Kamakshi

 

Kamakshi

Here the goddess is seated in Ardhapadmasana (Half lotus asana) and is holding lotus bud, goad, noose and a lotus bud in her hands (Starting from lower right hand clockwise).Kamakshi (Back)

 

The goddess is sitting on an inverted lotus which in turn is supported by a plain cylindrical base. The face, especially the forehead, shows considerable wear. Overall the wear pattern suggests possible ritual use over a long period. The ornamentation is profuse and the tiered crown is worth noting.

 

The goddess is identified as Kamakshi (the one with charming eyes). The identification is based on the two references below.

  • Pratima Kosha by S.K. Ramachandra Rao Volume II, page 30, has a pen drawing of Kamakshi and the attributes match. Reproduced here.
  • John Guy’s book on Indian Temple Sculpture, page 108, has a contemporKamakshi from Pratima Koshaary print of the goddess of Kamakshi Ambal Temple in Kanchipuram. The attributes match.

This is the closest I could come to identification based on published material.

The tiered crown suggests Vijayanagar influence and the spurning indicates the origin could be Karnataka. The bronze may date to the eighteenth century or a bit earlier. The bronze is about 8 cm in height.

Advertisement

Sharing my passion

%d bloggers like this: