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Buffalo Demon

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Out of more than six hundred Nepalese objects in the Rubin Museum’s collection, this sculpture Durga Killing the Buffalo Demon is located in the fourth floor of Rubin Museum that the “NEPALESE SEASONS: RAIN AND RITUAL” exhibition. Durga Killing the Buffalo Demon is made by gilt copper alloy in the 13th century in Nepal, which is about 11.125 inches height, 12.875 inches width and 7.375 inches depths. This magnificent sculpture of Durga is a jewel of Nepalese art. She is believed to be a Hindu goddess. She has numerous personalities and she can destroy the oak. Moreover, she has the ability to control the world in order. This sculpture is formed by three figures. Durga’s figure is in the center front with a very open pose. In India, the purpose of art was never to imitate nature or to recreate reality through illusion while the goal was to produce an idealized form. As we can see in the image one, Durga has an asymmetrically idealize body. Her right foot is on a lion as her mount, and her left hand is stepping on Demon-buffalo. Durga beheaded a buffalo, out of its severed neck a human-shaped demon emerges. “But there is such grace in Durga’s stance, such rhythm in the way her 18 …show more content…

There is a legend of the Nepalese Mara Dynasty (about 12 to 17 century) that the king Jayaprakash Malla was often playing dice game with a goddess who plays the similar role with Durga. She told the king that other mortal cannot see her , but oneday the king was followed by the queen. The goddess was furious and told she will no longger protect the king and the state. However, the goddess said she would spirit possession in a Nevada Shakya girl's body after the king’s pure-hearted asking. From then on, every king will look for the qualified girls and respect it as the goddess. As the goddess was turn into a red python, so if any preganant woman dreamed of a red python, her baby girl will be seen as

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