Fourteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

Hindus believe in worshipping God in shapes and forms. Lord Jagannath is an iconic representation of God Vishnu, carved in wood and is worshiped along with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra as a triad. The Jagannath temple from Puri, India is one of the four major pilgrimages according to Hindu belief, and the idol of Lord Jagannath has been discussed in this study from a visual perspective. Myth articulates that the first idol was crafted by God himself and is believed to be incomplete due to a legend associated with its creation. The belief is invigorated by the absence of fingers in the hands of the triad and due to the missing leg portions. This study has explored the design magnificence of this triad and has explained its completeness to be latent in its posturing incompleteness from the perspective of visual investigation. The study explores the synthesis of superlative art with mystic myths behind the design of this splendid iconography and found abstraction as the design mainstay.