CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY

Subject: Kinnara, carved on both sides

Subject: Kinnara, carved on both sides

Subject: Kinnari, standing

Subject: Kinnari, standing

Subject: Stele, Buddha seated and other figures

Subject: Sati pillar, fragment

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Subject: Lajja Gauri fragment at the site of Mahakuta, near Badami. The image is kept by a small shrine called Lakulisa mandira on the southeast of the main temple at the site, the Makutesvara (or Mahakutesvara) temple, dedicated to Siva. The image of Lajja Gauri is lotus headed with a human female body. The legs are in uttanapad (birth giving) pose, the anklets are tasseled and the small lotus flowers held by the large lotus "head" are open, not buds. 

Subject: Lajja Gauri carved on path to the Lakulisa temple at Siddhanakolla. This image of Lajja Gauri is lotus headed with a human female body. A cloth is threaded through her legs and behind her back, which is a detail of her iconography consistently included by the Early Chalukya artists. She wears anklets, bracelets, channavira (cross-chest belt), and has her feet flexed up, showing their soles. The legs are in uttanapad (birth giving) pose, the arms are held up by the sides of the lotus head with a bud in each hand and the torso includes breasts. The Chalukyan image is in its original location and is visited by childless women or couples seeking the blessing of fertility.

Subject: Lajja Gauri carved in relief from the rock floor of a natural grotto at the Lakulisa temple at Siddhanakolla. This image of Lajja Gauri is lotus headed with a human female body. A cloth is threaded through her legs and behind her back, which is a detail of her iconography consistently included by the Early Chalukya artists. She wears anklets, bracelets, channavira (cross-chest belt), and has her feet flexed up, showing their soles. The legs are in uttanapad (birth giving) pose, the arms are held up by the sides of the lotus head with a bud in each hand and the torso includes breasts. The Chalukyan image is in its original location and is visited by childless women or couples seeking the blessing of fertility.

Subject: Lajja Gauri fragment at the site of Mahakuta, near Badami. The image is kept by a small shrine called Lakulisa mandira on the southeast of the main temple at the site, the Makutesvara (or Mahakutesvara) temple, dedicated to Siva. The image of Lajja Gauri is lotus headed with a human female body. The legs are in uttanapad (birth giving) pose, the anklets are tasseled and the small lotus flowers held by the large lotus "head" are open, not buds.

Subject: Lajja Gauri: This lotus headed image of Lajja Gauri may be from the Rashtrakuta period. The goddess is called Belan Kallachema in Telegu.

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Nandi mandapa showing Lajja Gauri in the courtyard before the Hindu rock-cut temple 21, known as Ramesvara, at Ellora. This is a monolithic platform and on the southwestern face of the solid platform, is carved an anthropomorphic Lajja Gauri. Lajja Gauri in the center of the panel is damaged. The two flanking female attendants who bear fly whisks are carved into the rock between relief pilasters. The goddess's head is haloed, her arms are held up, but are damaged, her hair is tied up in a large bun and she wears a jeweled headband, lotus earrings, necklace, girdle, and anklets. Since the bull on the Nandi mandapa platform faces the Sivalinga of rock-cut temple 21, the goddess is clearly associated with Shiva and Nandi.

Subject: Lajja Gauri: This image of Lajja Gauri is completely anthropomorphic with a human female head and all parts, with legs in uttanapad (birth giving) pose and arms held up to the side.

Subject: Lajja Gauri with other figures (bull, devotee, lion): In this multifigured plaque, Lajja Gauri appears with a face of a lion, a small couchant bull and a kneeling devotee. She wears bracelets, necklace, anklets, armlets, girdle and a cloth through her legs. Across the top of the image from left to right there is a linga, bull, and a lion's face. The lion could be the vehicle of the goddess.

Subject: Lajja Gauri with other figures (bull, devotee, lion): In this multifigured plaque, Lajja Gauri appears with a face of a lion, a small couchant bull and a kneeling devotee. She wears bracelets, necklace, anklets, armlets, girdle and a cloth through her legs. Across the top of the image from left to right there was a linga, bull, and a lion's face. The lion could be the vehicle of the goddess.

Subject: Lajja Gauri with other figures (bull, devotee, lion): In this multifigured plaque, Lajja Gauri appears with a face of a lion, a small couchant bull and a kneeling devotee. She wears bracelets, necklace, anklets, armlets, girdle and a cloth through her legs. Across the top of the image from left to right there is a linga, bull, and a lion's face. The lion could be the vehicle of the goddess.

Subject: Lajja Gauri with other figures (bull, devotee, lion): In this multifigured plaque, Lajja Gauri appears with a face of a lion, a small couchant bull and a kneeling devotee. She wears bracelets, necklace, anklets, armlets, girdle and a cloth through her legs. Across the top of the image from left to right there was a linga, bull, and a lion's face. There is a conch on the upper right corner. The lion could be the vehicle of the goddess.

Subject: Lajja Gauri with other figures (bull, devotee, lion): This figure of Lajja Gauri was found in the excavation of a Shiva temple at Keesaragutta, Telangana. It was found buried under the base of the altar and an earthen pot bearing six female figures and a human skeleton were found buried nearby. Probably this stone plaque was a ritual item, buried to consecrate the land for sacred use as according to Vedic rituals. In this plaque the goddess holds a linga (right) and a lion face (left), while below, a bull (right) faces the linga and a kneeling devotee (left) faces the goddess with a bowl of food as an offering.

Subject: Stupa casing slab: The purna kumbha or full pot is an auspicious symbol that is decorated with a mekhala or a jeweled girdle. A mekhala appears on images of goddesses and Lajja Gauri's torso portion.

Subject: Stele; Buddha and miracles

Subject: Shivakamasundari: Parvati stands on a lotus pedestal over a square Bhadra Sana, has a karandamakuta (crown resembling a basket) on her head. She wears makara kundalas in her ears. Her right hand is in the attitude of ahuyavarada (gesture of invitation and charity) and the left hand is in lolasana (pendant pose).

Subject: General view of the Ashokan pillar with Ashoka's edicts I-IV