This bronze, of Maheshwari, is an intriguing one.

Maheshwari is the Sakthi of Siva. Here she is, four-armed, holding Ankush and nosse in her upper hands. The lower hands are empty and are probably meant to hold flowers (?). A little thing to note, the lower hands are not at the same level.

The semi-circular halo, connecting the Ankush and nosse, led me to think this Maheshwari is from Kerala. But the Peetha is typical of Tamil Nadu. Where is it from? No definite answer from me.

This bronze is well-crafted and shows some wear. One of the unusual features is the single notch for prabhavali, centrally located, at the back.

Here, Maheshwari is sitting in Raja asana, with her right leg pendant.

This bronze may be dated to the nineteenth century. It is 7.5 cm. The patina is typical of Tamil Nadu bronzes.

The iconography of ‘Mother Goddesses’ is often a challenge. Please see the blog on Maheshwari for an example of related iconography.