Water vessel, Varanasi, c. 1760-70

Brass, cast and chased with applied foot

This form of ritual water vessel is usually associated with the holy city of Varanasi, on the bank of the Ganges, deemed to be the abode of Siva and which has been a major pilgimage.centre for centuries.. Typically the chambu has a spherical body of more or less compressed form, a high foot, and a short flaring neck with spiral ribbing by which it is usually held.
On the body of this water vessel are four horizontal registers of figural decoration with insciptional bands above and below the widest band which contains Shiva riding on the bull Nandi. The decoration throughout is chased, reserved against a ring-matted ground. The upper band has four figures of Krishna, dancing with the milkmaids in the rasamandala circle. Below this, but divided from it by a narrow band containing lozenges with dotted circles, is an insciptional band (presumabaly the invocation to Rama, sri ram ram jaya ram nam). The broadest band occupies the centre of the vessel and has the ten avataras of Vishnu (the Jagannatha trio appearing as the ninth avatara). Siva on Nandi is also depicted on this band, and from his head pours the Ganges stream, cutting across the bands of decoration below to the last one which represents the sacred Ganges river. In it are the primordial tortoise, fish, a snake and an empty boat with four oars. The band between depicts the route followed by pilgrims circumnambulating Varanasi, passing the temples and sacred sites en route. There are various linga shrines, a Nandi, a visnupada (footprint of Vishnu) and a tree (probably the gram plant).

For similar examples see related museum numbers IS 222-1992, IS 223-1992 and especially IS 464-1883, which is dated VS 1822/1765-66AD.

IS.221-1992