The Museum of Art and Photography is currently hosting In Celestial Company, an exhibition centred around the oft-overlooked divine helpers to the deities.
“This exhibitions focuses on those beings we usually do not notice because the deity is the center of attention in almost every interpretation of the divine across mediums,” says Priya Chauhan, who is curating the exhibition with her team.
“In Celestial Company is about the companions of gods and musicians; these guardians who are often animals or hybrids, and are seen carrying, flanking or guiding the divine,” adds Priya. “We also wanted to focus on the fact that nothing works in silos, not even in mythology. There is always an ecosystem.”
There is an exquisite figurine of Yamuna and the turtle she stands atop of housed in the same display case as the Makara, part-crocodile and part-fish, which carries Ganga. The detailing on both are intricate and one cannot help but marvel at the craftsmanship.
Brightly coloured textile labels depict Gajalakshmi, and a copper alloy statuette of Bhairava pays as much attention to the god as it does to his vehicle, the dog. Similarly, kinnaras, ganas, gandharvas and others come under the spotlight at this exhibition.
According to Priya, the show came together seamlessly since the team knew “the kind of stories we wanted to bring together. It is a vast subject and these narratives exist across cultures around the world and not only in the mythology we are familiar with.”
From MAP’s In Celestial Company exhibit
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
“A winged figure that exists both in Islam and in Christianity hints towards this,” she says, mentioning the angel holding a fan depicting Karthikeya, which is part of the display. This 19th century piece of wood and metal from Puducherry, is a carving in French style portraying a scene which is undeniably from Hindu mythology.
Given the expansive nature of this theme, the team believes the show will serve as a “starting point of making people shift their gaze just a little,” by highlighting a few examples and stories of different kinds, in the hope visitors would look at other things too, through that lens.
“Our eyes have been guided in such a way that we often don’t see beyond what is told. In Celestial Company brings another perspective altogether,” says Priya.
The exhibition has been designed in such a way that at every angle one’s gaze rests on what is usually deemed inauspicious. “While there is a darkness around certain figures in mythology, space is also given to these shadow figures to find their light. What has been seen as a vice or menace, with a little redirection or help can become a strength,” says Priya. She talks about the crow that accompanies the goddess of inauspiciousness Dhumavathi and Mooshika, Ganesha’s mount.
From MAP’s In Celestial Company exhibit
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
“ A mouse that is considered destructive becomes a part of the divine. It is a reminder of how myths can transform, how challenges can also turn into boons; here is a playful discovery made with symbolism and unexpected turns.”
She elaborates on how Garuda who transports Vishnu is always seen in a certain light, but when one focuses on Garuda himself, his role is not confined to the service of the divine alone. “There is more of a collaboration and dependency. We hope people look at these margins and greys and see how things work in balance. We are all a part of a larger ecosystem where every single being holds space and value.”
“I would imagine if these pieces were to come alive, the room would be filled with chaos and wonder. It is a magical space to be in, understanding these stories and not limiting them to the space and artworks, and looking beyond that to create stories around us as well.”
In Celestial Company covers an extraordinary range of time periods and media, from a stone carving of Ketu from Gujarat dating to 1636 and aged textiles, to contemporary paintings and a 2016 watercolour and silver pigment artwork of Goddess Dhumavati.
In Celestial Company is on display at the Museum of Art and Photography, Bengaluru, till February 15, 2026.
Published – December 05, 2025 05:23 pm IST
