KVPT’s Patan Darbar Earthquake Response Campaign - Work to Date - September 2016

7 and 8
South Mandapa
Metha nos. 1,2
9 and 10
South Mandapa:
Metha nos. 3, 4
South Mandapa
Capital-brackets (metha) nos. 1,2
Striking is the loop that encloses the head (figs. 7 and 8):
A continous flow of beads is at the same time spouted
forth and swallowed up — very similar to the early 15th
century representation of Kirtimukha at the Indreshvara
temple in Panauti (fig. 3). The heads are not crowned;
the whiskers foliated and the corners of the mouth only
indicated and the spouted lotus foliage made to frame
the panel. No. 1 is the only example of the cheeks featuring
no mane.
Capital-brackets (metha) nos. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
All of these faces are crowned by a crescent, supporting
a jewel-like object, circular (no. 7, fig. 13) or oval in
shape — probably a lotus flower. As a peculiarity, on
nos. 3 and 6 (figs. 9 and 12) an S-shaped curve divides
the whiskers from the Cupid’s bow and ends up behind
the nasal wings. The mouths with seven teeth and a pair
of fangs spout forward a variety of foliage. Similar to the
face on the column these Kirtimukha are framed halolike
by fiery elements in two layers behind which in one
case (no. 6, fig. 9) emerges lotus vine.
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