Image title: Shiva and Vishnu

Shiva and Vishnu [Roof bracket; 17th century]—Only the lower half of this roof bracket remains. The standing image is a composite of two gods, Shiva and Vishnu, joined vertically, each half-god distinguished by differing crowns and earrings, and by their special vehicles or mounts, known as vahana, just below. Shiva's mount is the bull Nandi and Vishnu's the Sun-bird Garuda. When paired this way the gods are called by other names, Shankara-Narayana (Shiva-Vishnu) or Hari-hara (Vishnu-Shiva). Below the main figure, carved as if in a rocky cave, an unidentified god sits surrounded by four smaller images. Three of them imitate his hand pose signifying "fear not" while the fourth small figure holds a flywhisk in one hand and with the other gestures homage to the central figure.

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.