Black Bhairab, the terror of dishonest citizens

This is a sculpture of the terrifying six-armed Black Bhairab god in Basantapur. No one knows where it originally came from, the temple or even the town in which it stood. It was found near a royal forest where a Malla king was constructing a garden. The god cloaked in human skins and garlanded with human heads stands upon a demon. This fierce god is admired and revered as a form of Shiva. He is never left without offerings - rice, vermilion, incense, flowers - placed in his skull bowl. People accused of crime used to be brought before the Bhairab to swear their innocence. It was believed that the god would  punish anyone who tells lies in front of him by causing them to bleed to death.