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

Katrika Bhairava
Mineral pigments on board
Siddhimuni Shakya
25" x 36"
1956

This contemporary Nepali painting illustrates one of the enduring popular legends of Kathmandu. Although completely Nepalese in subject matter and painted by a Nepali artist, this painting is strongly influenced by the style of Tibet with the central positioning of the god Bhairava, the treatment of the landscape, and the painted brocade border.

Kascandra, who's seen kneeling before the god Katrika Bhairava, was the founder of a monastery in Kathmandu known as Itum Baha. As a young man, however, he was a compulsive gambler and after a run of particularly bad luck, he lost all his possessions and was forced to move in with his sister. At first, she honored him, serving him on plates of solid gold, but when he gambled those away, too, she put his rice directly on the floor. Dejected, Kascandra wandered out to the countryside where he put his meager, maggot-ridden supper to warm in the sun and dozed off. Kascandra awoke to find that his food had been devoured by pigeons and wailing at this misfortune, he drew the attention of the god Bhairava, who made the pigeons return the food. In place of Keschandra's rice, they left piles of droppings-which soon turned to gold.