Ancient India – West Bengal, Chandraketugarh tradition Terracotta Terracotta votive plaque depicting a Yakshi and a young attendant. - 12.5 cm

This terracotta votive plaque from West Bengal’s Chandraketugarh tradition depicts a Yakshi and her young attendant, dating from ancient India. Yakshis are mythological female nature spirits often associated with fertility, trees, and wealth in Indian art and religion. Terracotta plaques served devotional or ritualistic purposes at sites of worship, reflecting religious beliefs and artistic conventions of their time. The Chandraketugarh region was notable for its distinctive terracotta craftsmanship featuring intricate relief work. This plaque exemplifies the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of ancient India as expressed through durable earthenware art forms.