Panaji: A fragment of Goa’s religious and artistic past has found its way into the hands of the state’s archaeologists, with the directorate of archaeology acquiring an intricately carved folk deity sculpture from Honda in Sattari.“Crafted in schist stone, the sculpture is believed to date back to the 17th–18th century,” said additional director, archaeology, Balaji Shenoy.The sculpture depicts a standing male deity or possibly a guardian figure. Its iconographic features include a decorated mukuta (crown), kundala (earrings), necklace, armlets, bangles and a waist girdle. Its prabhavali (decorative arch or halo surrounding the figure) is also ornamented, reflecting the attention to detail in its craftsmanship and offering a glimpse into Goa’s traditional sculptural practices and cultural expressions.The two-handed figure holds a sword in one hand, while the other rests on its waist. Based on its physical features, archaeologists from the department believe that it may originally have been installed on a pitha (pedestal).However, the sculpture’s original religious or architectural setting remains unknown. It was not discovered in the context of an existing religious site, leaving its precise provenance and original purpose subjects for further examination.“The Department of Archaeology, under the guidance of Exploration Officer Deepika Gaonkar, acquired the sculpture for further investigation and documentation,” Shenoy said.The acquisition provides an opportunity to study a relatively lesser-documented aspect of Goa’s material heritage, particularly its folk religious traditions and stone sculptural practices.
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