Inner Northeast Wall of the Porch
Candi Mendut
Twin reliefs on the inner walls of the porch illustrate the popular Buddhist legend of Hariti, a Hindu plague goddess who was converted by the Buddha to become a protector of children1. This relief of Hariti is located on the inner northeast wall of the porch. A relief of Atavaka, her husband, is seen on the previous page.
1An example of religious usurpation, in which a contact religion (Buddhism, in this case) incorporates the gods of its competitors (Hinduism, in this case) into its own pantheon.
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