Vintage Carved Dewi Sri Rice Harvest Goddess, Bali (3044WOK) $425

Description

This rare vintage carving was likely made for home shrine or small rice field temple dedicated to Dewi Sri, the Balinese Goddess of Rice. Likely part of a larger decorative scheme, she is presented as a beautiful young woman wearing an elaborate headdress and a rich  garment with  arm and wristbands and an intricate neck collar. This finely crafted piece was personally purchased in Bali in the 1970s and is in very good condition with an aged  patina showing both age and use, minor scratches and 2 minor chips on the crown. It is mounted on a uniquely-crafted, hand-finished  frosted Acrylic base that works with all design decors. Dewi Sri or Devi Sri (Shridevi in India) is the most revered  and worshipped goddess in Bali and Java. An Earth God who controls rice fields and the growth of rice, she personifies the life force in Hinduism, controls birth, prosperity, rice surpluses and  poverty, famine and death. Prayers and colorful offerings for health and prosperity have historically been made to her daily at home, small temples in rice fields and community shrines. Balinese farmers are members social and work groups called a subak. Sharing adjacent rice fields, they work together to maintain field temples and shrines and celebrate agricultural festivals together, especially on holidays dedicated to her. They beautify temples and fields with colorful offerings made from bamboo, banana leaves, woven rattan, and other natural materials to bring her favor.

Sources

Sidarta Wijaya, A Balinese Folktale: Dewi Sri, Goddess of Rice, Blog.Baliwww.com, 2007.

Wikipedia, Dewi Sri, wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewi Shri