Maharashtra
Wood, extensively polychromed
An attractive folk carousel animal in the shape of a tiger with original polychroming. The stylised tiger is depicted mid stride. Its open mouth with large exposed teeth and protruding tongue gives it a mischievous appearances. Its muscular body is painted with alternating orange, yellow and black bubris (stripes). Small carousel animals such as this would have had a rod running through its torso for the juvenile rider to hold onto.
The tiger is the vehicle of, and sacred to, the Hindu goddess, Durga. From a certain perspective she is India’s Mother Nature, for she is the deification of Energy. Her consort, Shiva, sometimes evoked as Shambo, wears a tiger skin to indicate that he is beyond the bounds of the natural world.
Size (cms): 42(H) x 58(W) x 15(D)
Size (inches): 16.5(H) x 23(W) x 6(D)
