Tantra Song

Selected by Franck André Jamme

While researching for my work I discovered the book Tantra Songs from the RCA Library. This is one of the only books to survey the elusive tradition of abstract Tantric painting from Rajasthan, India. Even though I live in Kolkata, my ancestors are from Rajasthan. In my entire life, I have never come across such a representation of tantric paintings. I have come across Mandalas and Tantric Maps of enlightenment but the way forms of Gods and Goddesses, their geometric symbolism and vivid colours are depicted in this book is very untraditional and minimalistic, far from the conventional.

Tantrism first appeared in India, within Hinduism, around the 5th or 6th century, C.E. In Sanskrit, the word ‘tantra’ means to loom or weave but also treatise. The earliest traces of these paintings have been found in books and treatises from the 17th century. Gradually, these images were taken out from the books to be meditated upon its meaning.

The following are images from the book

The Shiv Linga, a body surrounded by vapours – a flame burning eternally within

The birth of wishes and granting of speech

‘Shakti’ in the manifestation of Kali, The Black One.

The goddess of time and hence of destruction and death. She is frightening but her black skin is shiny and luminous. She is loved because the terror that she emits also protects us, both inside and outside, from the demons who otherwise would constantly assail us.

One of my final pieces, a video, depicts the same mythology in accordance to real life.