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Kaal Bhairav is an incarnation of the
Hindu god
Shiva. According to one legend Brahma
and
Vishnu were disputing who had the
right to be
worshipped as supreme creator of the
universe.
When Brahma claimed this title for
himself, Shiva
became angry and created Bhairav to
punish
Brahma for his arrogance. Having cut
off one of
Brahma’s five heads, Bhairav was
forced to carry
it around as a reminder of his sin. It
is visible
here in one of his left arms. The
other attributes
include a skull cap, a sword and a
trident.
Kaal Bhairav is especially popular in
Nepal and
his image is placed before temples and
paraded
through the streets during the
festival of Indra
Jahra. It is believed that his statue
acts as a lie
detector and people suspected of
committing a
crime were often brought before him to
elicit a
confession. It was thought that if
they lied they
would immediately bleed to death. In
this
sculpture Bhairava is depicted
crushing the
demon Vetala, a symbol of human
ignorance,
beneath his feet. The large garland
draped
around his neck and beneath his belly
is adorned
with skulls, a common attribute that
sometimes
also appears in his headdress.
Writhing snakes,
or nagas, adorn his earlobes and add
to the
ferocity of his appearance. Traces of
red powder,
which was added to the sculpture by
pious
devotees remind us of the awe and
respect that
this deity inspired.
- (FF.002)
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