Dimensions: Height 13,9 cm Wide 7 cm Depth 5 cm

Weight: 363 grams

Durga is depicted in dynamic posture, standing with one leg bent and placed upon the recumbent buffalo demon (Mahiṣāsura), her body powerfully modelled. She wields weapons in her raised hands — the discus (cakra) and the club (gada) — while her lower hands hold further attributes. The demon is shown emerging from the decapitated buffalo’s body, emphasising the dramatic moment of his defeat.

She wears elaborate ornaments, including a tall conical crown, circular earrings, armlets, and a girdled waistcloth with beaded detail. The figure is framed by an arched prabhāmaṇḍala decorated with geometric patterns and surmounted by a finial. The base is openwork, with triangular cut-outs, allowing light to pass through and accentuate the sculptural silhouette.

The bronze surface has developed a dark patina with areas of green encrustation, testifying to age and long ritual use.

In Hindu mythology, Durga’s triumph over Mahiṣāsura is a central theme symbolising the victory of divine power over chaos and evil. The depiction of the goddess in this fierce aspect was especially popular in temple and household shrines, where she was invoked as both protector and destroyer of obstacles.

Regional stylistic traits: The tall conical crown, geometric openwork base, and stylised treatment of the buffalo are features often associated with bronzes from the Deccan and South India, where portable shrine images were produced in significant numbers during the 16th–17th centuries. By contrast, Bengal bronzes of Durga from the same period tend to emphasise fuller facial modelling, elaborate multi-armed iconography, and heavier ornamentation. This example’s restrained yet forceful form suggests a Deccani or South Indian origin within the broader pan-Indian tradition of Mahiṣāsuramardinī imagery.