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11. Gajalakshmi
Bronze
Height: 13.7 cm
Nineteenth-twentieth century
Catalogue number 11.
Accession number 88.387.
Gajalakshmi, as a particular aspect of the goddess Lakshmi, is shown flanked by elephants who bathe her with water. As the goddess of fertility and motherhood, she is worshiped in rural homes by women who want to be blessed with healthy children.
In this image, the goddess is represented in a folk idiom which is unusual in that it depicts Lakshmi supporting the elephants that constitute the heads of the maces that she carries. Their trunks unite above her, creating a frame for the image. The flower-shaped finial is intended to hold incense.
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