KHENIS, GHOST EATERS FIGURE IN KAGBENI AND JHARKOT VILLAGES; MOUD MODELLED PRIMITIVE FACES IN TANGBE AND STOD-PA VILLAGES NEPAL

ETHNOFLORENCE

INDIAN AND HIMALAYAN

FOLK AND TRIBAL ARTS

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KHENIS GHOST EATERS FIGURE

in

  KAGBENI & JHARKOT

Villages – Nepal

 Kagbeni

is a fortified two gates medioeval  village located in a strategic place at the confluence of two river valleys, situated in a fertile area.

During the 19th century the human guards of the gates become superfluous and were replaced with two human figure molded  from clay,  each  named

KHENIS  or Ghost Eaters

 primitive iconographic subjects probably remnants of the ancient BON religion.

(Photo 7)

The use of the same figure and  iconography  it’s possible to find also in the village of Jharkot. (Photo 1-6) 

Kagbeni and Jharkot are the only places in the Nepalese bhuddist area of infleunce in which are moulded complete protective primitive figure as well as the Khenis.

Smilar moud  representations, but limited to simple molded faces, can be found, however, one in the Mustang village of Tangbe, in which there is a face modelled in the moud, carved above the entrance of the village, to symbolise probably an ancestor, documented by Robert Powell.

The other provided by Henri Bancaud, represent’s human grotesque faces moulded on the earthen walls of the village of Stod-pa in the Nymba area, probably ‘used’ to keep away the deceased spirits (according the opinion of B.Goy,  ‘Wood sculpture in Nepal Jokers and Talismans’ 5 Continents edition)

(drawing n 8)

These moud faces have a strong similarity with some of the so called ‘primitive’ masks of the Nepalese areas

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 5

Photo 6

Photo 7

Photo 8

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Last Updating 11.26.2020

ETHNOFLORENCE INDIAN AND HIMALAYAN FOLK AND TRIBAL ARTS PHOTO RCHIVE 1990 2011

 GALERIE LE TOIT DU MONDE

PARIS

HIMACHAL PRADESH MASK EXHIBITION

SEE MORE ON SANZA ARTS PREMIERS

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ETHNOFLORENCE

INDIAN AND HIMALAYAN

FOLK AND TRIBAL ARTS

PHOTO ARCHIVE

1990 2011

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NEPAL PRIMITIVE AND TRIBAL ANCESTOR FIGURE. NEPAL TRIBAL ART. HIMALAYAN FOLK AND TRIBAL ART.

ETHNOFLORENCE

INDIAN AND HIMALAYAN

FOLK AND TRIBAL ARTS

March 16, 2011

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WESTERN NEPAL VOTIVE PRIMITIVE FIGURE

ETHNOFLORENCE INDIAN AND HIMALAYAN FOLK AND TRIBAL ARTS PHOTO ARCHIVE

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Last Updating 12.15.2020

WESTERN NEPAL PRIMITIVE FIGURE. CARRING THE GOD ON HIS BACK. HIMALAYAN TRIBAL ART.

WESTERN NEPAL PRIMITIVE FIGURE. CARRING THE GOD ON HIS BACK.

ETHNOFLORENCE INDIAN AND HIMALAYAN FOLK AND TRIBAL ARTS PHOTO ARCHIVE 1990 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

WESTERN NEPAL PRIMITIVE FIGURE. HIMALAYAN TRIBAL ART

WESTERN NEPAL PRIMITIVE FIGURE

ETHNOFLORENCE INDIAN AND HIMALAYAN FOLK AND TRIBAL ARTS PHOTO ARCHIVE

NEPAL INDIAN WESTERN BENGALA MASKS RAJBANSI TERAI MASKS SEMI TRIBAL GROUP CALLED Koch in Nepal. 印度面具 尼泊尔面具 ネパールのマスク インドのマスク

Rajbanshi people are a semi-tribal group called in Nepal Koch, and linked with the Hinduised iconography.

印度面具 尼泊尔面具 ネパールのマスク インドのマスク

The masks of the Terai are still today negleted.

Ethnoflorence Indian and Himalayan folk and tribal arts photo  Archive 1990 2010

Wooden Steles of the Tharu people, tribal cult of the female and male divinityes Cabahwaguni and Daharcand

The presence of a couple, from an iconographic point of view, it’s one of the constant elements that we can to find in the wooden carved steles of the Tharu people,  linked with the  cult of the female and male divinityes Cabahwaguni and Daharcandi .

Gisèle Krauskopff, Maîtres et possédés – Les rites et l’ordre social chez les Tharu (Népal) 

 Editions du CNRS, Meudon, Juin 1989

The style of these carvings can vary from the realistic till the  nearly geometric representation of the human figure

 Ethnoflorence and Ethnoeidos Indian and Himalayan Folk and Tribal Arts Photo Archive

 1990 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SANTAL TRIBAL ART DETAILS FROM 4 VERTICAL PANELS

ETHNOFLORENCE

INDIAN AND HIMALAYAN

FOLK AND TRIBAL ART

SANTAL PARGANAS PEOPLE CARVED WOODEN PANELS OF THE WEDDING (LITTERS) PALKEE AND A STILISTIC COMPARATION  WITH SOME THARU

DETAILS FROM 4 SANTAL VERTICAL PANELS

ETHNOFLORENCE and ETHNOEIDOS

INDIAN AND HIMALAYAN FOLK AND TRIBAL ARTS

PHOTO ARCHIVE

1990 2010

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NEPAL MASKS RAJBANSI TERAI MASKS SEMI TRIBAL GROUP CALLED Koch in Nepal

Rajbanshi people are a semi-tribal group called in Nepal Koch, and linked with the Hinduised iconography.

The masks of the Terai are still today negleted.

Rajbanshi masks an hidden heritage part I

 

 

 

 

THARU WOODEN CARVED WINDOW. TERAI NEPAL TRIBAL ART

Ethnoflorence

Indian and Himalayan

Folk and Tribal Arts

Rare Dailekh wooden carved  complete  Window.

The iconographic theme of the carving it’s part geometrical and part figurative, with human figure standing on horses and elephants.

 (photo 1-2 and 6-9)

A common theme that it’s possible to find also in the wooden carved pillars linked with the  cult of the female and male divinityes Cabahwaguni and Daharcandi (Gisèle Krauskopff, Maîtres et possédés – Les rites et l’ordre social chez les Tharu (Népal) – Editions du CNRS, Meudon, Juin 1989).

(photo 3)

More difficult to document this kind of iconography in the Tharu sculpture, we edit one of these, part of a couple, representing a man on an elephant.

Probably part of a more complex structure (the items are cut at the base and at the top).

(photo 4)

Interesting it’s also the iconography of a  female figure standing on an elephant, carving top of a pole, probably linked with the fertility cult. Something close to the so called Tharu fertility panels, and probably part of one of these devotional structure.

(photo 5)

Photo Ethnoflorence Indian and Himalayan folk and tribal arts photo archive and Ethnoeidos Himalayan photo Archive.

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