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History Of Use

Temple processional figure; bars can be passed through the loops at each side of the base for carrying it in a procession.

Description

Bronze statue of Vishnu standing on a lotus pedestal with a conical headdress, ear ornaments, necklaces and skirt with girdle. Four arms: rear hands hold a shakra and a noose; front left hand rests on a cane; front right hand held palm upwards.

Narrative

In October 2009 Prabakar Visvanath, a Hindu priest for the Murugan Temple in Richmond, B.C., was invited to come to MOA to conduct a puja ritual for this Vishnu figure. The purpose of the puja is to invoke a deity (in this case, Vishnu) as a guest in the temple or home (or, in this case, museum). The sacred image (figure) is like a focal point wherein the spirit of the deity is invited to reside for the duration of the ceremony. A puja normally involves welcoming and seating of the deity; washing the feet, hands, and mouth; bathing, dressing and ornamenting the deity; feeding and worship with incense, lamps, and prayers; and finally, sending back or releasing the deity from the receptacle. The sacred bathing (ritual purification) part is called the abishekam. Prabakar bathed the image with a series of liquids (milk, a mixture of water and turmeric, and fruit salad), and rinsed it with water, before dressing it. The ritual was recorded on digital video for display as part of the exhibition “Border Zones: New Art across Cultures,” in 2010.