Aslam loves creating horses. His steeds storm into the skies to create their own stories born of the energy of the sun. Indian tales and mythology are full of horses that were revered, celebrated, and worshipped for their qualities of loyalty and speed and swift intuitiveness. Horses are mentioned in the scriptures too. Horses form the Chariot of the Sun-God.
Various scriptures describe the Celestial chariot of the Sun. the Rig Veda [1.35] says:
आ कृष्णेन रजशा वर्तमानो निवेशयन्न अमृतमं मतर्यम च |
हिरण्ययेन सविता यथेना देवो याति भुवनानि पश्यन ||
Throughout the dusky firmament advancing, Laying to rest the immortal and the mortal, Borne in his golden chariot he cometh, Savitar, God who looks on every creature.
Throughout the dusky firmament advancing, Laying to rest the immortal and the mortal, Borne in his golden chariot he cometh, Savitar, God who looks on every creature.
While the Greek Apollo used to ride four-horse chariot, Vedic texts clearly mention seven horses of Surya who are called – Gayatri, Brhati, Usnik, Jagati, Tristup, Anustup and Pankti. The Rig Veda [1.164.1-5] says:
A seven-named horse draws the three naved wheel, Seven steeds draw the seven-wheeled chariot, Wise poets have spun a seven-strand tale, And glorified this Heavenly calf, the Sun.
The immediate question that comes to mind is why Seven? It was rare for Vedic chariots to have more than four horses. Even the chariot of Arjun driven by Krishna Himself had only four horses so why would the Chariot of the Sun have more than four?
Most scholars believe the seven horses represent Seven days of the week. Ancient Indians were also great astronomers and this could very well be true. However, some believe, the seven horses probably also represent the Seven colours of Sunlight!
The seven horses/mares of Surya’s chariot are all of different colours; secondly, many times, they are often represented as one horse/mare with seven heads! It’s like an allegory to White light splitting into seven colours. Aslam’s horses come in varied tones and a riot of colours. His work Magnificent Trio is a testimony to this old yet ancient tale. They come alive in the tones of colour living their own radiant energies. At once Picassoesque, sometimes pensive, sometimes filled with a passionate prowess these horses roam the universe, and celebrate the being of living because it is the breath of the spirit that is elixir of life.
UMA NAIR
Art Critic
ASLAM SHAIKH
Magnificent Trio
Acrylic on Canvas
54 x 80 inches
2018