Iconography of Chandi

The unique four-armed image of Chandi described below was found in the ruins of Rampal in the Dacca District. It was obtained by the late Babu Baikunthanatha Sena along with a number of other images, and presented to the late Babu Jivana Chandra Raya who erected a temple for this fine image and istalled it there. The temple is situated on the Farasganj road of this town, a little to the east of the Northbrooke Hall. The goddess has a springing lion as her vehicle and on her either side is a female attendant with fly whisks. Two elephants, with water from up-turned pitchers held by their trunks, are bathing the goddess from above.

. TO FACE P. 203. Inscribed image of Chandi at Dacca, with an inscription of the 3 rd year of Laksmana Sena.

Her attributes are,-clockwise, 1. Boon; 2. Elephant-goad; 3. Lotus; 4. Vase. Fortunately, the image is inscribed with an inscription of historical importance. (J. A.. S. B. 1913, p. 290, plates XXIII and XXIV). The inscription says that the image was begun in the 3 rd year of the reign of Laksmanasena Deva by the Adhikrta Damodara and was installed next year by his younger brother Narayana. The year of the installation is, therefore, circa 1174 A. D. The inscription calls the goddess simply Chandidevi. I have not been able to lay hands on her exact Dhyana. In the Saradatilaka Tantra, ch. 8, there are several invocations of the goddess Bhuvanesvari, a form of the Sakti of Siva. In one invocation, she has Boon, Protection, Red lotus and Vase full of riches as attributes, while another gives her attributes as Boon, Lasso, and Protection. The present image seems to have compounded the attributes of these two invocations, and taken out, Boon, Elephant goad, Red lotus and Vase of fortune from them. The image may, therefore, be tentatively identified as that of Bhuvanesvari.