Charming and robust are the words that come to mind when I see her. Robust is not the word you would use to describe a Mother Goddess figure. Here the broad shoulders (mainly due to her rear arms), her big head and her height contribute to that impression.

So far, I have not been able to identify her. Hardly surprising considering she is a folk mother goddess. Her attributes are a sword (only the hilt remains), chakra, Trishul and a skull cup. It is the Chakra that brings uncertainty. If it were a drum, then one can identify her as Bhairavi.

She is standing on a bovine animal. That brings her closer to Durga, as per Tamil tradition, but with only Chakra matching the attributes of Durga.

It is bronzes like this that make one realize, that learning continues.

The halo framing her crown, the nostril hole for Nath and the arrangement for inserting the sword’s blade are worth noting.

Another unusual aspect is this bronze is cast with only the front portion. Such practices are not uncommon in North Deccan.

At 23 cm in height, this is a substantial figure. The material has not tarnished. The wear suggests this may be about 150 years old.

27 Sep 2024: Chanced upon a close match.

It is in the Assam State Museum. Identified as a Yakshini Devi and dated to 9th-11th century.