The Newar Craftsmen of Kathmandu Valley: Objects of Devotion from Nepal

Vishnu Mandala
Mineral pigments on primed cotton
By Deepak Joshi
19 ½ x 24 ½
1985
Based on original painting dated 1420CE.

This mandala of one of the most popular Hindu deities shows Vishnu in the center surrounded by his incarnations (avataras). This simple Hindu painting features Vishnu as a glorious god who preserves the cosmic order, often from troubles caused by demons. His military character in defending humanity is conveyed by his holding war tools: in three if his four hands the insignia of his power: the discus (cakra), the conch (sankha) and mace (danda). To his right is Laksmi, the goddess of fertility and wealth, and to his left is his vehicle, Garuda, half human and half bird. In Nepal, most Newar and Shah kings claimed to be human manifestations of Vishnu. The door guards of the mandala are Bhairavas, a subtle sectarian suggestion that this fierce form of Shiva is subordinate to Vishnu.

The frieze and inscription in the bottom register reveal the identity of those depicted, the brahmin Tejarama and his family, with priests who are performing a vrata, a daylong devotional ritual.