Shop Details

A rare find: an antique copper finished brass Yali, serving as an unconventional finial attachment for palanquin poles. Palanquins, widely used in India to carry religious deities during temple festivals. Yalis, also referred to as vyalas, are commonly found in temples from the late medieval to early modern periods in southern India. A yali typically has the body resembling a lion and the head resembling another creature, such as an elephant (known as a gaja yali), a human (referred to as a nara yali), or a dog (called a svana yali). When the body resembles that of a tiger, it’s known as a shardula. Additionally, yalis may feature horns and hooves. The term “yali” comes from the Tamil and Sanskrit words meaning “fierce monster

Dimensions

5.5″ x 4.5″ x 3” (Length x Height x Depth) inches less