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Monumental carved wood head of Yali from a ratha - Hindu temple chariot in Tamil Nadu. Circa 18th century. 63cm high

Head from the rearing lion-like mythical beast from a huge ratha - temple chariot. Its polychrome finish has worn away with time.

During some Hindu festivals these towering chariots the height of a multi-storey building [over 100 feet/30 metres hig] are hauled by devotees around the area of a temple's complex, with an image of its primary deity giving locals and pilgrims the opportunity for darshan - personal and direct contact with god. The yali is a guardian. This is of a type from the ratha at Kapaaleeswarar temple in Mylapore [Chennai, Tamil Nadu]. Scroll to the last but one image at the bottom of the page to view in Mylapor a ratha platform with similar yali head. The image at the bottom of the page is of a small yali also of the same type but complete, standing on the head of a woman. The head would have been part of a figure like this. Comparison with the festival image and those of the head show how the pigment on these sculptures deteriorates with age, until, as with this head, none remains.

[Ref.SG4]

A smaller Yali head visible on a ratha in a festival processsion in Mylapor. Its size can be gauged from the man's head in the foreground. Pigment on this is fresh and newly applied.

They are made in all sizes - this diminutive example is 33cm high, excluding base. It is probably from the late 19th century, hence the pigment is flaking and worn.