Goddess Rajeshwari

$835
Item Code: ZAS64
Specifications:
Bronze Statue from Swamimalai
Height: 10.5 inch
Width: 8.5 inch
Depth: 5 inch
Weight: 3.80 kg
Handmade
Handmade
Free delivery
Free delivery
Fully insured
Fully insured
Shipped to 153 countries
Shipped to 153 countries
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
More than 1M+ customers worldwide

This bronze statue, 10.5 inches in height, rather larger than an average bronze cast, a masterpiece from Swamimalai, the known centre of bronze-casting in India, represents a four-armed female divinity. She has been identified as goddess Rajeshwari, one of the manifestations of Shakti – the primordial cosmic energy that combined the female energy’s all aspects to include her power to create and sustain as also to destroy, all formal manifestations like Lakshmi, Durga and Saraswati being her forms. In later sectarian divide Lakshmi as the principal Vaishnavite goddess, and Durga, as the Shaivite, gained greater prominence leaving hardly any space for Rajeshwari like primordial deities but in many parts of the country, Kerala, Andhra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu … in particular, goddess Rajeshwari is widely worshipped and has dedicated to her a number of shrines, some, such as those in Polali in Kannad district, Polarivarrom near Kochi, Bangalore …, being quite prominent.<p> 
 
Primarily the goddess that created and sustained and the source of energy in any form, this image of the goddess carries in her normal left hand a tall sugarcane which symbolizes her fertility aspect and her power to sustain that in later Puranic cult are the aspects of Lakshmi. Apart, the image has been conceived with a towering Vaishnava crown and as carrying a bunch of lotus flowers, the crown, an essential attribute of Vishnu, Lakshmi’s spouse, and the bunch of five lotuses, Lakshmi’s own attribute. However, synthesizing into her being also the aspects of Shakti, traditionally a term more often used for Shiva’s consort, the craftsman has appended to her Vaishnava crown the crescent motif, an essentially Shaivite motif. Besides, in two of her hands she has been represented as carrying a noose and an elephant goad, the attributes more akin to Shiva.<p>

With her left leg suspending downwards, and the right, laid horizontally in yogic posture the four-armed goddess has been represented as seated in lalitasana – the posture revealing beauty of form. Unique in plasticity and modeling the image has been conceived with a round face, broad forehead, half-shut large lotus eyes, rounded chin, well fed cheeks, sharp finely modeled nose, well-defined neck, prominent ears perfectly balancing her large kundalas – ear-ornaments, sensuously modeled breasts, subdued belly and highly balanced anatomy. Besides richly bejeweled – large towering crown, kundalas, neck-ornaments, elaborate waist-band, and ornaments for arms and feet, the goddess is putting on an ornamental antariya – lower wear, and an artistic stana-pata – breast-band.  <p>

The goddess has been represented as seated in lalitasana on a two tiered rectangular lotus seat, the bottom consisting of conventionalized lotus motifs and the top of a realistic lotus flower. The actual image enshrines a prabhavali – fire-arch, an independently cast unit attached to the seat. Typical of South Indian model of ‘prabhavali’, its lower part comprises dwarf-pillars on both sides on which rests the circular arch rising over the tiny figures of conventionalized peacocks. While the dwarf pillars have architectural character the circular arch consists of a ring of conventional lotus motifs. Delightfully, the ends of this lotus ring align with identically cast tails of the two peacocks. The ‘prabhavali’ is topped by a ‘kirtimukha’ motif conceived with a demonic face, prominent moustaches and large kundalas. <p>

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of ancient Indian literature. Dr Daljeet is the chief curator of the Visual Arts Gallery at the National Museum of India, New Delhi. They have both collaborated on numerous books on Indian art and culture.<p>
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