The Goa archaeology department has acquired a 16th–17th century Kalbhairav sculpture from Deulwada in Mandrem, Pernem, after the temple committee replaced the original idol with a new one. The department plans to restore the stone sculpture, preserve it scientifically and place it in a museum for public display and research.
Carved in schist stone, the sculpture measures 52 cm by 35 cm and was acquired along with its pedestal. Additional director of archaeology Balaji Shenoy said the department received an application from the temple committee requesting that the idol be acquired and preserved under the Government of Goa.
The department visited the site in Pernem and assessed the sculpture on the basis of its iconographic features and stylistic characteristics. Shenoy said officials identified it as having historical significance before deciding to acquire it. The sculpture was handed over by Hari Prabhu, president of Dev Sapteshwar Bhagwati Pramukh Panchayatan Devasthan, Deulwada, Mandrem.
The figure shows Kalbhairav standing with four hands beneath a prabhavali, or ornamental arch, decorated with geometric designs. A dog is depicted on the deity’s left and a human figure on the right. The deity is shown wearing a crown, moustache, necklace and waist girdle.
A portion of the sculpture’s pitha, or pedestal, is broken and requires restoration. The archaeology department will first clean the sculpture before placing it in a museum. Further studies will examine its iconography, chronology and cultural significance in greater detail.
Archaeologist Dipika Gaonkar, who served as the exploration officer for the find, said Bhairava represents a “fierce and terrifying manifestation of the universal destroyer”, a concept associated with this form of Shiva. She said the tradition also links Kalabhairav with the idea that even Kala, or time, fears him, and associates the deity with Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
Bhairava sculptures are predominantly found in North India and show considerable variation in iconography. Sculptures of Bhairava, Kalabhairava and Martand Bhairava have also been documented in Goa, but the Mandrem sculpture is notable for the figures accompanying the deity.
The acquisition places responsibility for the object’s conservation with the state archaeology department while separating its long-term preservation from the temple’s decision to install a new idol. Shenoy said the department would preserve the sculpture “for posterity through scientific methods” and make it available to researchers studying the iconography of ancient Indian sculptures.
The next steps are the sculpture’s cleaning, restoration of the damaged pedestal and further scholarly study before its museum display. The department has not specified the museum or date on which the sculpture will be made available to the public.
