Image title: Hand-held water pot (kamandalu)

Hand-held water pot (kamandalu).—The water jar of an ascetic or a yogi. Physically or symbolically it contains die sacred water of the Ganges River of India or of the sacred Nepali Bagmati which flows into it. It is usually twinned with the seed rosary and signifies deities in yogic aspect. Shiva, as the Great Yogi, often bears these two emblems.

Notes: Shiva has many attributes which symbolize his powers and help to identify his images. A number of them are related to wrathful manifestations and to his aspect as the Great Yogi.

Gallery information:

The Patan Museum is located on the Durbar square of Patan (Lalitpur/Lalitapura, Kathmandu, Nepal) which is associated Keshav Narayan Chowk (Keshavnarayan)—a form of Lord Vishnu. Being listed as a World Heritage Site, the whole of Durbar square is filled with exquisite temples, sculptures and other ancient structures, of which the ancient history history can be traced to the Malla Kings of Lalitpur. It is an important site for both Buddhism and Hinduism.