gaṇā iti– mikimūṣādaya iti subodham
Panchugopal Sadhukhan is a relatively unknown artist. In fact, this is the first (and probably last) time I heard of him. I spotted his work today, in a small lane just off Bag Bazar Road in North Calcutta, on a building which was some kind of religious establishment.
The panel has the following: on the left a perfectly respectable Harihara (half-Viṣṇu, half-Śiva), on the right Kṛṣṇa minding his herd (not portrayed, you have seen this already). Below a band of gaṇas being merry, beating drums, the usual business. However, they are sporting the heads of the phirang deities (usually worshipped by children, but not exclusively): Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and what looks like Goofy. I guess this is what anthros call 'cultural translation'?
The panel has the following: on the left a perfectly respectable Harihara (half-Viṣṇu, half-Śiva), on the right Kṛṣṇa minding his herd (not portrayed, you have seen this already). Below a band of gaṇas being merry, beating drums, the usual business. However, they are sporting the heads of the phirang deities (usually worshipped by children, but not exclusively): Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and what looks like Goofy. I guess this is what anthros call 'cultural translation'?
4 Comments:
Thanks for this post, it made my day.
Isn't it just lovely?
Daffy appears to be doubled. Ha ha ha ha ha ha HA!*
Or perhaps doubly daffy!
Or am I just seeing double?
Mickey too.
Yours,
Dan
*An ancient Jewish cosmogony. Note the significant number of repetitions of the bija-mantra of hilarity rasa.
Since you all liked it so much, I inserted a close-up of what seems to be a baul Donald Duck.
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