The goddess Bagalamukhi (variation of Kali)

The goddess Bagalamukhi (variation of Kali)

India or Nepal, 17th-18th century

Gouache with gold highlights on paper. In an exterior, Bagala, haloed and in profile on the left, stands on her throne, richly adorned and holding various weapons in her hands. She catches a demon with the head of a man and the body of a buffalo, and deals it a fatal blow with her trident. She is accompanied by a white lion-dog "Shinga" with red wings. At her feet, a buffalo head with its tongue out has fallen to the ground. (Chips, glass holes, frame, wetness) Frame size: 41.2 x 32.5 cm The goddess Bagalamukhi is one of the ten Mahavidyas or goddesses of wisdom in the Hindu tantric pantheon. According to some traditions, she is an incarnation of the goddess Kali. Bagalamukhi translates as "she who verifies words". She is so named for her power to silence speech and calm the mind. According to legend, she calmed a storm that was about to destroy the earth; she also cut out the tongue of a demon to turn him into a believer, a demon who spoke badly to people. The goddess "Bagalamukhi" (a variation of Kali), India or Nepal, 17th-18th century