A Vintage South Indian Golu or Kolu: Vishnu as Matsya

**reduced from $95.00**
mid twentieth century
8 3/4" x 3 1/2" x 2 1/2", 22 cm x 9 cm x 6.5 cm

This charmingly rendered and painted molded figure is what is called in South India a golu or kolu.

These figures--and there were many gods and goddesses depicted in the form of golu--were set out in traditional home displays in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh during the nine night Hindu festival called Navratri. 

This golu depicts the god Vishnu in one of this ten primary avatars, the "fish" avatar called Matsya.

Matsya is something of a super hero, having saved the divine character Manu, the progenitor of the human race, from being swallowed by a great deluge, thus saving the human race from eradication. In his role as preserver, this act of intervention on behalf of the subtle and mortal worlds is characteristic of the god Vishnu.

As can be easily seen on the accompanying detail photographs, this golu shows a wear, patina and surface damage.

This is an approachable and collectible image of one of the ten avatars of Vishnu as a golu with a good deal of age.