Inscriptions: Naming the Devout

Lynna R. Dhanani explains that many choḍs, like this one depicting the sacred mountain Ashtāpada, include inscriptions at the bottom naming donors who commissioned them. These painted cloths are often offered to temples or kept in home shrines, serving both as devotional images and acts of religious merit. The inscription reflects the donor’s reverence and their role in honoring the sacred site through artistic patronage.

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  • Lynna Dhanani wearing a brown turtleneck, smiling, with a bookshelf behind her

    Lynna

    Dhanani

    Assistant Professor

    Religious Studies, University of California, Davis