Rare maternity statue from the Terai region, Nepal, ca. 1960

Eye-catching maternity statue from the Terai region in southern Nepal bordering India. The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in northern India and southern Nepal that lies south of the Himalayan foothills, the Sivalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This lowland belt is characterized by high grasslands, scrub savannah, sal forests and clay rich swamps. The Tharu and the Dhimal are the collective name for a variety of ethnic groups. Agriculture is the basis of industry. Rice, potatoes, maize, wheat, peas, lentils, mustard, sugar cane, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, garlic and chili are grown here.
The best known from Nepal are the putali, Namaskara Mudra greeting images. Much less known and rarer are the statues from the Terai region. In the near future I will offer a number of them that have been bought in situ from families through my network. They are largely figurines that underline the rural character.

This statue shows a kneeling woman with a child in her arms. The lower part is a high foot. The statue is made of a kind of ironwood. That was reserved for the special figurines. It is an altar statue that stood in a house in the Terai region and was purchased through my network. The typical style of that area is clearly visible in the style details of the face and hair. Good used condition, partly a somewhat greasy patina. And as said ... quite rare! See the pictures!

Length: 29.5 cm
Weight: 537 grams
Origin: Terai area, southern Nepal
Date: ca 1960