Gilt Brass Buddha - Varada Mudra Lighting They come with wooden tops

They come with wooden tops which should not be used in winter

often the most enduring elements of such toys

These panels would have come from stone havelis

making them ideal gifts for collectors of rural Indian craft and ethnographic objects

the niche would originally have been built into the wall beside a doorway where oil lamps or small candles were placed to illuminate the entrance and welcome guests

Gilt Brass Buddha - Varada Mudra Lighting They come with wooden topsThis brass Buddha has a serene gaze and is seated varada mudra, both palms open. Varada mudra is a sign of compassion & charity, representing the five perfections; patience, effort, concentration, generosity & morality. This pose is always from a seated position with the right hand resting on the knee, hand facing outwards. Here Buddha also holds an offering bowl.