I was in Lambertville, NJ over the weekend, exploring some of the antique stores, art galleries and book stores. When I was in one of the antique stores (it was either “A Touch of the Past” or “The People’s Store,” I don’t recall which one), I saw this unusual piece tucked away on a shelf in the corner of the lower level, behind several other things. I couldn’t get close enough to see what the tag said, so I asked for some help for a closer look.
When the store manager pulled it out from the corner, I was then able to read the tag to see that it is described as a “five-headed Shiva devotional object.” I have since learned that a five-headed Shiva is also called a “Panchamukha Shiva Linga” or “Mukhalinga,” and the sculpture depicts Shiva (one of the principal deities of Hinduism) with five faces, each representing a fundamental aspect of existence. I’m seeing a few different explanations, and I’m not pretending to be an expert, but I’ll share what I’m learning. One explanations describes the “five basic elements: akash, air, fire, water and earth.” What is “akash?” I had to look that up: “In Sanskrit, Akash translates to sky or open air, symbolizing vastness and limitless possibilities.”
Another explanation for the Five heads of Shiva describes them as follows: Face 1: Sadyojata, The Creator; Face 2: Vamadeva, The Preserver; Face 3: Aghora, The Destroyer; Face 4: Tatpurusha, The Concealed One; and Face 5: Ishana, The Supreme Ruler.
It was such a unique and captivating piece, I was very tempted to buy it. But with a list price of $490, I held off. When the store manager let me hold it, it appears to be carved from wood – he said “papier-mache,” but it sure looked like wood to me, especially on the hollowed-out inside. Maybe the faces are papier-mache attached to a wood base, but whatever the case, it was a fascinating piece. It’s still pretty tempting, as an online search for “five headed shiva object carved wood” doesn’t show anything else that resembles this particular piece, so it strikes me as a unique piece.