Object class: Sound devices (equipment) / Collection place: Asia / Person depicted: Vishnu (Hindu deity) - Hearst Museum Portal Search Results

Start Over Object class Sound devices (equipment) Collection place Asia Person depicted Vishnu (Hindu deity)

Hearst Museum object titled Bell with clapper, accession number 9-12917, described as Cast brass hand bell with a clapper; handle with garuda finials and serpent heads (2 garudas, 5 serpents heads). Native name and context: "ghanti" (bell). Used in "puja" (worship) by Hindus all over India. Held by its shaft, the bell is rung at the beginning of worship as a signal for demons to depart and gods to appear. Symbols of the presiding deity are worked into the ornamentation at the top of the handle, which is often surmounted by a cobra bowl representing Ananta, the cosmic serpent. Vishnu is represented on this specimen by Garuda, (half man, half eagle), his vehicle and Hanuman, the vehicle of Rama his seventh incarnation. Height 22.3 cm.