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Iconography of Gaṅgā and Yamunā
In Hinduism the river Ganga and Yamuna are personified as female deities and the rivers as well as their icons are worshipped as one with the belief that they will purify the devotees by their mystic powers while one enters into the temples in this earthly world or the soul after death in the other world.The rich artistic tradition of positioning the figures of the river goddesses at the entrance of the temples followed from the Gupta period onwards is fully explored through the sculptures found intact with the temples and those preserved in the museum. It discusses the divine origin of the river goddesses and their association with the Hindu Gods particularly Siva based on the myths and legends contained in the Hindu mythology as well as the narrative content of the relief sculptures. The changing roles of the river goddesses, their association with the dvarapalas (door guardians)...
