Art and Religion

Relation between Art and Religion

Generally, people put art and religion in opposite way. Artistic people always find problem with rigidity of religion o, they portrait art and religion different and art superior than religion.

Art and religion are not opposite or separate from one another. But we can find them together. Religion makes art more beautiful even we can say, religion is very artistic and art is often very religious, spiritual. We cannot separate art from religion or religion from art.

In Hindu religion there is a logo, “સત્યમ શિવમ સુન્દરમ” in this, ‘સુન્દરમ’ means beautiful or artistic. If we see any picture or idol of any God or Goddess it is always beautiful. Even we beautify them with human ornaments. 

 Even our god and goddess are very fond of arts. We cannot imagine any picture of Lord Krishna with not having Flute in his hand. And we cannot find any image of goddess Saraswati without vina. They are also giving us message to be artistic.

 







We cannot find any temple without having some sculptures and we can easily find sculptures of God and Goddess in any sculpture.

As Hindu belief, we made beautiful Rangoli in Diwaali which is religious festival. In Navratri we played Garaba. Religious festivals are itself very artistic and for enjoyment. Because of that religious belief, now we get art form as painting and dancing. So, it is religion who takes us to art and its beauty today.
 

If Mira and Narsinh Mehta are not so religious how can we get such a beautiful ‘Bhakti-Literature’ and how can we enjoy their heart-touching spiritual songs? We feel many times that, any good song give us pleasure, but when we heard good Bhajan it touches our heart and we feel aesthetic delight from it. Even some people started dancing while hearing these Bhajans. This is extreme pleasure that they feel.

Without religion or high spirituality our literature also cannot complete. Art also uses religion to beautify itself. Puranas and scriptures are also have a story and literariness, which people like to read. From old days to today, religion is very popular tool used by writers or any artist. Because of religion sometimes we become artistic and because of art we become religious.

It is not religion which smashed art or beauty but it is only rigidity of superstitions and superstitious beliefs that separate religion and art, which put them opposite side.

Everywhere, in every form we find art and religion together. Either it is ‘Garba’ of Navaratri (Dance), Rangoli of Diwali (painting or drawing), Krishna’s Rasleela or playing flute (music) or scriptures having interesting stories (literature) or sculpture, religion and art are always together. We cannot separate them.

With these examples, we found that art and religion are never stand opposite, but very near to each other.  And human beings can never separate them. They are interwoven and their relation is unique one.