The Four Struts of the Main Shrine of Yetakaha Baha; Kathmandu, Nepal; 7th–9th century (1st and 3rd) and 11th–13th century (2nd and 4th); wood; photograph by Sameer Tuladhar, 2021
The Four Struts of the Main Shrine of Yetakaha Baha; Kathmandu, Nepal; 7th–9th century (1st and 3rd) and 11th–13th century (2nd and 4th); wood; photograph by Sameer Tuladhar, 2021
Join us for our third annual Rubin Museum Distinguished Lecture in Himalayan Art—a lecture series supported by the Rubin and hosted at The Met that presents expert insights into the greater Himalayan region’s art, cultures, and history, fostering deeper connections with these rich traditions.
The salanbhanjika—a young woman standing atop a human figure and beneath a flowering tree—is a popular subject in Nepalese art. Persisting in popularity long after it became obsolete in India, the interpretation of this representation has been the subject of ongoing scholarly debate. Join Gautama V. Vajracharya, a Sanskritist and scholar of South Asian art and cultures, for a novel approach to uncovering the hidden significance of the image. Vajracharya draws on Sanskrit, Pali, and Newari sources to examine the salanbhanjika, including one that elucidates its association with the well-known art motif of an aggressive beast trampling an elephant.
This event is free, though advance registration is recommended. Space is limited; first come, first served. Priority will be given to those who register.
Gautama V. Vajracharya is a scholar of South Asian languages, art, and culture. He taught the history of Indian art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for 23 years. In addition to teaching, Vajracharya has made contributions to Nepalese and Indian art and iconography throughout his long career.
His latest publication is “Ancient Cow Calendar: Discerning the Aspects of Vedic and Pre-Vedic Bovine Rites in Modern Day Festivities of India and Nepal,” Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies, vol. 30, no 1 (2025). He authored Nepalese Seasons: Rain and Ritual (2016) for the Rubin, detailing the interrelationships among local deities, seasonal festivals, rituals, and the annual monsoon as part of the 2017 exhibition Nepalese Seasons: Rain and Ritual, which he also curated. His other publications include Frog Hymns and Rain Babies: Monsoon Culture and the Art of Ancient South Asia (2013), Himalayas: An Aesthetic Adventure (2003, co-author), Watson Collection of Indian Miniatures at the Elvehjem Museum of Art: A Detailed Study of Selected Works (2002), and Hanumandhoka Rajdarbar (1974, in Nepali).
https://rubinmuseum.org/projecthimalayanart/essays/golden-fountain-of-bhaktapur/
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