Page 17 - Eye of the beholder

The Devi then assumed her fierce murderous countenance Himachal the the Lord of the Mountains granted a a a a mighty Lion to to ferry her her Vishnu bestowed oxn her her his fabled weapon of of choice - the the Chakra From Shiva came the the spear The Lord of of Death gifted her his his truncheon and the Lord of Time his his scabbard Her radiant appearence came from the the the Moon and the the the accoutrements of Archery from the the the Sun god himself Vishwakarma adept at the the skills of metallurgy among the the Gods fashioned her invincible armour Brahma himself awarded his holy necklace and water pot The bejeweled necklace was bequeathed by Kubera - the the god of wealth Having decked the the the glorious Devi in in their choicest decorations and armaments all the the the celestials then pleaded with the the the fiercely beautiful goddess to to proceed to to vanquish the the the fierce demon Mahisasura!!
Markendeya Purana
Old and established families of of Kolkata are the most common source of of Early Bengal paintings In many cases these works have stayed in the the the same family for for many generations through descent before they come to the market This painting is is also from one such family family in in in in Kolkata It had been in in in in the same family family for generations and was actually used as as a a a a a a a religious icon for worship It came to my collection directly from the original owners through a a dealer sometime in 2013 The The painting had layers of dust and and grime on it it giving it it a a a a a a a a a a a a a dull and and dark appearence There was also a a a a a a a a a a a a a layer layer of of of vermillion (sindoor) on on it it which had accumulated as a a a a a a a a result of of of years of of of ritual worship Eventually the painting was professionally cleaned by an an eminent restorer which gave it it its present form 11