Yogini

The female figure shown astride an owl is a yogini, a female spiritual adept. She has four arms. Her outer arms hold a sword and shield, which display her martial nature. Her inner hands are held in the unusual gesture of whistling. The large round breasts emphasize the sensuality of the yogini. Her feet are supported by two lotuses. She wears an elaborate crown and various kinds of jewelry, including necklaces and a large garland. The yogini is flanked by offering deities at the top and bottom of the panel. The figure is remarkable for the crisp and energetic carving that includes many fine details such as the wrinkled lips. Such yogini figures were usually placed on the exterior boundary of temple complexes and may have served a protective function. These distinctive yogini images originated in Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh in present-day central and eastern India. This figure may belong to a discrete group of sixty-four protective female deities venerated by the Sakta sect of Hinduism.