One of the regions in India where the cult of Shakti, the divine feminine found the most evocative and spiritually rich expressions is the state of Orissa, where the mother-goddess and her numerous forms are worshipped by Hindu and Tantric followers of Devi. In this visually compelling Orissa Patachitra on fine Tussar silk, artist Rabi Behra has called upon the Mahishasuramardini roopa of the Great Hindu goddess, Durga.
The horizontally laid out Patachitra of Goddess Durga Mahishasuramardini depicts the scene of the legendary battle between the Simhavahini (Vahini-rider of, Simha-lion) Devi and the forces of the buffalo demon, Mahishasura. Bordered by a single series of multi-colored floral vines, the Patachitra is set in the wilderness, shown by the flower-laden trees and uneven ground in the fore.
In the background, a soft grey horizon with small curling clouds gives the dynamic battle scene a perfect backdrop. The central figure of the Patachitra is none other than the divine ten-armed mother-goddess Durga, lunging ahead from her roaring lion, equipped with various potent weapons, her long tresses flying behind her and the rich red sari adding to her grandeur.
Goddess Durga’s trident held in her primary hands is pierced through the golden armor of Mahishasura, into his chest, making his blood trickle down his torso. The valiant posture taken by Devi Durga, with her foot victoriously placed on the chest of the demon and her hand restricting his arm and the defensive manner of Mahishasura conveys to us the story of the great vanquisher of evil.
Mahishasura’s leg stuck in the neck of the body of a buffalo is a cue to the legend from the Devi Mahatmya, according to which the shape-shifting buffalo demon was slain by goddess Durga when he was about to escape the body of a water buffalo. On the right side of this Devi Durga Pattachitra stand three demons dressed in attires with various ethnic patterns, with different skin tones, carrying weapons in their hands.
On Devi’s side are her female attendants- Dakini and Varnini or Yogini with sickles and bowls of blood from the severed heads of demons. The skeletal form of the attendants and their lion-like faces hold an ethereal ferociousness that causes the hearts of their opponents to tremble with fear.
The characteristic features of Orissa Pattachitra are used exquisitely in this painting- a vibrant contrast between the colors used to present the goddess and the demon, the human-like features of Devi’s lion, different colors to bring out the individuality of the subjects, a multiplicity of ethnic motifs on the entirety of the painting. Bristling with a powerful vigor, this Patachitra of Durga Mahishasurmardini is a kaleidoscopic devotional artwork.
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