| Temples & Legends of Himachal Pradesh |
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| Temples & Legends Of India |
CHAMBA |
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dedicatory inscription on the image says that "the illustrious lord Meru Varman has
caused the holy image of the goddess Lakshana to be made by the workman Gugga," iri
other words, it goes back to the, second half of the seventh century. As in, most of the
temples, the goddess is represented as Durga Mahisha-mardini, the slayer of the demon
Mahisha, a form which we can trace first in the Udaygiri leaves near Bhilsa (Malwa) and in
the Gupta temple of Bhumara, but which became common under the Chalukyas of Badami and the
early Rashtrakutas. As a matter of fact the Brahmaur image also follows the iconographic concept of the high Chalukya period (the seventh century). i.e. the goddess puts her right foot on the head of the killed buffalo demon, after having run her trident into its neck, while with her left hand she catches the buffalo's tail and lifts its whole body up almost vertically. In every other respect, however, the Brahmaur image belongs to late Gupta art, in the proportions of the figure, the anatomical treatment, the hair style,the costume, ornaments and emblems. The goddess wears a high Jatamukuta (crown of matted hair), or rather an immense wig, the hair being piled up in a slightly oblique protuberance bound together by strings of pearls and various pieces of jewelry, thence to fall down on the shoulders and neck in. innumerable ringlets. A similar costly belt with attached pearl strings and pendants, and sort of pearl-studded girdle pressings in the belly, hold a skirt of very fine muslin.A diaphanous shawl falls down from the shoulders in innumerable fine, folds, and a necklace of golden disks hanging from a string of pearls, embossed bracelets from which dangle short strings of pearls and jewels, wristlets and anklets, complete the costume. |
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