c. 1504

Vasudhara Mandala

During the fifteenth century Nepal grew rich on trade taxes between Tibet and India and even controlled the monopoly that cast Tibetan silver coins. One method of ritually perpetuating this wealth was (and is today) to worship Vasudhara, Goddess of Abundance. Here she sits in the center of a grand palace surrounded by her entourage (a format known as a mandala), while red-masked yakshas pour out bags of riches at her shoulders and golden-jeweled objects float in the red area around her. In the bottom two corners Newar devotees honor Vasudhara, not only to bring them wealth, but also to prevent rebirth in one of the hell realms so vividly rendered in the boxes along the sides.