The Golden Mermaid
This statue is a Balinese mermaid or sea goddess figure, a common motif in Indonesian coastal art and mythology.
These sculptures are believed to ward off evil spirits and offer protection to the home or sacred spaces.
Its name, Suvannamaccha — The Golden Mermaid — came from Southeast Asian adaptations of the Ramayana. In Thai and Cambodian versions, Suvannamaccha (literally “golden fish”) is a mermaid princess who attempts to sabotage Hanuman’s mission to build a bridge but ends up falling in love with him instead. In Bali, she is a well-loved mythical figure in local folklore. Her prayer hands suggest reverence or divine status, fitting with Hindu devotional practices, when placement by sea symbolizes connection with water, spiritual guardianship, and folk storytelling rooted in Balinese coastal life.
The Golden Mermaid
This statue is a Balinese mermaid or sea goddess figure, a common motif in Indonesian coastal art and mythology.
These sculptures are believed to ward off evil spirits and offer protection to the home or sacred spaces.
Its name, Suvannamaccha — The Golden Mermaid — came from Southeast Asian adaptations of the Ramayana. In Thai and Cambodian versions, Suvannamaccha (literally “golden fish”) is a mermaid princess who attempts to sabotage Hanuman’s mission to build a bridge but ends up falling in love with him instead. In Bali, she is a well-loved mythical figure in local folklore. Her prayer hands suggest reverence or divine status, fitting with Hindu devotional practices, when placement by sea symbolizes connection with water, spiritual guardianship, and folk storytelling rooted in Balinese coastal life.