Tamil Nadu
Wood
A decorative carved panel with a central figure of a four-armed Ganesha seated atop a double lotus base in Padmasana (lotus posture), with one leg folded up and the other resting on the ground. The leg on the ground symbolises his connection to the earthly realm while the other is rooted in single-pointed concentration upon supreme reality. He holds a pasha noose in his upper left hand and an ankusa (mace) in his upper right. His broken tusk is gripped within his lower right hand and in his lower left, he holds his characteristic sweet modaka (sweet rice or wheat cake) and is depicted eating the modaka with his trunk. Ganesha’s fondness of modak can be traced back to his childhood. A winged kirtimukha (face of glory) forms a stylised prabhavali above deity.
Chariots of Tamil Nadu, locally called ter, are intricate wooden structures of monumental size. The lower portion of the chariots are completely covered with timber panels carved with a wide range of figural and animal sculptures. These friezes, which constitute the finest wooden sculptures in the region, can be viewed only during the chariot festival; for the remainder of the year the chariots are parked in shelters to protect them from the sun and rain.
Size (cms): 33.5(H) x 21.5(W) x 11(D)
Size (inches): 13(H) x 8.5(W) x 4.5(D)
