Accession No

1988.269


Description

Baked clay Molela tablet depicting Chamunda Mata, 'Clan Mother/Goddess' seated on top of a tiger.


Place

Asia; South Asia; India; Rajasthan; Sirohi District; Uppalagarh


Period

20th century


Source

Unnithan, Maya [collector]


Department

Anth


Reference Numbers

1988.269


Cultural Affliation

Girahya [Girasia]


Material

Clay; Paint; Metal; Silver Foil; Pigment; Varnish


Local Term

Dev


Measurements

74mm x 483mm x 335mm


Events

Description (Physical description)
Baked clay tablet depicting Chamunda Mata: Clan Mother/Goddess (two figures (one blue and one orange) standing), painted in orange, blue, yellow, with silver foil decoration. Damaged during shipping; Poor; Incomplete; Chamunda Mata; Clan Mother; Standing Figure
Event Date
Author: maa


Description (Physical description)
Clay tablet depicting Kala and Ghora Bheru: Forms of Shiva.
Brightly coloured (Yellow, orange, red, blue, green) with highlights of silver foil.
Event Date
Author: maa


Context (CMS Context)
Placed in the Temple of Gods (devra); Collected by: Unnithan.Maya in 1987: Molela Clay Tablets are produced by Hindu potters of Molela Village, the only village which produces these tablets; also in S. Rajasthan
Event Date 12/5/1988
Author: maa


Context (CMS Context)
This object and 1988.270 have been numbered incorrectly, and as a result the catalogue descriptions do not match the objects. The descriptions have been cut and pasted into the appropriate records so that 1988.269 is a tablet depicting Chamunda Mata and 1988.270 is a tablet depicting Kala and Ghora Bheru.
Event Date 24/10/2016
Author: Mark Elliott


Conservation (Remedial)
CON.2016.3503 | Remedial
Event Date 16/8/2016
Author: Kirstie Williams


Exhibition (Li Ka Shing Gallery)
EXH.2017.2 | Another India: Explorations and Expressions of Indigenous South Asia
Event Date 8/3/2017
Author: Remke Velden


Description (Display)
'Another India: Explorations and Expressions of Indigenous South Asia' 07/03/2017 - 22/04/2018 MAA exhibition label text reads:

Gods and heroes of the Girasia

The Girasia of southern Rajasthan share elements of Bhil culture, live in forest areas and speak a language that is part of the Bhil group. Many resist identification with Bhils, however, and the label ‘Adivasi’ altogether. The Girasia artefacts at MAA show a negotiation between ‘tribal’ and ‘non-tribal.’

Hilltop shrines called devra, maintained by kin groups, house clay tablets depicting folk heroes, Hindu gods and ‘tribal’ deities. The shrines face the direction ‘from which the gods come’: the town of Molela where these plaques are made by Hindu artisans, highlighting the entanglement of people across boundaries of identity.

2. Chamunda Mata

Always placed alongside Khala and Ghora Bheru is Kuldevi, the clan mother, here depicted riding a tiger as Chamunda Mata, an avatar of the Hindu mother Goddess and associated with Kali.

Bhil. Molela, Rajasthan
Collected by Maya Unnithan, 1987
1988.269


Event Date 8/3/2017
Author: remke Velden


Description (Physical description)
Baked clay Molela tablet depicting the Hindu deity Chamunda Mata, 'Clan Mother/Goddess'. She is depicted with four arms, which hold a trident (trishula), double skinned drum and a skull cup. She is shown seated on top of a tiger, which is adorned with neck ornaments. Painted in orange, yellow, etc. with foil decoration. Damaged during shipping with a small section missing from the lower edge.
Event Date 26/11/2018
Author: ashleigh griffin


Context (Other)
According to information previously in the 'Source Year' field, The object entered the museum on the 25th of April 1988.
Event Date 16/4/2018
Author: Remke Velden


FM:80111

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