Varaha
Also called: Boar avatar · Topic: Early Indian Art and Architecture: Stupas, Rock-cut Caves, Temples · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings"
Meaning
Varaha is the boar avatar of Vishnu. An avatar is a form a god takes to save the world when evil threatens it. In the Puranic story, Varaha dives into the ocean and lifts the earth goddess out of the water. Varaha became a popular subject in early temple sculpture. It shows how Puranic stories were turned into stone.
Example
At Aihole (Karnataka), c. 6th century CE, a sculpture shows Varaha rescuing the earth goddess. The god is carved much larger than the figures around him, to show his power.
Don't confuse with
- Udayagiri caves (Madhya Pradesh): these Gupta caves also have a famous Varaha panel, but they are rock-cut caves in central India. The Aihole Varaha is in Karnataka.
Related concepts
- Puranic Hinduism
- Vaishnavism
- Avatar
- Dashavatara
- Vasudeva-Krishna
- Shaivism
- Linga
- Garbhagriha
- Antarala
- Shikhara