Ganga

From the Gupta period onwards, the two sacred rivers of North India, Ganga and Yamuna are invariably presented as river goddesses at the entrance to many Hindu Temples on the right and left respectively for purifying every devotee. The Ganga’s descent to the earth described in the Gangavatarana legend. Lord Siva was requested to intervene and to is have her on his hair knots Jatas, before touching the earth, and associated with the severe austerities of king Bhagiratha who brought the Ganga on the earth. Ganga symbolizes fertility, untamed energy and abundance. It is represented here as a bejewelled, beautiful young goddess, standing on her vehicle (vahana) aquatic creature called makara or crocodile. She is shown wearing upper garment a simple piece of cloth-partly covering the breasts, a tight skirt clinging to her body and fastened at the waist by a griddle and holding a water pot. The graceful posture moderate ornaments are Guptaperiod conventions.perfection and admirable refinement but also the quality of artistic productions which are unrivalled in the sphere of Indian terracotta art of the late 5th century A.D. This image wasfound in the Siva Temple at Achichchhatra. They not only represent the peak of creative capacity, technical