Gugga lived in the 7th century AD and he is one
of the famous sculptors of Himachal Pradesh. The murtis of Hindu Gods and
Goddesses that he created are not just revered but beyond words and even modern
day machines and techniques can barely attain such craftsmanship.
Gugga was one of the foremost exponents of Himachal Pradesh’s
long and glorious tradition of metal casting.
He was the head of King Meru Varman’s atelier in Chamba. Gugga’s workmanship,
especially in the exquisite Lakshana Devi and Shakti Devi murtis, traces its ancestry
to Kashmir – from where the craft came to this part of the hills.
Gugga the sculptor is the subject of legend, including on
that tells how his right hand was amputated by a jealous patron, the
miraculously restored by Shakti Devi who wanted no other craftsman to sculpt
her image.
And more than 1000 years later, the Devi’s strikingly
evocative face, slim, graceful body and lovingly crafted jewellery continues to
bear testimony to Gugga’s genius.
The magnificent murtis of Durga, Shiva, Vishnu and Ganesha
found in the Bharmaur and Chamba region of Himachal Pradesh were created by
Gugga.