Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. Statues of Buddha, generally under a tree, are found all over India depicting him in a serene, peaceful, and meditative pose.
With his elephant head and human body, Ganesha (or Ganesh) is one of the most beloved and popular of all the Hindu gods. This is because he brings good fortune while destroying all obstacles.
Ganesh is depicted as an art form in colorful statues and stone carvings.
San José’s (Costa Rica) principal Catholic cathedral was built in 1871. Though rather plain from the outside, the large neoclassical church features a mix of stained-glass works, and assorted sculptures and bas-reliefs. It also has a wonderfully restored 19th-century pipe organ. A well-tended little garden surrounds the church and features a massive marble statue of Pope Juan Paul II
Various stone sculptures of Ganesha were decorated daily at our resort in Gujarat, India,
Ganesha, a much-beloved and worshiped deity, is the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. He is also known as the God of wisdom, prosperity, and auspiciousness. A Ganesha statue can be hand-carved in many postures and forms, typically with four or eight arms, holding various symbolic objects.
Historic New Castle, Delaware is located just 10 minutes south of downtown Wilmington. Overlooking the Delaware River, Historic New Castle is the oldest continuously occupied town in the Delaware Valley. Thanks to preservation efforts, this vibrant, fully occupied community remains one of the most important Colonial/Federal villages in America – second only to Williamsburg, Virginia in the number and authenticity of its historic structures.
Pictured below are the New Castle Court House, Immanuel Episcopal Church, Amstel House and a statue of William Penn (founder of Pennsylvania).
A small park with water fountains in Wilmington, Delaware and a statue honoring those who died in wars
The life-size statue Sisters of Mercy founder Mother Catherine McAuley standing next to a female student—uniquely adorned in the St. Vincent’s Academy cardigan sweater with Mercy shield—as a testament to the important role her order, the Sisters of Mercy, played in education in Savannah, Georgia.
Mother and Student
A huge, colorful statue of a regional deity in Hyderabad, India
A Striking Face
Even stone sculptures of Buddha, in India, display the serenity attributed to him
Serenity in Stone
Buddha in the Garden
Statue of Unity Comparison
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s statue or known as the Statue of Unity is situated in the Indian state of Gujarat. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–1950) was the first Home Minister of India. The statue is the world’s tallest, standing at a height of 182 meters (597 feet).
Statue of Unity
Nataraja is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the divine dancer. The sculpture is symbolic of Shiva as the lord of dance and dramatic arts, with its style and proportions made according to Hindu texts on arts.
The dwarf (not a baby) under Nataraja’s feet is Apasmāra, which represents ‘tamas’; ignorance and nonsensical speech. Since then Lord Shiva is also known as ‘Hara’, which means destroyer of ‘Tamas’.
A statue of Nataraja at Shilparamam, Hyderabad …..
Nataraja
A statue on the street seems to be framed by the London eye in the background
Framed by the London Eye
An ideally placed statue of Buddha provides serenity in this well landscaped garden
Buddha Serenity
A street artist made up as a metal statue impresses people in Asheville, North Carolina
Portrait of a Street Artist
Photos by Ravi 