Museum displays rare goddess sculptures

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Gwalior Museum displays rare idols of Goddesses

 

By Ashok Pal

Gwalior, April 17, 2008

Asian News International

DailyIndia.com

 

The Gujri Palace museum near the historical Gwalior Fort in

Madhya Pradesh has an astonishing collection of idols of

Goddesses, dating back from the seventh to the sixteenth

century.

 

The sculptures [are] carved in Balua sand stones and red stones

[....] Archaeologists had found the idols at various sites in

the area.

 

Hundreds of tourists and research scholars visit this museum

to see these sculptures.

 

" The Goddesses are very important in Hindu religion and

here is a huge collection of idols of several Goddesses.

These idols are really beautiful and enchanting, " said

Mukesh Kumar, a visitor from Agra.

 

" We had heard about this museum. These idols are very

ancient. They are around a thousand years old. In ancient

times these deities were given so much importance, " said

Devendra Kumar, another visitor from Agra.

 

Some of the most significant idols are of Mahishasur

Mardhini, believed to be of 12th century and of Goddess

Chamundeshwari of the 8th century. The idol of Goddess

Vighnantak made of ashtadhatu (eight metals) was brought

here from Nepal.

 

Another remarkable idol at the museum is that of the tree

Goddess Shalbhanjika. A miniature, it is not on display and

can be seen on request made to the curator of the museum.

 

Gujri Palace Museum earlier existed as Gujri Mahal, a

palace built by Raja Mansingh Tomar for his Gujar queen,

Mrignayani in the fifteenth century.

 

 

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Museum-displays-rare-idols-of-Godesses