Volute

Derived from the Latin word voluta meaning “scroll,” it is a spiral, scroll-shaped ornament. A key element in the Ionic order of classical Greek architecture, it was typically found on the capital of Ionic pillars.

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Tribhanga Pose

Also known as the "triple-bend position," it is a standing pose found in Indian classical dance forms such as Odissi…

Alam

A religious processional object used by the Shi’a community on Ashura, the tenth day of Muharram. It is considered a…

Bodhyagri Mudra

Also known as the bodhyangi mudra, it means the “mudra of the six elements” or the “fist of wisdom,” and…

Kottadi

Commonly found in sari designs of Tamil Nadu, it is a pattern characterised by fine, evenly spaced checks woven into…

Thazhampoo Reku

Textile motif comprising jagged triangular forms, repeated as a band along sari borders, particularly Kanjivaram saris from Tamil Nadu in…

Dharmachakra

A symbol in Buddhist, Jain and Hindu traditions, it is depicted as the wheel of dharma (a religious concept representing…

Gul Buta

A rose motif that appears in block-printed textiles of Rajasthan, it derives its name from the Urdu term for rose.…

Trishul

A trident used as one of the principal symbols of Hinduism, and to a lesser extent by some Buddhist sects.…