Goddess and Attendants

Cookie Guyton

Date: 1st century B.C.–1st century A.D.. Culture: India (West Bengal,Chandraketugarh). Medium: Terracotta

This piece actually has a setting. The setting is in Chandraketugarh, in Bengal. This iconic woman is associated with Durga, a beautiful figure that symbolizes the forces that are divine, which are positive forces that come from energy. It is also known as Shakti, which is feminine energy and power (divine forces), which are used against the negative forces of evil and wickedness. The identity of the goddess is unknown, but that does not stop people from praying to her or worshiping her. Since her identity is unknown i think that maybe she represents more than one woman. Even though the goddess appears naked and only covered with heavy jewelry, she is seemed as heavenly. Located at the top-right of her head, there is an angel with wings flying above her with its arms out. Everyone else around her is naked and covered in jewelry, but not as much as the goddess. I think this is to help separate the goddess from the others. The goddess also has her hands in a position that I am not familiar with. One hand seemed faced in on her hip and the other lower and faced out. Each attendant seems to having something in their hands as if they were making an offering to the goddess. The goddess’s head-piece is very huge and seems like it has a great deal of power behind it. I feel as though it gives off positive energy or it is a part of the goddess’s power itself. There are two individuals at the two top corners of the piece, and both of their arms are up as if they are representing worship and the power of believing in a god. I also feel as though the attendants are all women. I feel like this brings woman empowerment to the religion. With the fish in the top-left corner I believe that the piece is saying that the goddess brings offerings, and with the angel on the top-right I believe that the piece is saying that she offers blessings as well.

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Published by Cookie Guyton

Ms. Guyton is a full-time student at Huston-Tilloston University and is currently a junior. Cookie is from a small town called Elgin, Texas. She is an ambassador for Tom Ford at Dillard's in the Domain. Cookie is also a full-time fashion model who became published in 2018 and plans to use her spotlight to make a difference in the Criminal Justice System. She plans to become a Penologists and also wants to work with troubled youth. She has always had a passion to help others and to change the world. One day she hopes to attend law school and become a judge one day in the court of law.

1 Comment

  1. I enjoyed reading your blogpost on The Goddess and Attendants. I like the terracotta material, that the image is comprised of and I like the color of Terracotta. I think that’s an interesting point you made about the lack of identity may be because she is representative of more than one woman. I would agree that the volume of jewelry is a good indicator of the position of the person wearing it. It makes sense the goddess would have more jewelry on than the other women. I agree that the fish in the upper left corner seems to be a food offering to the goddess. Great job!

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