Cave paintings--Dambulu Rajamaha Viharaya (Sri Lanka)
The temptations with which the Bodhisattva grappled are personified as the daughters of Mara, the evil one. In common with practically all the Kandyan temple paintings, the female as temptress, at the Dambulla Rock Temple, Sri Lanka, as shown here, is in dance pose. However, none of the daughters of Mara shown in the paintings of the Kandyan period can be described as sensuous creatures. For the 18th century Kandyan painter, the female as seductress perhaps lacked conviction.
Technical Assistant: Jayasundare, Subhashini
International Center for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies, Colombo
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Forms part of Photographic documentation of Women as depicted in early Sri Lankan sculpture and painting / Slide in present collection