Introduction
Durga Mahishasura mardini, Durga slayer of the Buffalo demon, is known as a ferocious goddess (Durga, 2015), often identified with many arms that holds weapons and stands on her lion mount. That form is common in India, but in Southeast Asia Durga is portrayed in a more benevolent form. Durga in Southest Asia has more similarities with the benign goddesses Uma than her original warrior form in India.
The works discussed would be Durga Mahishasuramardini, Southern Vietnam, second half of 7th century, Sandstone. Devi, probably Uma, Eastern Cambodia, last quarter of 7th century, Sandstone. Durga Mahishasuramardini, Kailasanatha temple, Kancipuram , South India. 8th century CE, Sandstone.
My main resource in this paper would be …show more content…
She is seen as Siva’s consort, Uma.
She has a peaceful benign smile coupled with a hypnotic gaze, similar to Uma. In her upper hands she holds a sword and shield. Her lower hands held detachable attributes, now missing. The figure is completely supported by a huge arch – a nod to the old ways (Guy, p.138).
The torso and breast are well formed, with the abdominal folds and nipples rendered in detailed incised lines. The waistcloth has a narrow center pleat. The wavy lines are so different from the etched ones usually used to signify folds in the waistcloth, that it can sometimes be mistaken for a rendering of a woven pattern. They resemble Chinese cloud patterns and suggest that they represent imported Chinese cloth; such prestigious textiles are known during the Angkor period as the dressing of the gods (Guy, p.138).
The dominant feature that identifies the sculpture is the carving of the buffalo’s head on the front of the pedestal. The portrayal of the buffalo’s head is a more preferred method in Southeast Asia than the whole beast in India; it is also far subtler in expression. (Fig …show more content…
172). The humanism represented in the goddess, with a full figure of a mature woman, heavy shoulders, full breast, broad hips, and heavy thighs, hardly represent an adolescent girl, which differs from the Indian Texts. Where the Sadhanas speak of goddesses’ having “the appearance of a girl of sixteen.”
(Fig 2)
Durga, South India
Both Southeast Asian sculptures of Durga and Uma are a stark contrast to Durga Mahishasuramardini from Laikasanatha temple in South India (Fig 3). She is identified as Durga with her many arms that hold weapons, similar to Southeast Asian Durga although this piece shows her standing on her lion mount.
She is depicted with small breasts, long lean legs and arms. She has multiple scarves around her small waist and large hips. She stands with an “S” curve and does not need support.
She has few garments on her, but wears an elaborate headdress with a lot of jewelry, necklaces, earings, bangels, armlets, hip belts all over her body. Durga stands together with her lion (Natalie, 2015), whose strong and fierce nature rubs off her. Even still the lion is portrayed in a submissive position with his paw stretched out, further amplifying Durga’s ferocity.
(Fig
Durga Mahishasura mardini, Durga slayer of the Buffalo demon, is known as a ferocious goddess (Durga, 2015), often identified with many arms that holds weapons and stands on her lion mount. That form is common in India, but in Southeast Asia Durga is portrayed in a more benevolent form. Durga in Southest Asia has more similarities with the benign goddesses Uma than her original warrior form in India.
The works discussed would be Durga Mahishasuramardini, Southern Vietnam, second half of 7th century, Sandstone. Devi, probably Uma, Eastern Cambodia, last quarter of 7th century, Sandstone. Durga Mahishasuramardini, Kailasanatha temple, Kancipuram , South India. 8th century CE, Sandstone.
My main resource in this paper would be …show more content…
She is seen as Siva’s consort, Uma.
She has a peaceful benign smile coupled with a hypnotic gaze, similar to Uma. In her upper hands she holds a sword and shield. Her lower hands held detachable attributes, now missing. The figure is completely supported by a huge arch – a nod to the old ways (Guy, p.138).
The torso and breast are well formed, with the abdominal folds and nipples rendered in detailed incised lines. The waistcloth has a narrow center pleat. The wavy lines are so different from the etched ones usually used to signify folds in the waistcloth, that it can sometimes be mistaken for a rendering of a woven pattern. They resemble Chinese cloud patterns and suggest that they represent imported Chinese cloth; such prestigious textiles are known during the Angkor period as the dressing of the gods (Guy, p.138).
The dominant feature that identifies the sculpture is the carving of the buffalo’s head on the front of the pedestal. The portrayal of the buffalo’s head is a more preferred method in Southeast Asia than the whole beast in India; it is also far subtler in expression. (Fig …show more content…
172). The humanism represented in the goddess, with a full figure of a mature woman, heavy shoulders, full breast, broad hips, and heavy thighs, hardly represent an adolescent girl, which differs from the Indian Texts. Where the Sadhanas speak of goddesses’ having “the appearance of a girl of sixteen.”
(Fig 2)
Durga, South India
Both Southeast Asian sculptures of Durga and Uma are a stark contrast to Durga Mahishasuramardini from Laikasanatha temple in South India (Fig 3). She is identified as Durga with her many arms that hold weapons, similar to Southeast Asian Durga although this piece shows her standing on her lion mount.
She is depicted with small breasts, long lean legs and arms. She has multiple scarves around her small waist and large hips. She stands with an “S” curve and does not need support.
She has few garments on her, but wears an elaborate headdress with a lot of jewelry, necklaces, earings, bangels, armlets, hip belts all over her body. Durga stands together with her lion (Natalie, 2015), whose strong and fierce nature rubs off her. Even still the lion is portrayed in a submissive position with his paw stretched out, further amplifying Durga’s ferocity.
(Fig