Adoption, adaptation, transformation: the Mahisamardinī imagery in pre-Kusāna and Kusāna art

• Authors: Elena Restelli
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The origin of the goddess killing the buffalo-demon is very obscure. Sculptural evidence starts with the beginning of the Common Era. The early specimens of Mahiṣamardinῑ motif are dated in the pre-Kuṣāṇa and Kuṣāṇa periods (c. 2nd century B.C. – 2nd century A. D.) and are found mainly in North Central India. This paper deals with the study of the icons of the goddess coming from Mathurā and belonging to this period. Here the Devῑ is shown while pressing the hind part of the buffalo with one of her hands and breaking the animal’s neck with another. By analysing the distinctive features of the icons we will show their composite nature. The multiple arms of the goddess give strong indication that there is much in the nature of the deity that relates to the indigenous traditions; however, the goddess displays in her attire some traits which can be at home in more than one culture. We will assume that, due to the specific historical and cultural period, the goddess has absorbed into her iconography a few motifs originating from non-Indian areas but sufficiently familiar in the local traditions so as to be assimilated; in fact, during the pre-Kusāna and Kusāna ages, the pathways between the territories beyond the Northwest frontiers and North India were more than connective routes carrying goods. Ideas and cultural innovations also travelled. Adoption, adaptation, transformation. These may be the hallmarks characterizing the vitality and creativity of pre-Kusāna and early Kusāna art, as can be represented by our goddess. In an attempt to understand where the notion of the multi-armed goddess with the buffalo comes from, we will analyze the iconographic units and stylistic idiosyncrasies of her imagery explaining why this occurs only in the Doab and how the components merged together in the iconography of the goddess. This process will be treated as being representative of the cultural and political climate fostered by pre-Kusāna and Kusāna rulers who were evidently interested in integrating motifs and foreign prototypes and in transforming them into new artistic idioms affecting the indigenous output.

Keywords

EN

Goddess; North India; cult; Kusāna; buffalo-demon; art; assimilation

• Publisher: Księgarnia Akademicka
• Journal: Cracow Indological Studies
• Year: 2012
• Volume: 14
• Pages: 17-33

Contributors

author

Elena Restelli

• Università degli Studi di Torino

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