Object Number: VRM257

Dimensions: 120.0 x 61.0 cm

Material: Cericitised Slate

Find Location: Rajshahi, Rajshahi District, Bangladesh

Date: 11th–12th Century CE

The Varendra Research Museum contains many hundreds of complete and fragmentary statues and one of the ways in which scholars can identify individual deities is through their iconography. Flanked by Sarasvati with veena (stringed musical instrument) and Lakshmi with flywhisk, the large central four-armed figure adorned with jewellery and is holding a conch, chakra, mace and lotus. Standing on a lotus footstool with central winged Garuda, the visual imagery of this sculpture, including garland or vanamala, identifies it as the Trivikrama expression of Vishnu.

This excellent example of a Vishnu sculpture was carved during the reign of the Sena dynasty (1070 – 1230 CE) and can help us explore issues of patronage, propaganda and power. Originally from southern India, the Senas were vassals of the Pala Empire but later gained sovereignty over the Bengal Basin. This was possibly the first time in history that the broader region of Bengal was brought under single independent ruler and controlled from the capital of Laknauri-Gaur. 

Brahmanical religion was promoted by the Senas during this period and many temples were built and decorated with sculptures of various deities. Sena power reached its height during the reign of Lakshmana Sena (r. 1178 – 1206 CE), who particularly favoured Vaishnavism during his rule. Within this tradition, Vishnu was viewed as the paramount being above over all other deities – perhaps mirroring Lakshmana’s own political aspiration.