This Nepalese paubha depicts a wrathful manifestation of the Hindu goddess Durga known as Siddhi Lakshmi or Purnacandi. She is supported on the upheld palms of her consort Shiva in his fierce Bhairava aspect. She is among the most important of the Saivite Goddesses of the Newars of the Kathmandu valley, who also include Guhyakali and Tripura Sundari, also named in the inscription on this painting. Outside of the circled of initiated Brahmins, little is known of the Royal cult of these powerful Shakti goddesses, who controlled the destiny of the Royal families of the Malla kings of the three kingdoms of the valley and protected the well being of the devout subjects who worshipped and propitiated them.

Here the multi-armed figure of the goddess is shown supported by the figure of a kneeling Bhairava or Shiva, who is himself seated on a prostrate figure. All are mounted upon a lion throne, singhasana, symbol of royalty. The main figure is flanked by small figures of a red Ganesha to the left and a blue Bhairava on the right. Bhairava may again be depicted in multi-armed form and dancing on the far left, while the corresponding dancing red figure on the far right may be Kumari. Similar smaller figures of protector goddesses and tantric deities are spread about the painting, interspersed with scenes from the smasanas, or burning grounds, the ideal spot of the practices of the tantric yogis and yoginis.

The small figures along the lower portion of the painting are the donor and family, identified by inscriptions. The inscription framing three sides of the painting records the date of and circumstances of the consecration of the painting which took place in AD 1796. Interestingly, the inscription records both the date that the painting was delivered from the Citrakara, (artist) and the date of the consecration, which occurred the month after the delivery.

A magnificent bronze sculpture of this goddess can be found in the collections of the Patan Museum in Patan, Nepal. (http://asianart.com/patan-museum/e10.html)


Detail: full painting