\"Rare\" Thai Kinnari Collectible – The Heroine “Manora” Statue For Sale

Beautiful metal, most likely iron statue, early 20th century Thai Kinnara a heroine named “Manora”.

Thekinnaraare hybrid creatures with a human upper body and legs and wings of a bird. These mythical creatures are celestial in nature and closely associated with music. They were thought to play music for the gods in the heavenly realms.

These creatures appear in many Buddhist texts, including the Jataka Tales and theDivyavadana(divine stories). Both the Jataka Tales and theDivyadanarelate tales of a particular individual (many times the Buddha) in his/her previous lives and the results of his/her actions in those previous lives.

In the myth of Southeast Asia, Kinnaris, kinnaras’ female opponents are depicted as half-bird, half-woman creature. One of the many creatures living in the mysterious Himavanta. Kinnaris has a woman’s head, torso and arms as well as swans ‘wings, tails and feet.

Renowned for her dances, songs and poems, she is a traditional symbol of feminine beauty, elegance and achievement. Edward H. Schafer points out that in East Asian religious art, Kinnara is often confused with Kalaviṅka,Kalaviṅkais also a half man and half bird mixed mythical creature, but the two are actually very different.

The most famousKinnariinThailandis the figure known asManora(derived fromManohara), aheroinein one of the stories collected in \"Pannas Jataka\" aPalitome written by a ChiangmaiBuddhist monkandsagearound AD 1450-1470. This is supposed to be a collection of 50 stories of thepastlivesof theBuddha, known toBuddhistsas theJataka. The specific tale aboutManoratheKinnareewas calledSudhana Jataka, afterPrinceSudhana, thebodhisattvawho was also theheroof the story and the husband ofManora.

This metal antique reproduction statue is most likely iron and condition with normal signs of age.

Origin: Thailand

Size:

Height 14 ½”

Base Width 3 ¾”

Widest Tail Width 4 ¼”

Depth 3 ¾”