Navagunjara Reborn

Philosophy of the art

The Phoenix has been prevalent in popular culture for time immemorial, rising from the ashes into our collective consciousness ever so often. The Navagunjara on the other hand, is a less familiar beast. Composed of nine different animals, this avatar of Vishnu represents the truth as multifaceted - with infinite possible perceptions. The fusion of these two mythical beings celebrates the resilience of tradition, the beauty of transformation, and the power of unity in diversity.

In the spirit of the Phoenix, "Navagunjara Reborn" would be designed to live, burn, and be reborn through fire. As the festival culminates, the sculpture will be ceremonially ignited, allowing it to turn to ash. Not an end, but a new beginning - honoring the cycles of death and rebirth, echoing the value of physical impermanence rooted in Indian philosophy. Just as the Phoenix is reborn, this installation invites participants to honor their own personal journeys of rebirth, immersed in the ancient arts of Odisha.

Navagunjara, a mythical creature from tribal Odisha, formed out of an amalgamation of nine animals (image source: Wikipedia)

Phoenix, from ancient Greek mythology, cyclically reborn through fire and ash (image source: Wikipedia)