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Description

A watercolour painting which depicts a spiritual being seated on an elephant. The being has white skin, and is wearing a brown skirt that ends just below the knee. Decorations on both sides of the skirt curl outward at the hip. The bottom of the skirt has a border made up of white, yellow, and brown horizontal stripes. The main body of the skirt is covered with thinner horizontal stripes, and consists of two pieces which come together in the front. A piece of fabric hangs down from the waist. A blue, dotted sash is draped diagonally across the being's chest. Additional adornments are wrapped around its chest and neck, and decorative bands encircle its biceps, wrists, and ankles. The being has narrow eyes, a small mouth, and stretched earlobes that extend down to its chin. It is wearing a headpiece that comes to a point on both sides. There is a teardrop shaped decoration in the centre of the headpiece, and panels extend sideways across the being's shoulders. Both of the being's hands are raised by its sides, and one of them is holding a curved rod with a long handle. One of the being's legs is bent underneath it and rests on the head and neck of an elephant. The other leg is stretched out toward the ground. The elephant is white, with a long tail and trunk, and small, triangular ears. It is wearing a flat headpiece. The painting's background is blue, and a rectangular black border surrounds the image. Brown and white oblong rings radiate from the being's head and shoulders.

History Of Use

The imagery is possibly associated with ritual healing in Sri Lanka. The set of watercolours (3392/3-34) is said to depict spirits that inhabit planets, or deviyo (minor gods) or rakshas and yakkas (evil or mischievous beings). These beings are often depicted in masked dances and exorcisms.

Iconographic Meaning

Identified as one of the spirits that inhabit planets, which are often invoked in rituals. Chandra means 'moon'.

Narrative

The collector, Dr. Michael Egan, wrote his doctoral thesis on healing rituals in Sri Lanka. His fieldwork was carried out in the south of Sri Lanka, in the village of Kadurupokuna (Hambantota District), between Sept. 1965 and Nov. 1966.