Exceptional ghurra, churning stick holder, Nepal, 1850-1900

Impressive and very old ghurra with a very beautiful shape and blessed with a fantastic patina and traces of intensive use over a long period of time. The cord is still attached. Without a doubt a great ghurra! Moreover, it is placed on a specially made custom stand where the stand is not visible when you look at it from the front. As exceptional as the ghurra is .. so is the price!!

Length: 24 cm, including stand 29 cm
Weight: 491 grams
Origin: Nepal
Date: 1850-1900
Provenance: Obtained from a Flemish private collection. The name is provided to the buyer

The last photo shows the use of a ghurra in situ. (with thanks to Andrea Mordacci for the photo!)

Some more information about ghurras below:

For centuries, Nepalese mountain people have used the ghurra (churning rod holder) as a tool to churn milk into (clarified) butter. This ritual is based on the ancient Hindu myth, the Samudra Manthana: the churning of the primeval ocean by gods and demons. This myth not only tells the story of creation, but also depicts the battle between good and evil.

By using the ghurra, the act of the churning process is transcended into a sacred event; the ritual confirmation of the Samudra Manthana. For the Nepalese, the churning process is 'darshan', a sacred moment of the day to be blessed by their gods.

The decorations on the ghurras refer to the gods of the Hindu pantheon and form, as it were, the connecting signs with the elusive mystery of the universe. Ghurras are thus an expression of a transcendent reality that lies hidden under the veil of observable reality.

Ghurras have a round shape at the bottom that represents the sun disk (chakra), symbol of Vishnu, the patron god of the country and people of Nepal. The sun disk represents the miraculous power of the universal soul, which creates, maintains and destroys in all spheres of the universe.

On the sun disk there is usually a vertical rod in the shape of a lingam, symbol of Shiva (the god of destruction and recreation). The rod is made up of symmetrical figures with symbolic elements. No detail in the execution is a personal invention, everything has a ritual meaning.

The information regarding the ghurras is based on the exhibition catalogue published in 2004: Ghurras, gods from the Himalaya - Nepalese folk art. Compiled and edited by Annemarie De Gendt and Paul De Smedt.