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Tamil Nadu
Wood, extensively polychromed
A fine and rare polychromed and patinated figure of Patanjali. According to legend, Patanjali is the incarnation of the Serpent-God Adisesa, who was moved to become Shiva’s follower after witnessing his cosmic dance. Adisesa wanted to experience the dance, so he was born on Earth with half his body as a snake and was named Patanjali, which means “fallen into folded hands”. When represented in this aspect, Patanjali has the lower body of a snake and his hands are folded in Anjalimudra.
He is most famously known as the compiler of the “Yoga Sutras,” a foundational text on the theory and practice of yoga. The “Yoga Sutras” provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the philosophy and practice of yoga, encompassing principles such as self-discipline (tapas), self-study (svadhyaya), and devotion to the divine (ishvara pranidhana).
Size (cms): 60(H) x 17(W) x 16(D)
Size (inches): 23.5(H) x 6.5(W) x 6.5(D)
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Northern Kerala (South India)
Wood
A fine pair of wedge shaped panels depicting a pair of musicians. Carved in low relief, the bare chested musicians wear dhotis and a simple necklace and have their hair tied up into buns. Conspicuously drawn on their foreheads are namams which are identification marks of Sri Vaishnavites. Their faces are locked in concentration as they play the chanda (cylindrical drum) that is strung over their shoulders. A band of geometric patterns frames the top and bottom of the panels.
Wedged shaped panels such as these would have been loosely strung together to form a ritual headpiece that would have been worn by the chief performer in ceremonial dances associated with temple festivals. The headpiece is boldly conceived , with a central figure of Gaja Laxmi, carved in high relief, seated on a lotus being lustrated by two elephants flanking her. Ten processional figures of musicians and attendants carrying staffs, drums, cymbals, trumpets etc. would have been depicted in low-relief on either side of the central motif.
Size(cms): 26 (H) x 15 (W) x 7 (D)
Size(inches): 10.2 (H) x 5.9 (W) x 2.7 (D)
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South India
Wood
An unusual group of figures depicting Markandeya embraces a linga. Four-armed Shiva is depicted emerging from the linga, splitting it apart, and with his right foot resting on the yoni. This incident is believed to have happened at Triprangode, Kerala where Lord Shiva appears and kills Yama when the latter appears to take the life of Markandeya who is one of Shiva’s ardent devotees.
Size (cms): 28 (H) x 23 (W) x 16 (D)
Size (inches): 11 (H) x 9 (W) x 6.3 (D)
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Maharashtra
Wood
A beautiful votive doll with its hands pressed in anjali mudra, a gesture of greeting and prayer. These small figures carved in wood, usually representing worshipping women, but also female water carriers, mothers, or pregnant women are simple in design, yet it is this implied simplicity that makes these figures attractive. They take various forms, triangular, rectangular, round or stepped. Often only the front of the sculptures are carved whereas the rears maybe left untreated. Often statuettes miss a nose, ears or arms. Many of the faces have been worn down from use, to a point where they reveal no detail.
These small figures were used for devotional purposes within the home, placed there as votive offerings to the Goddess Maulli/Mariai. Mauli is a powerful folk deity that protects against illness such as smallpox and cholera. But at the same time, neglecting her inflicts her wrath. She also takes the role of a fertility goddess to whom childless women seek respite. Figures of the Goddess are worshipped with turmeric, some red kunkum and oil which is daubed on her forehead.
Size (cms): 32(H) x 7.5(W) x 7(D)
Size (inches): 12.5(H) x 3(W) x 3(D)
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Maharashtra
Wood
A beautiful votive doll with its hands pressed in anjali mudra, a gesture of greeting and prayer. These small figures carved in wood, usually representing worshipping women, but also female water carriers, mothers, or pregnant women are simple in design, yet it is this implied simplicity that makes these figures attractive. They take various forms, triangular, rectangular, round or stepped. Often only the front of the sculptures are carved whereas the rears maybe left untreated. Often statuettes miss a nose, ears or arms. Many of the faces have been worn down from use, to a point where they reveal no detail.
These small figures were used for devotional purposes within the home, placed there as votive offerings to the Goddess Maulli/Mariai. Mauli is a powerful folk deity that protects against illness such as smallpox and cholera. But at the same time, neglecting her inflicts her wrath. She also takes the role of a fertility goddess to whom childless women seek respite. Figures of the Goddess are worshipped with turmeric, some red kunkum and oil which is daubed on her forehead.
Size (cms): 17.5(H) x 9(W) x 9(D)
Size (inches): 7(H) x 3.5(W) x 3.5(D)
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Maharashtra
Wood
A beautiful votive doll with its hands pressed in anjali mudra, a gesture of greeting and prayer. These small figures carved in wood, usually representing worshipping women, but also female water carriers, mothers, or pregnant women are simple in design, yet it is this implied simplicity that makes these figures attractive. They take various forms, triangular, rectangular, round or stepped. Often only the front of the sculptures are carved whereas the rears maybe left untreated. Often statuettes miss a nose, ears or arms. Many of the faces have been worn down from use, to a point where they reveal no detail.
These small figures were used for devotional purposes within the home, placed there as votive offerings to the Goddess Maulli/Mariai. Mauli is a powerful folk deity that protects against illness such as smallpox and cholera. But at the same time, neglecting her inflicts her wrath. She also takes the role of a fertility goddess to whom childless women seek respite. Figures of the Goddess are worshipped with turmeric, some red kunkum and oil which is daubed on her forehead.
Size (cms): 22(H) x 7.5(W) x 7.5(D)
Size (inches): 8.5(H) x 3(W) x 3(D)
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Maharashtra
Wood
A beautiful votive doll with its hands pressed in anjali mudra, a gesture of greeting and prayer. These small figures carved in wood, usually representing worshipping women, but also female water carriers, mothers, or pregnant women are simple in design, yet it is this implied simplicity that makes these figures attractive. They take various forms, triangular, rectangular, round or stepped. Often only the front of the sculptures are carved whereas the rears maybe left untreated. Often statuettes miss a nose, ears or arms. Many of the faces have been worn down from use, to a point where they reveal no detail.
These small figures were used for devotional purposes within the home, placed there as votive offerings to the Goddess Maulli/Mariai. Mauli is a powerful folk deity that protects against illness such as smallpox and cholera. But at the same time, neglecting her inflicts her wrath. She also takes the role of a fertility goddess to whom childless women seek respite. Figures of the Goddess are worshipped with turmeric, some red kunkum and oil which is daubed on her forehead.
Size (cms): 18.5(H) x 9(W) x 9(D)
Size (inches): 7.5(H) x 3.5(W) x 3.5(D)
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Maharashtra
Wood
A beautiful votive doll with its hands pressed in anjali mudra, a gesture of greeting and prayer. These small figures carved in wood, usually representing worshipping women, but also female water carriers, mothers, or pregnant women are simple in design, yet it is this implied simplicity that makes these figures attractive. They take various forms, triangular, rectangular, round or stepped. Often only the front of the sculptures are carved whereas the rears maybe left untreated. Often statuettes miss a nose, ears or arms. Many of the faces have been worn down from use, to a point where they reveal no detail.
These small figures were used for devotional purposes within the home, placed there as votive offerings to the Goddess Maulli/Mariai. Mauli is a powerful folk deity that protects against illness such as smallpox and cholera. But at the same time, neglecting her inflicts her wrath. She also takes the role of a fertility goddess to whom childless women seek respite. Figures of the Goddess are worshipped with turmeric, some red kunkum and oil which is daubed on her forehead.
Size (cms): 31.5(H) x 10.5(W) x 8(D)
Size (inches): 12.5(H) x 4(W) x 3(D)
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Maharashtra
Wood
A beautiful votive doll with its hands pressed in anjali mudra, a gesture of greeting and prayer. These small figures carved in wood, usually representing worshipping women, but also female water carriers, mothers, or pregnant women are simple in design, yet it is this implied simplicity that makes these figures attractive. They take various forms, triangular, rectangular, round or stepped. Often only the front of the sculptures are carved whereas the rears maybe left untreated. Often statuettes miss a nose, ears or arms. Many of the faces have been worn down from use, to a point where they reveal no detail.
These small figures were used for devotional purposes within the home, placed there as votive offerings to the Goddess Maulli/Mariai. Mauli is a powerful folk deity that protects against illness such as smallpox and cholera. But at the same time, neglecting her inflicts her wrath. She also takes the role of a fertility goddess to whom childless women seek respite. Figures of the Goddess are worshipped with turmeric, some red kunkum and oil which is daubed on her forehead.
Size (cms): 18(H) x 8(W) x 8(D)
Size (inches): 7(H) x 3(W) x 3(D)
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Maharashtra
Wood
A patinated votive doll with its hands pressed in anjali mudra, a gesture of greeting and prayer. These small figures carved in wood, usually representing worshipping women, but also female water carriers, mothers, or pregnant women are simple in design, yet it is this implied simplicity that makes these figures attractive. They take various forms, triangular, rectangular, round or stepped. Often only the front of the sculptures are carved whereas the rears maybe left untreated. Often statuettes miss a nose, ears or arms. Many of the faces have been worn down from use, to a point where they reveal no detail.
These small figures were used for devotional purposes within the home, placed there as votive offerings to the Goddess Maulli/Mariai. Mauli is a powerful folk deity that protects against illness such as smallpox and cholera. But at the same time, neglecting her inflicts her wrath. She also takes the role of a fertility goddess to whom childless women seek respite. Figures of the Goddess are worshipped with turmeric, some red kunkum and oil which is daubed on her forehead.
Size (cms): 22.5(H) x 9(W) x 9(D)
Size (inches): 9(H) x 3.5(W) x 3.5(D)
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Maharashtra
Wood
An unusual wooden doll depicting a portly man standing at attention.
These small figures carved in wood, usually representing worshipping women, but also female water carriers, mothers, or pregnant women are simple in design, yet it is this implied simplicity that makes these figures attractive. They take various forms, triangular, rectangular, round or stepped. Often only the front of the sculptures are carved whereas the rears maybe left untreated. Often statuettes miss a nose, ears or arms. Many of the faces have been worn down from use, to a point where they reveal no detail.
These small figures were used for devotional purposes within the home, placed there as votive offerings to the Goddess Maulli/Mariai. Mauli is a powerful folk deity that protects against illness such as smallpox and cholera. But at the same time, neglecting her inflicts her wrath. She also takes the role of a fertility goddess to whom childless women seek respite. Figures of the Goddess are worshipped with turmeric, some red kunkum and oil which is daubed on her forehead.
Size (cms): 19(H) x 8(W) x 8(D)
Size (inches): 7.5(H) x 3(W) x 3(D)
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Bihar (East India)
Brass Alloy
An unusual bell cast in the form a girl with her hands held in anjali mudra with her long braided hair resting across her shoulder. Such figures were made using the cire-perdue technique (lost-wax) using dhuna, a black wax-like substance.
Bells play in an important role in anu puja (worship), especially when offering aarati ( waving a camphor or oil lamp before the deity to ward off evil); the worshipper rings the bell with the right hand, holding the lamp in the left hand.
Size (cms): 8.5(H) x 4.6(W) x 5.6(D)
Size (inches): 3.5(H) x 2(W) x 2(D)
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ceramic
A considerable amount of Chinese porcelain and ceramics were exported to the Turkish empire, Persia and the native states of India during the 18th and 19th centuries, much of it employing decorative motifs which were echoed in the designs on tin-glazed and other wares made in those countries.
Size (cms): 5.5 (H) x 25 (Diam)
Size (inches): 2.2 (H) x 9.8 (Diam)
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ceramic
A considerable amount of Chinese porcelain and ceramics were exported to the Turkish empire, Persia and the native states of India during the 18th and 19th centuries, much of it employing decorative motifs which were echoed in the designs on tin-glazed and other wares made in those countries.
Size (cms): 5.5 (H) x 26 (Diam)
Size (inches): 2.2 (H) x 10.2 (Diam)
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ceramic
A considerable amount of Chinese porcelain and ceramics were exported to the Turkish empire, Persia and the native states of India during the 18th and 19th centuries, much of it employing decorative motifs which were echoed in the designs on tin-glazed and other wares made in those countries.
Size (cms): 6 (H) x 26.5 (Diam)
Size (inches): 2.4 (H) x 10.4 (Diam)
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ceramic
A considerable amount of Chinese porcelain and ceramics were exported to the Turkish empire, Persia and the native states of India during the 18th and 19th centuries, much of it employing decorative motifs which were echoed in the designs on tin-glazed and other wares made in those countries.
Size (cms): 5.75(H) x 25(Diam)
Size (inches): 2.5(H) x 10(Diam)
