Sita Tara – The White Tara with King Ripumalla

This white form of the goddess Tara, generally associated with longevity, sits on a lotus with her right hand in the giving gesture and the left holding the stem of a blue utpala flower. Another identical flower blooms to her right. On either side of the goddess, two kneeling men join their hands in veneration. Of Indian physical type and richly dressed, one of them is identified by an inscription in Devanāgarī as Ripumalla, ruler of the Khasha Malla dynasty. The red-clad figure facing him is certainly one of his sons, possibly his successor Samgramamalla or Pratapamalla. To this day, this work represents the only identified example of a painting associated with the Khasha kingdom. Stylistically, Nepalese aesthetics are very present in the colors, the details of the costumes and fabrics, and the absence of space. The stylized utpala flowers are directly inspired by Pala art.