Bronze

Nepal 18th century

Dimensions: Height 22 cm Wide 14,5 cm Depth 7,5 cm

Weight: 1656 grams

Chamunda is one of the seven Mother Goddesses or matrikas and known as Goddess of War, Epidemics and Famines.

Her representation therefor is quite frightening.

She is squatting on a pedestal with beaded rim, a fiery aureole behind her. She has four arms and is holding a sword, a shield, a skull cup. She is eating something from the skull cup, possibly the bowels of the body she is standing on with one foot.

With the other foot she is standing on a lion.

A large garland made of skulls is hanging down her neck, her body is scrawny and the ribcage showing.

Her face has a ghostly look with sunken-in eyes and a crooked nose.

She is wearing a tiara and circular ear pendants, an aureole backs her head.

The goddess symbolises the inevitability of age and decay, the very opposite of usual young and beautiful Hindu goddesses.