Maa Jagadhatri

Early Bengal Oils

In this work, the Goddess Jagadhatri, or the Bearer of the World, known as the provider and the protector, is one of the emanations of the Goddess Durga. A martial goddess, she is celebrated for having killed the elephant demon, Karindrasura. Beautifully adorned from head to toe, the Goddess is seated on a lotus seat (kamalasana) that is perched atop her vehicle (vahana), a lion. In her four hands, she holds her attributes – a bow (dhanush), an arrow (bana), a discus (chakra), and a conch shell (shankha). The Western influence can be noticed in the European-style diadem that adorns the head of the lion and the blank monochromatic background reminiscent of a studio. The Goddess is celebrated during the Jagadhatri Puja that is held in the Hindu month of Kartik, primarily in the cities of Chandannagar and Krishnanagar in West Bengal.