Exhibitions

In Celestial Company

This festive season, Bengaluru finds itself In Celestial Company. Only this time, the focus is less on Gods and Goddesses and more on their grand procession of divine helpers, wondrous animals, and mythical beings, and their fascinating stories.

The exhibition brings to the foreground those that have shimmered at the edges, supporting, accompanying and carrying divine protagonists. These vahanas, attendants and companions of deities in mythology are depicted in almost all imagery of divine beings—however, rarely are they explored as figures in their own right. In Celestial Company unravels these stories, exploring their symbolism, characteristics, and their transformative journeys. Through a selection of artworks ranging from sculptures, textiles, paintings and prints, the exhibition looks at the legends of mythological characters like Garuda, Mooshika, Airavata, Somanadi, Makhara, and more. Some carry deities—acting as physical forms of transportation—while others are a part of the divine retinue, complimenting those they accompany. These beings embody everything from protection and hope to love and strength, as well as the natural rhythms that shape our lives from the changing skies of day and night, to the gentle flow of rivers.

The exhibition creates rich engagement with the artworks on display through a number of interventions. The physical handout allows visitors to read through stories of these characters, while allowing them to keep a souvenir of their experience. Visitors with visual disabilities can experience an essence of the exhibition through the tactile book that represents the artworks and their display layout in the gallery, as well as listening to the audio guide that takes them through the exhibition narrative. Those with hearing disabilities can read through the compelling tales of these celestial beings through the Bloomberg Connects app. A 360 immersive experience on stories of Garuda invites audiences to engage with art in fun and accessible ways.

We invite you to come meet these mythic beings whose stories were once hidden in the margins, and now take centre stage.

In Celestial Company opens at MAP on September 13, 2025.