Thread by @blog_supplement

The parivAra of tripurA (kAmeshvarI) from Nepal which had a vigorous shrIkula tradition. We shall study the image in some detail.

How do we first identify the deity as tripurA: on top we see the couple of kAmeshvara and kAmeshvarI. We can clearly id the deity as kAmeshvarI as she hold the 5 arrows & bow "pa~nchatanmAtra-sAyakA", pAsha& a~Nkusha (mentioned the red tripurA earlier)

The mAtR^i-s: vaiShNavI-s, kaumArI, mAheshvarI, brAhmI

vArAhI, indrANI, chAmuNDA, chaNDikA

sUrya, agni, soma, as the saundaryalaharI states:
tavAj~nAchakrasthaM tapana-shashi-koTidyutidharam paraM shaMbhuM vande parimilita-pArshvaM parachitA |
yam ArAdhyan bhaktyA *ravi-shashi-shuchInAm aviShaye nirAta~Nkeloko nivasati hi bhAlokabhavane ||

gaNesha and skanda

The 4 legs of the ma~ncha: R-L: brahman, viShNu, rudra, maheshvara. Center: AdhArashakti

kShetrapAla and kShetreshI or some say lakuleshvarI

The red five headed central form signals the form that the devI encompasses all the 4 basic aMnAya-as the UrdhvAMnAya& also the 5 mahAsamayA-s Normally tripurA is seated on the mattress of sadAshiva. It is not clear if he is implied here or kAmeshvara himself.

Unlike the standard tripurA representations here the goddess is shown with a pair of animals. They look like badgers, though dark jackals are mentioned in the mahAsamayA tradition might mean that. However, kShetreshI is shown with a more clearl dark jackal. guhyakAlI holds a

jackal pup in one of her hands, who also has a jackal face.