Kamdhenu is the divine cow of Hindu mythology. She was born from the churning of the cosmic ocean and is said to grant whatever her keeper wishes for. She stands for abundance and plenty, which is why she is kept in Indian homes and gifted at Diwali and housewarmings.

She is made in the Cheriyal tradition of Telangana, by the Nakashi artisan community. Each figure is shaped using the ancient five-step Cheriyal process: moulding, drying, decorating, smoothing and hand-painting. The material is a mix of tamarind seed paste, rice starch, khadi cloth and white mud.

Every detail is then painted by hand. She has a mustard-yellow face with flower-dot markings, a crown with a red finial, and a gold painted necklace. She wears a red-bordered saddle cloth and has green wings and a peacock-feather tail. Her ivory body is finished with black-and-yellow banded hooves, in the region’s signature palette of mustard, ivory, red and black.

Because each piece is shaped and painted individually, no two are exactly alike.