Artwork Page for River Goddess Ganga

Details / Information for River Goddess Ganga

River Goddess Ganga

c. 700

Northern India, Uttar Pradesh, Mathura

Medium
sandstone
Measurements
Overall: 108 cm (42 1/2 in.)
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund 1966.119
Public Domain
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Location
243 Indian and Southeast Asian
Print
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Did You Know?

The vein of red sandstone visible in the broken top locates the source as a quarry near Mathura.

Description

The Ganges River that runs from the Himalaya Mountains east to the Bay of Bengal is India's most sacred river. Hindu myths tell of how the god Shiva held out a lock of his hair to catch the fall of the heavenly river, identified with the Milky Way, so that it would trickle gently to earth. The river is personified as the goddess Ganga, and since she flows eternally through the hair of Shiva, the river is considered holy. Sculptures of Ganga were placed at the doorway of temples, for the image of the purifying waters symbolically cleanses those who enter the sacred space. She stands on a crocodile-like creature called makara, here shown with a fancifully foliated tail.
Orange-brown sandstone sculpture of the goddess Ganga carved from a panel, her head and left arm broken off. Beaded jewelry wraps around her arms, neck, and waist, her legs clearly visible through the fine diagonal lines suggesting a skirt as she sways her hips to her left, two figures a third her size partially visible to the side of her right arm. She stands among rocks with swirling tendrils beneath her feet.

River Goddess Ganga

c. 700

Northern India, Uttar Pradesh, Mathura

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