Stèle en grès rouge représentant le dieu hindou Revanta, Inde, probablement région de Bundi, Rajasthan, 11ème - 12ème siècle

H 75 - L 43 cm

Revanta (brilliant in Sanskrit) is the youngest son of the sun god Surya and is a relatively rare but ancient figure in Hindu iconography. He is the lord of horses, hunting and wealth and the leader of the Guhyakas, supernatural beings believed to live as forest dwellers in the Himalayas. He is often depicted with them in hunting scenes, as is the case here. Revanta is not a military warrior, but a divine hunter and protector. His iconography is characterised by a relaxed posture and the presence of servants or musicians at the bottom.

Revanta is the only widespread Hindu deity who is always depicted on horseback. Here he is accompanied by a hunting dog and holding a cup of wine in his hand. Revanta's servants are depicted with hunting weapons and one of them holds an umbrella (symbol of royalty) above his head. At the top left, we see Ganesha and a servant carrying a dead wild boar on his shoulders. At the top right, a servant is holding a wine or water jug.

The cult of Revanta originated in the 6th century in eastern India (Bihar and Bengal). His worship then spread to Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Provenance:
- Ex-collection family Goethals de Mude de Nieuwland, Castle Borgwal (link), Gavere, Belgium. Acquired by this family in the 1930s-50s.
- The grandparents of the current owners (Mr. and Mrs. V.M.-L., Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium) worked as live-in staff at the castle. Upon their retirement, the castle lord donated it as a token of appreciation. Then subsequently passed on to the current owners through inheritance. We have added old photos of the castle and of the couple, who worked as live-in staff.