An Ancient Deity, A Modern Display

Описание: The object is a significant Panjurli Bhūta Mask from the early 20th century, housed in the National Museum of Asian Art (Smithsonian) in Washington, D.C., representing the spirit of the wild boar revered in the Tulu-speaking region of coastal Karnataka, India. Cast in brass, the mask vividly depicts the deity Panjurli, a powerful Daiva (guardian spirit of justice and protection), featuring a prominent boar snout, fierce almond eyes, and an elaborate headdress and large earrings decorated with multiple rearing cobras (nāgas). Used ritually in the Bhūta Kōla performance, where a performer is possessed by the spirit to act as an oracle for the community, this artifact powerfully showcases India's rich indigenous traditions of spirit worship, ecological reverence, and the profound art created to embody divine justice.




















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