In Hindu iconography, Murugan the lord of war is typically depicted thus:
Yet there are some depictions like this where he is very much in full-on warrior mode:
Now, it may be coincidence but the Skanda of the (Chinese) Buddhist tradition is very much a warrior. Skanda (Buddhism) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I wonder which way the influence went... are the representations of Skanda in Orissa and Kolkata influenced by the Chinese representation, or the other way around. Either way I think it's interesting, and underscores how much sharing and blending has taken place in south, southeast and east Asia. Notice how in the Hindu representation He holds a vel (spear) and in the Chinese representation he has the thunderbolt.
That's all... just sayin'
Yet there are some depictions like this where he is very much in full-on warrior mode:
Now, it may be coincidence but the Skanda of the (Chinese) Buddhist tradition is very much a warrior. Skanda (Buddhism) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I wonder which way the influence went... are the representations of Skanda in Orissa and Kolkata influenced by the Chinese representation, or the other way around. Either way I think it's interesting, and underscores how much sharing and blending has taken place in south, southeast and east Asia. Notice how in the Hindu representation He holds a vel (spear) and in the Chinese representation he has the thunderbolt.
That's all... just sayin'