Durga is the warrior goddess, whose mythology centres around combating evils and demonic forces that threaten peace, prosperity and dharma of the good. Durga is depicted in the Hindu pantheon as a Goddess riding a lion or tiger, with many arms each carrying a weapon, often defeating the Buffalo demon Mahishasura. She is a central deity in the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism, where she is equated with the concept of ultimate reality called Brahman.


This Durga, stylistically similar to those found in the Deccan region of India, holds a sword, trident and chakra which was also closely associated with Vishnu in the 19th century. The robust modelling and scale of this piece suggest that it was probably included in a household shrine or used for personal worship.