Parasol (chattri)

This miniature honorific parasol (chattri) features, in repoussé, a seated Guru Nanak (1469-1539) flanked by his faithful companions: to his right, Bhai Mardana plays a string instrument and, to his left, Bhai Bala holds a fly-whisk. Traditionally, parasols such as this served to mark the place where one of the gurus once preached. In South Asia, the custom of covering a holy site, person or being with a kind of parasol goes back thousands of years. Taking its artistic cues from the dome-shaped pavilions common to Indian architecture, this miniature silver parasol likely once hung over a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book.