Monday 3 August 2015

South Indian Cow Heads

Sacred Bull of Shiva (Nandi)




My love for these South Indian Bull Heads started some years back when Graham and Green brought out their cow head (bottom image). At the time I was a poor student nurse and could not afford one, now they are sadly discontinued.

I have never really been a big fan of all the real carved cow skulls out there, for me having a real head on the wall is a little morbid, although i can totally appreciate the craftmanship involved. But, these wooden carved Nandi (Sacred Bull of Shiva) heads, painted with their big soulful eyes and big pink noses and ears are really light hearted and fun.... beautiful holy cows!

5 comments:

Notes From ABroad said...

When it comes to animal heads on walls, I am a nutter.
I hate it. I hate skins of floors and heads on walls.
And I am afraid I have insulted more than a few people saying so.
A dead animals head on a wall is not art, it is not pretty and it brings all sorts of mental images .. ugly ones that are better left out of our heads.
So these being wood, maybe some poor animal would be spared and someone could still have a head on the wall :)
besos, C

moonpoppy said...

I would love one of those,I think these look a lot nicer then the real ones,and no animal got hurt.

ita darling. said...

Several years ago I was in Kerala, India... I found a very similar one to your top picture and I fell in LOVE very very hard. It was a big investment and very large head. My boyfriend and I decided overnight to go back and buy it and have it shipped back home. The next day it was gone and we couldn't find another one with the same expression, and joyful energy of the first. I will find another someday.

And not to be pedantic- but They are actually called Nandi - and it is a bull, not a cow. In Hindu tradition Nandi carries the god Shiva and is the principal follower of Shiva.

The heads are used ceremonially on the fronts of carts/floats in celebration parades. Though I am sure some are just made for decorative, export purposes these days.

Adeline said...

Love them! I need one for my collection haha!

Lets said...

Since this is Nandi and it’s more like having a Jesus Christ on a crucifix or picture on a wall or a picture of a revered person on the wall.