Antique 17th Century Hindu Carved Sandstone Ganesha Statue / Stele India 1600's

Antique 17th Century Indian Hindu Carved Sandstone Ganesh Statue / Stele. The eight-armed statue having traces of the original polychrome decoration, the statue holding a Chatra (umbrella) above, and standing on a lotus-shaped base. The statue came from Hindu temple niche India, Madhya Pradesh, 17th century. The six-armed elephant-headed god dancing with two legs bent on a rectangular plinth, wearing anklets, arm bangles and a tiara with strands of pearls. His expressive face with gentle eyes and ears fanning open, centered by a lotus plinth.

Provenance; Former American collection, acquired in India in the 1920's

Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati and he is the brother of Karthikeya (or Subrahmanya), the god of war. He was created by his mother using earth which she moulded into the shape of a boy. As Shiva was away on his meditative wanderings, Parvati set her new son as guard while she bathed. Unexpectedly, Shiva returned home and, on finding the boy, and outraged at his impudence in claiming he was Parvati’s son, Shiva called for his gang of demons, the Bhutaganas, who fought ferociously with the boy. However, the youngster easily held his own against such fearsome adversaries and Vishnu was forced to intervene in the form of Maya and, whilst the boy was distracted by her beauty, the demons, or Shiva himself, lopped off his head. At the commotion, Parvati ran from her bath and remonstrated with Shiva for so summarily killing their son. Repentant, Shiva ordered a new head to be found for the boy and, as the first animal available was an elephant, so Ganesha gained a new head and became the most distinctive of the Hindu gods. As a reward for his great courage in fighting the demons, Shiva made Ganesha the leader of the bhutaganas, hence his name. Ganesha is known as the remover of obstacles and the bringer of good fortune.

25" tall X 15" wide X 9" deep

63.5 cm X 38 cm X 23 cm

Approximately 130 lbs in weight

[SOLD. Please inquire, as we may have similar works in stock.]

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