This is an ivory statue, on low plinth in front of tripartite arched backdrop, depicting Hindu gods and their vahanas. Vahana is a Sanskrit word that means “that which carries”, in this case a vahana of a deity is the animal that is closely associated with them that they use as a vehicle both symbolically and literally.
Each animal represents a deity’s specific attributes and power.
The lion in the middle of the statue is representative of the consort of Shiva, Parvati. Known by many names and in many forms the Mother Goddess, as she is sometimes known, is often associated with a lion as their attributes of anger and pride, are ones the goddess helps her devotees to control.
This object was selected from the HCT collections for the Basingstoke’s My Home exhibition at the Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery, and exhibition celebrating immigration in Basingstoke, to represent the diversity of religions practiced in Basingstoke. For over 20 years, Carnival Hall on Council Road has been a place for the Hindu community of Basingstoke to worship together.
This object was audited and researched as part of the Heritage Fund Data Hunters and Story Gatherers project.
