BAGALÁMUKHI
Bagalāmukhi, also known as Bagala, is one of the Dasa Mahavidyas (ten powerful female deities) in Hinduism. She is frequently seen as an incarnation of the Goddess Pãrvati or Durga. The name "Bagala" is derived from the words "Valga" which means "bridle" and "mukhi" which means "faced," meaning that she has the ability to govern or conquer foes. She is also known as "Pitambar," which refers to her yellow dress.
The name "Bagala" consists of three components: Ba, Ga, and La. "Ba" signifies that the deity is intoxicated with the desire to vanquish the demon. The second letter "Ga" signifies that she is the goddess who bestows divine power or siddhis and accomplishment on humans. The third letter, "La" represents the foundation of all supporting forces in the universe, such as the earth and consciousness herself.
Bagalamukhi iconography represents her ability to control and overcome adversaries, negativity, and obstacles. It can be divided into various categories: two-armed, and four-armed, and in her "Bagalāmukhi Samaya Svarupa", she can also be seen with eighteen hands. The iconography of Bagalamukhi symbolizes her power to control and suppress enemies, negativity, and obstacles. In this painting to refer to the attributes that the goddess is holding, the artist took a reference to an old painting.
The attributes that she is holding are Gada, Khadga, Pätra, and the tongue of an Asura or Daitya or a demon.
The Goddess shows her Sakti towards the Asura by trampling him from her foot. The artist first studied the asura's anatomy in his initial sketch on the left and the final version in the painting on the right.
Bagalamukhi is typically depicted as a yellow-skinned goddess with three eyes, wearing yellow clothes and adorned with various ornaments. It was mainly a challenge for the artist to portray the goddess in her full iconographical glory as she is fully in yellow from her complexion to her ornaments as well as her robes. The thrones in which she resides are also supposed to be golden. This became tricky for Shrestha during the composition of the goddess. Hence, the artist modified the design in his own style in this painting.
To balance the color combination and preserve the integrity of the iconography, the artist used a neutral skin tone instead of a yellow complexion. He utilized hues containing mixtures of yellow. His depiction of the deity Bagalāmukhi features contrasting hues in her robes and blouse, including blue, red, and yellow. Shrestha has performed an illusion on the goddess's shawl by rendering them transparent and yellow. The blouse of the deity is red and has gold patterns. In addition, Bagalämukhi was intended to be adorned with a yellow Campaka flower garland. To demonstrate the dimensions and depth of the painting, the artist was required to integrate silver garlands into the flower garland.
In her reverence, mantras (sacred rituals) and yantras (geometric diagrams) pertaining to Bagalamukhi are employed. In this painting, too, the artist has balanced the composition with the Bagalamukhi Yantra that surrounds the deity. During meditation, the yantra of Bagalämukhi eight lotus petals assists in achieving the ultimate goal of tantra, unity of the cosmos and the individual body.
The central throne behind the goddess is embellished with sophisticated designs of Kitimukha at the center, with dragons on either side of Kirtimukha. The Kirtimukha is also flanked by the serpent that has seven heads serving as a parasol. The artist drew inspiration for this from the Bagalāmukhi temple which is located in Patan.
Below the dragons are the mythical creatures known as Makaras.
The goddess's throne is also graced by other animals such as a pair of lions and a pair of elephants on the sides.
BAGALÁMUKHI
Bagalāmukhi, also known as Bagala, is one of the Dasa Mahavidyas (ten powerful female deities) in Hinduism. She is frequently seen as an incarnation of the Goddess Pãrvati or Durga. The name "Bagala" is derived from the words "Valga" which means "bridle" and "mukhi" which means "faced," meaning that she has the ability to govern or conquer foes. She is also known as "Pitambar," which refers to her yellow dress.
The name "Bagala" consists of three components: Ba, Ga, and La. "Ba" signifies that the deity is intoxicated with the desire to vanquish the demon. The second letter "Ga" signifies that she is the goddess who bestows divine power or siddhis and accomplishment on humans. The third letter, "La" represents the foundation of all supporting forces in the universe, such as the earth and consciousness herself.
Bagalamukhi iconography represents her ability to control and overcome adversaries, negativity, and obstacles. It can be divided into various categories: two-armed, and four-armed, and in her "Bagalāmukhi Samaya Svarupa", she can also be seen with eighteen hands. The iconography of Bagalamukhi symbolizes her power to control and suppress enemies, negativity, and obstacles. In this painting to refer to the attributes that the goddess is holding, the artist took a reference to an old painting.
The attributes that she is holding are Gada, Khadga, Pätra, and the tongue of an Asura or Daitya or a demon.
The Goddess shows her Sakti towards the Asura by trampling him from her foot. The artist first studied the asura's anatomy in his initial sketch on the left and the final version in the painting on the right.
Bagalamukhi is typically depicted as a yellow-skinned goddess with three eyes, wearing yellow clothes and adorned with various ornaments. It was mainly a challenge for the artist to portray the goddess in her full iconographical glory as she is fully in yellow from her complexion to her ornaments as well as her robes. The thrones in which she resides are also supposed to be golden. This became tricky for Shrestha during the composition of the goddess. Hence, the artist modified the design in his own style in this painting.
To balance the color combination and preserve the integrity of the iconography, the artist used a neutral skin tone instead of a yellow complexion. He utilized hues containing mixtures of yellow. His depiction of the deity Bagalāmukhi features contrasting hues in her robes and blouse, including blue, red, and yellow. Shrestha has performed an illusion on the goddess's shawl by rendering them transparent and yellow. The blouse of the deity is red and has gold patterns. In addition, Bagalämukhi was intended to be adorned with a yellow Campaka flower garland. To demonstrate the dimensions and depth of the painting, the artist was required to integrate silver garlands into the flower garland.
In her reverence, mantras (sacred rituals) and yantras (geometric diagrams) pertaining to Bagalamukhi are employed. In this painting, too, the artist has balanced the composition with the Bagalamukhi Yantra that surrounds the deity. During meditation, the yantra of Bagalämukhi eight lotus petals assists in achieving the ultimate goal of tantra, unity of the cosmos and the individual body.
The central throne behind the goddess is embellished with sophisticated designs of Kitimukha at the center, with dragons on either side of Kirtimukha. The Kirtimukha is also flanked by the serpent that has seven heads serving as a parasol. The artist drew inspiration for this from the Bagalāmukhi temple which is located in Patan.
Below the dragons are the mythical creatures known as Makaras.
The goddess's throne is also graced by other animals such as a pair of lions and a pair of elephants on the sides.