Nagaraja

The cult of Naga, the serpent, has been very popular in Nepal, as it has been in India. I t has played ;in important role in the history of Nepalese art, and its antiquity goes back to the early centuries of the Christian era. Among numerous images of the Naga found in the Valley of Kathmandu, one was from Kunti-bahi chaitya (PI. 42) near Kumbhesvara temple in Patan. T’he Nagaraja, King of Serpents, was tucked in a niche of the chaitya.

The Serpent King was shown seated on the coil of a serpent. He held a child in his left hand, while the right hand seemed to be in varadamudra gesture of munificence. He wore a crown, earrings, armlets and bracelets. The details of the child sitting on his lap were damaged; however, a nimbus with a flame motif was delineated behind his head, which indicated that the child was the son of tlie Serpent King, (PI. 43)

The Nagaraja was flalnked by two standing attendants, each holding a fly-whisk in the right hand and the left hand resting on the hip. Their ornaments consisted of a crown, a necklace, a sacred thread and a girdle. A semi-circular’ sash was carved across their thighs. These two attendants were modeled in a diminutive form and looked rather disproportionate, especially the lower part of their body. Two rows of serpent heads overs the head of the Nagaraja were partly mutilated. Likewise, a single row of serpent  hoods over the heads of two attendants was also slightly damaged. It must be noted that the delineation of serpent hoods over the heads of secondary figure\ was quite unusual in the stone sculptures of the valley. Although this image was previously assigned to the 10th century A.D., the stylistic treatment clearly indicated that the image could not be dated earlier than 14th century A.D. This relief of Nagaraja with his son on his lap was stolen on the night of July 10. 1985.

PUBLISHED
Praatapaditya Pal. The Arts of Nepal.
(Lieiden/Koln, 1974), Fig. 25 1 .
Mary Shepherd Slusser, “Nepali Sculptures – New
Discoveries”, In aspect of Indian Art. 1970