Kamadhenu, the Wish-Granting Cow
CultureIndian
Date15th-17th century
MediumStone and pigment with metal attachments
DimensionsOverall (on stand): 14 1/2 × 23 × 8 inches (36.83 × 58.42 × 20.32 cm)
Credit LinePurchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust through the George H. and Elizabeth O. Davis Fund
Object number2009.15
On View
On viewGallery Location
- 227
Collections
DescriptionThis stone sculpture depicts Kamadhenu, the wish-granting cow of ancient and medieval India. The cow is carved in a greenish-tan stone with a dense grain resembling schist. All elements of the cow and its decoration are carved in the same stone, however iron clasps are used to loosely attach three low hanging bells to the rest of the sculpture. This caparisoned cow wears a combination of elaborate halters, harnesses, garlands, and a cloth cover decorated in a flower pattern and carved in deep relief. The cow is somewhat fragmentary, with a break across its nose and face on its right side. The front legs are broken off below the shoulder while the rear legs are broken off close to the knee. One of the most unusual features of the cow is that it is hollow, with an excavated tunnel running from the head to the rear of the sculpture and a channel excavated from that large tunnel to the four hollow udders. This interior carving may have taken place at a later date and is the reason for the cutting of removable sections of stone along the cow's left side. The resin used to fix the cut out pieces is old. It appears that the cow was intended to literally offer milk, suggesting an unusual ritual use of the sculpture at one time.Exhibition HistoryNo additional exhibition history known at this time.
Kamadhenu, the wish-granting mother of all cows, was venerated throughout ancient India. Kamadhenu is one of the 14 precious items churned from the cosmic ocean of milk by Vishnu at the beginning of time. Kamadhenu is also associated with the gods Krishna and Shiva. In South India, tradition states that she took up residence in one of Shiva’s temples there, where she still fulfills requests. A very unusual feature of this sculpture is that it is hollow, with an excavated channel running though the four hollow udders. It appears that this cow was intended to literally offer Kamadhenu’s purifying milk, suggesting a unique ritual use.
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Kimberly Masteller, Masterworks from India and Southeast Asia: the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Kanas City, Missouri: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in association with University of Washington Press, 2016), 80-81, (repro.).
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