{"id":4379,"title":"Rudrakshamala Necklace","medium":"Rudraksha berries, 22k gold, silver, rubies, and semiprecious stones","classification":"Jewelry/Adornment","dimension":"L.17-1/2 x W.(at widest point in pendant)4-3/8 x D.1-5/8 in.","object_name":"Gauri Shankaram Necklace","continent":"Asia","nationality":"Indian","dated":"early 19th century","room":"G211","role":"Artist","inscription":"Inscription","markings":"Tamil inscription on back (Silver portion) of pendant:\r\n\r\npu (undeciphered characters)\r\nTangam (gold) (undeciphered characters)\r\nsu ya ay ee nu","text":"This elaborate gold necklace once adorned the neck of a Brahman priest or wealthy Chettiar (a male member of a mercantile community with roots in Tamil Nadu in southern India). He would have worn it on very special occasions, or donated it to a temple. Its chain, made of Rudraksha beads from a tree believed to be sacred to the Hindu god Shiva, is attached to three golden lozenges decorated with rubies and semiprecious stones. The central amulet depicts the divine couple, Shiva and Parvati, flanked by their two sons, Ganesha and Murugan. Kaumari, a goddess related to Murugan, appears on the clasp astride her vehicle, the peacock. The bottom amulet would have contained a lingam, an abstract representation of Shiva, or sacred ash, allowing it to function as a portable shrine.","creditline":"The Christina N. and Swan J. Turnblad Memorial Fund","accession_number":"92.132.1","artist":"India (Tamil Nadu)","department":"Asian Art","rights_type":"Public Domain","image_width":6496,"image_height":9324,"recent":0,"see_also":[],"sort_number":"92   132    1","image":"valid","public_access":1,"curator_approved":0,"highlights":0,"Cache_Location":"004000\\300\\70\\4379","Primary_RenditionNumber":"mia_6019715.jpg","Rights_Image_Display":"Full","related:audio-stops":[{"title":"Gowri Shankaram Necklace","_id":"4379","objectId":"4379","link":"http://audio-tours.s3.amazonaws.com/p192.mp3","number":"192","type":"audio"}],"related:artstories":[{"title":"Rudrakshamala Necklace","_id":"4379","objectId":"4379","description":"<p>Gleaming gold, luscious rubies, ornately cast designs and figures—who wouldn’t want to wear this fabulous necklace? It was once destined for the very wealthy neck of either a Brahmin priest or a Chettiar merchant, (the Chettiars are historically a business community with ties to the region of Tamil Nadu), who would have worn it on his 60th birthday. The large reddish-brown beads are seeds from the Rudraksha tree, which is associated with the god Shiva, and are prized for their auspicious properties said to bring wealth, health, and a change of fate to their owners. The golden figures are all associated with the god Shiva, connecting the wearer to his holy presence. </p>","link":"http://artstories.artsmia.org/#/o/4379","type":"artstory"}],"mtime":"2026-02-04T06:00:50.797Z"}