First half of 20th century

Kantha (Embroidered Quilt)

The upper chamber of the large processional chariot in the center enshrines Jagannatha, a form of Krishna, next to his brother and sister. Across the chariot's lower level are written the names of the god in a sequence chanted by Vaishnava devotees: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare; Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In the lower area appears the four-armed goddess Lakshmi lustrated by two storm-blue elephants that emphasize her role as bringer of prosperity. The naturalistic drawing style of many of the outlined images on this kantha, including camels, boars, and two tiny locomotives, might derive from illustrations in English children's books and other printed materials readily available during the first half of the twentieth century.