Attendant Goddesses

Female dancers as guardians of temples

Women dancers in art--Sri Lanka

Wood carving--Vakirigala, Kegalle (Sri Lanka)

Female door guardians or dvarapalikas in dance poses emphasize the devotional stance of these goddesses. This carved relief is at the bottom of one of the wooden door jambs at the entrance to the shrine of the main Buddhist temple at Vakirigala in the Kegalle district, Sri Lanka. Stylistically this sculpture belongs to the Kandyan period (16th-18th century A.D.).

Sirima Kiribamune

Vakirigala, Kegalle, Sri Lanka

16th-18th century A.D.

Period of study: 1986-1987

Version: 01/12/2012

Co-Author: Seneviratna, Harsha

Technical Officer: Wijesinghe, Lalith

Technical Assistant: Jayasundare, Subhashini

Photographer: Madanayake, I.S.

International Center for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies, Colombo

All rights reserved by International Center for Ethnic Studies, Sri Lanka.

Forms part of Photographic documentation of Women as depicted in early Sri Lankan sculpture and painting / Slide in present collection

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