Adaptation Process and Meaningful Representation of Hindu Sculptures in Bangkok

Abstract

            This qualitative research aimed to study sculptures that present the meaning of Hinduism in Bangkok. The information was gathered by the qualitative method which consisted of interviews, observation, and documentation. The research found that the characteristics of the iconography of Gods and beliefs were different depending on the popularity of each location. For instance, Indian art was one style and Thai art was another style. Therefore, sculptures of Gods were different even when they were from beliefs that originated from the same location. From studying 7 sculptures which were Ganesh, Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu, Lakshmi, Brahma, Saraswati built in Bangkok, the research found that some of them were built in the Indian style found in Hindu places in Bangkok while some of them were not. Semiologically, it was found that the sculptures of Gods of Hinduism hold various things; therefore, they were built with multiple hands. This represented the characteristics of each God which was the symbol that had meanings inside. There are three general principles of the symbol in the sculptures of Gods: 1) weapon to fight against bad things; 2) flower, tree, and seedling representing fertility; and 3) things signifying priesthood such as a string of beads, a scripture, and a kettle (kalasha).