect the cultural identity of Tibet, while producing works that are commercially viable, despite being isolated and hence insulated from the developments of the Tibetan art world that has attracted both positive and negative opinions;

the ecumenical modern art world (though comprising mostly of artists hailing from the developed Western world) looks at contemporary Tibetan artists as a group playing catch up with post modernism, and
whilst the native Tibetans are concern that in the haste to embrace globalisation to overcome social, psychological and economic changes of the world, Tibetan will lose their tradition.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

check out Thangkas: Buddhist Religious Scrolls a multimedia piece by Mohit Gupta; brilliant engineer, enthusiastic photographer and friend

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Sculptured Dough

ganpenelope — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:18:16 +0000

Sculpturing with dough is a folk art that is a dying tradition and little known off outside China. Based on known written records, dough sculpturing is believed to have dated back to the Han Dynasty (206BC – AD220) where they were made as sacrifices and buried with the dead.

During the Song Dynasty (AD960-1279) the dough sculptures expanded its importance beyond sacrifices to an edible form of art taking shapes of birds, flowers and even people. Its usage continued to grow in importance, and with more and better artisans present, it was made into art pieces and kept in glass boxes until the end of the Qing Dynasty.

Today, in places where they can be found, particularly in the Northern parts of China such as Shanxi, Shaanxi, Shandong and Hebei, dough sculptures are used as food garnishes during wedding ceremonies and festivities in addition to sacrifices and offerings during funerals.

In terms of style, dough sculptures in the Yellow River Valley are simple, crude, unconstrained and profound, while those in the Yang Tze River Valley are delicate, exquisite and polished. Made from well-leavened wheat flour dough, and utilising basic tools such as scissors, tweezers, kitchen knife, comb, Chinese dates and Bunge prickly ash, a skillful dough sculptor is able to knead a few coloured pieces of flour into a vivid figurine within minutes with his bare hands.

Typically measuring 3″ tall, dough sculptures may be made up to 12″ tall or tiny enough to be displayed in half a walnut shell. Whilst they have long provided for study in history and folk lore in Chinese cultural traditions - depicting scenes of the life and times of Emperors, ancient sage, poets and other aspects of Chinese culture and literature - dough sculptures today may take form of other popular genres and modern fictional characters such as Pokemon, Doremon, Spider man, Hello Kitty and the likes to delight children and their parents with the hopes of reviving the trade of dough sculptors – but less so the Chinese art form, tradition and cultural significance.

Jumu’ah

ganpenelope — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:18:45 +0000

“When it is Friday, the angels stand at every door of the mosque and record the people in order of arrival, and when the Imam sits on the pulpit for delivering the sermon, khutba, they fold up their sheets and listen to the mention of Allah, the speech.”

Prophet Muhammad (as reported by Abu Hurayrah)

A person who goes to Friday prayer (Jumu’ah جمعة‎) – a congregational prayer that Muslims hold every Friday, just after noon in lieu of dhuhr, is said to have his sins between that Friday and last forgiven.

O you who believe! when the call is made for prayer on Friday, then hasten to the remembrance of God and leave off business; that is better for you, if you know. (Qur’an 62:9)

And when the prayer is ended, then disperse in the land and seek of Allah’s bounty, and remember Allah much, that ye may be successful. (Qur’an 62:10)

.

.

Suryavarman II Sacred Angkor Wat

ganpenelope — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:18:32 +0000

Built in the early 12th Century as King Suryavarman II’s temple state and capital city, Angkor Wat (which translates to “City Temple” from a combination of Sanskrit and Khmer) requires no introduction.

Neglected after the 16th century, the temple’s existence made prominence in the West only in the mid-19th century by Henri Mouhot – a French explorer – travel notes that cites:

“One of these temples – a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michelangelo – might take an honourable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome, and presents a sad contrast to the state of barbarism in which the nation is now plunged.”

With renewed interest arising mainly from cynicism and disbelief that the Khmers could have constructed such a marvel, restoration begun in the 20th century – mainly the removal of accumulated earth and vegetation. Despite being abandoned for four centuries, restorers were pleasantly surprised by the minimal damage to Angkor Wat due in part to the existence of its large moat that provided it some protection from encroachment by the jungle.

Interrupted by the civil war and Khmer Rouge control of the country during the 1970s and 1980s – but again, relatively little damage was done to Angkor Wat other than theft and destruction of mostly post-Angkorian statues – the Archaeological Survey of India continued restoration work on the temple between 1986 to 1992.

Following the Archaeological Survey of India’s work, further restoration and preservation work on the temple continued to be carried out by foreign government-sponsored teams rather than by the Cambodian government despite the establishment of the Angkor World Heritage Site in 1992 that provided some funding and encouragement for the Cambodian government to protect the site.

For instance, the German Apsara Conservation Project works on protecting the devatas and other bas-reliefs decorations on the temple from damage due to natural erosion and deterioration of the stone, repairs on the collapsed sections of the structure, and prevention of further collapses in 2002. A Japanese team on the other hand contributed to the restoration of the north library of Angkor Wat’s outer enclosure in 2005, and the World Monuments Fund worked on the ‘Churning of the Sea of Milk’ Gallery in 2008.

Since it’s re-’opening’, Angkor Wat has become a major tourist destination with close to a million foreign visitors a year. The influx of tourists has purportedly caused relatively little damage, other than some graffiti where ropes and wooden steps have been introduced to protect the bas-reliefs and floors, respectively. Structures that are buttressed by scaffolding have been erected for good measure to prevent further structural collapses … despite these claims, be a responsible traveler. Keep your hands away.

- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -

The Angkor Wat temples lies 5.5 km north of Siem Reap which is easily assessable via flights or a boat ride from Cambodia’s capital Phomn Penh.

For travel tips and more travel related information and useful travel links, please read HERE.