The Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon (Mahisasura Mardini)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The multi-armed Durga tramples the slain buffalo with her raised leg while plunging her trident into the human form of the demon Mahisha seen emerging from the neck of the beast. Her vehicle, the lion, joins in the fight, mauling the buffalo from behind. In this celebratory icon, designed to occupy an exterior niche in a Hindu temple, Durga is honored by garland-bearing celestial attendants (gandharvas).

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