Garuda Vanquishing the Naga Clan

Garuda Vanquishing the Naga Clan

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

There are many jatakas (Buddhist tales) about the former lives of the Buddha. In this one, he was born as the king of Benares and ruled with his beloved queen, Kakati. The royal solar bird Garuda came to the court disguised as a man and gambled with the king. He then became enamored of the queen and abducted her. But when Garuda heard of the king's great sadness and of his true love for Kakati, he restored her to him.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.