Dimensions: Height 10,4 cm Wide 4 cm Depth 3,4 cm

Weight: 114 grams

A finely cast bronze figure of Skanda (also known as Karttikeya or Murugan), standing gracefully on a tiered lotus pedestal. The youthful war god is depicted in an elegant tribhaṅga posture, with his right hand extended in varadamudrā (gesture of bestowal) and his left holding the conch (śaṅkha), a symbol of victory and divine power. He wears a tall conical crown, elaborate jewelry, and a short dhoti with finely incised details, emphasizing the refined workmanship of the period.

Skanda, son of Shiva and Parvati, is revered in Hindu tradition as the commander of the celestial armies and a protector deity. He was especially venerated in South India, where bronze images of Karttikeya were central to temple rituals and processions. The present bronze displays the balance between youthful grace and divine authority, characteristic of 16th-century South Indian craftsmanship.

The surface bears a warm brown patina with areas of green encrustation, testifying to age and ritual use. Small votive bronzes such as this were often commissioned by devotees for temple dedication or domestic shrines, embodying personal piety and communal worship.

Comparable bronzes of Skanda from the Vijayanagara and Nayak periods are preserved in the Chennai Government Museum and other notable collections, highlighting the cultural significance of such works in South Indian devotional art.