Lota water vessel

India / South Asia Collection

Accession Nr.: 62.346.1
Type: bronze, lead, gold and silver; vessel; religious or cult object
Date of production:
19th c.
Place of production:
Materials: brass
Techniques: chased
Dimensions: height: 19 cm
width: 17.5 cm
A vessel decorated with Hindu deities and symbols. The body of the vessel is covered with chiseled strips. In the lowest strip above the base, there are snails and a turtle with the Ganges water falling on it. In the next band, there are geometrical diagrams, the footprint of Vishnu, the appearance of Patuka Bharava of Shiva, lingams placed under a canopy and Shiva in Lakulisha form. In the field above it are the ten incarnations of Vishnu. In a wider strip above, in fields separated from each other by columns, Ganesha with his two wives, Siddhi and Riddhi, Hanuman, Durga riding a lion behind him, Hanuman killing the serpent demon Kalija, before Sadasiva, before Rama and Lakshmana. Above it, in a narrow strip, the inscription Om Rama jaya in mahajana script. On the top row are representations of a bull, Lakulisha, Ganesha and a lingam. Palmette decoration on the rim of the dish.