INDIA, RAJASTHAN, 18TH CENTURY

Details

Three diagrams of Vedic palmistry
India, Rajasthan, 18th Century
The first with the outline of a palm in red with areas annotated with text and symbols, with seated figures painted along each finger; the second a pair of hands divided along natural lines in the hand, with each part labeled and further text surrounding; both on paper
The first: 23¾ x 17¾ in. (60.3 x 45 cm.)
The second: each page 8 x 3¾ in. (20.3 x 9.5 cm.) (3)

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Lot Essay

Samudrika Shastra is a Sanskrit term that translates roughly as "knowledge of body features." This philosophy assumes that every natural or acquired bodily mark encodes its owner's psychology and destiny. Marks found on the hand are part of a specialized branch of study, as first written down by the Hindu sage Valmiki over 5,000 years ago. The present example illustrates a specialized branch of study concerning the hands, which are believed to reflect the individual's nature (non-dominant hand) and possible destiny (dominant hand).

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