Buddhist
practitioners MAKE INQUIRYings to a lama or a deity prior to chanting, visualizing
themselves as offering gods or goddesses, placing ritual objects on an alter table
such as this large Nepalese Newari gilt bronze oil lamp pitcher, which also holds
consecrated water for use during rituals. The oil lamp pitcher is made of hand-forged
bronze repoussé, soldered and hinged together with a cast Naga King rising to
form a seven-headed snake handle, the child Krishna riding on its back, the god
Vishnu seated on its shoulders flanking the rim, overlooking the back of a floral
aureole of a thousand-armed ten-headed Avalokiteshvara, seated by his sides are
two smaller deities on movable wings, they preside directly over the oil basin,
where the elephant-headed god Ganesh is bathing near the center. The oil basin
is supported by a repoussé figure of the lion-headed dakini Simhavaktra, which
is hinged to the pitcher where 44 skulls are wrapped around in full circle. The
pitcher is heavily decorated with various motifs, with minor imperfections but
overall condition remains excellent despite its age.