Puri (Orissa)
Wood, polychromed
In the heart of Puri lies the ancient pilgrimage centre and temple of the Jagannatha cult. There, Jagannatha, a form of Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, is worshipped along with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. These diminutive portable figures were produced in the markets surrounding the Jagannatha temple and bought by pilgrims on their journey home. The figures are depicted as legless posts surmounted by large heads. Jagannatha (black faced) and Balabhadra (white faced) and the petite Subhadra (yellow faced).
The cult of Jagannatha in Puri is one of India’s oldest popular iconic traditions. Puri lies in Orissa is on the eastern coast of India in the Bay of Bengal. The figures of the gods remain in the temple for most of the year, but in the rainy season (June or July), they are installed in huge chariots and pulled through the streets of Puri to another temple, allowing the public to have Darshan (‘a holy view’) of the deities as they pass. It is from the huge chariots carrying Jaganath and his siblings that the English word ‘Juggernaut’ originates. Smaller figures such as these may have been used in home altars or shrines.
Size (cms): 14(H) x 21(W) x 5(D)
Size (inches): 5.5(H) x 8.5(W) x 2(D)
