Popular Devotional Art of the Indian Muslims: 
Looking for Syncretic Symbols

A Research/Documentation Project by Yousuf Saeed

Also, a short experimental film called Jannat ki Rail (The Train to Heaven)

Abstract:
Amongst the most vibrant examples of popular visual art found in Indian towns and cities are the religious posters and calendars depicting deities, saints, and places of worship, available at many roadside stalls near temples, mosques, and dargahs, and adorned at walls inside homes, shops, or in worship-corners. While such visual depiction may have existed in the past in popular forms of painting, the introduction of printing press and the mass production industry in the 20th century transformed it into a full-fledged mass culture, characterized by its own popular aesthetics, the depiction of the folklore, and the marketing tactics.

The images of the shrines at Mecca and Medina in Arabia, the primary religious centers of Islam, are the most widely used sacred icons of popular culture amongst Muslim communities the world over. The cube-shaped shrine of Mecca, to which the Muslims turn for prayers, and the green dome of Medina, flanked by the minarets, the names Allah and Muhammad in large Arabic calligraphy, and possibly, a crescent and star, are icons that can be found in almost every Muslim household in some form or the other - a photo realistic painting or a creative adaptation, by an artist who probably never visited Arabia, or may not necessarily be a Muslim!

Since the making of pictures, other than that of Mecca and Medina, is generally frowned upon in Islam and the written word is of utmost importance, the calligraphy of Quranic verses and other sacred texts is the next favourite of the Muslim artists. For centuries, the Perso-Arabic calligraphists have also been experimenting with the 'pictorialization' of the text, turning words into shapes of animals, birds, human postures, and other inanimate objects. This, even though has been appreciated in the Muslim world as a novelty, has also met with some disapproval. Nevertheless, one can find a wide variety of calligraphic themes in the Indian popular posters.

Often the artists visualize theoretical concepts such as morality or virtue, through creative use of ordinary symbols. To show, for instance, how Islam treats the rich and the poor alike, the artist draws a row of men, some dressed as king while some in rags, praying together. There are many posters of utilitarian nature that contain talismans and tantras for treating or solving day-to-day problems of health, business, family, security and so on. 

The more interesting theme, the focus of this study, is the depiction of Muslim saints, their miracles and other folklore. Many posters depict the images of the mausoleums or the tomb complexes of famous saints, often with the personage of the saint himself, complete with the icons of his peculiar legends and miracles, such as the ferocious animals he tamed, the oceans he crossed on foot, and so on. Akin to the tradition of Hindu gods and goddesses, the Muslim saints are shown with extra charisma and radiating personalities, wearing impressive robes and turbans.

There are mythological animals, such as the Burraq, a flying horse with the head of a beautiful woman that the Prophet Muhammad rode for Me'raj, his journey to the heaven. Interestingly, the woman's face, painted by an Indian artist, reminds one of Radha, Paravati, or Saraswati from a Hindu religious poster. Many cultural symbols in the Muslim posters seem inspired from their Hindu counterparts, and vise a versa. These pluralistic tendencies of the popular posters clearly reflect the larger multiple culture that was prevalent in much of south Asian past.

The religious posters also participate actively in what can be called the stereotyping of the image of certain communities and of the genders. A young woman or a child, if depicted anywhere, are always shown as embodiments of perfect innocence and beauty. The images that strengthen the community typecasts show little Muslim boys in skullcaps hugging each other after the Eid prayers, beautiful and pious women with raised hands and a dupatta (scarf) cascading down, all this with the essential backdrop of Ka'ba and the green dome of Medina. 

India's Hindu-Muslim composite culture is currently under threat from the purists of both sides. The survival of Muslim religious posters is especially endangered, as Muslim community, especially in the urban areas, is rapidly being polarized towards a puritanical faith. Preservation and study of these posters and their larger exposure to the public may help bolster the cause of syncretism and cultural harmony.

Posters' Gallery »»