102 - NEPAL

NEPAL Wooden churn handle (ghurra) with a darkened patina, carved with interlaced and twisted motifs. H. 26.5 cm Ghurras are carved wooden rings designed to facilitate the rotation of the churn during the churning process in Nepal. Originally designed as everyday utilitarian objects, they maintain a close connection to milk, a substance imbued with deep sacred significance on the Indian subcontinent. This association has gradually endowed them with symbolic significance that transcends their original function, leading to their integration into the ritual sphere. Ghurras are thus used in particular during wedding ceremonies, where their use attests to the persistence and reinterpretation of their symbolic value. Provenance: - Traditionally, from the former Paul de Smedt collection