Polonnaruwa: Protective Deity

SRI LANKA, North Central Province, Polonnaruwa

Temples and pagodas in Sri Lanka generally have semicircular moonstones and guardian deities at the entrance. Guardian deities come in pairs and are placed on either side to prevent demons from entering. The guardian deity shown here is a Naga King standing within an arched niche. He wears a tall pointed crown, with stacked rings, and a nimbus formed by seven serpent heads. The waist slants to one side, displacing the shoulders and inclining the head to the left. A tall vase is held in the figure’s left hand, and a branch symbolizing prosperity in the right hand. The crown is succeeded by many other rich ornaments worn over the upper body. The lower garment is close-fitting and cinched by a belt with numerous pendants. The child-like messengers of Kubera, the wealth deity, scamper at the figure’s feet on either side of the base.