Mandala of Chandra, God of the Moon

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The center of this mandala depicts the moon god Chandra flanked by two female archers who shoot arrows of light to drive away the darkness. Chandra holds two lotuses and rides a chariot pulled by seven geese, an arrangement that parallels depictions of the sun god Surya, whose chariot is pulled by horses. Surrounding the central tableau are the nine planetary deities, which includes another depiction of Chandra. Across the top of the painting are the five directional buddhas (tathagatha) flanked by bodhisattvas at either end. The bottom register is divided into three panels that depict, from left to right, a ceremony, a group of musicians and dancers, and a group of patrons. Worship of the moon god Chandra was popular in Nepali Buddhism in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, although it appears to have declined thereafter.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art