A horizontal eye on his forehead, an elaborate crown, and the relaxed posture of a king help identify this 15th-century Nepalese sculpture as Indra, the Hindu "king of the gods" associated with rain and the heavens in Nepal. Indra is shown seated in a posture of royal ease, richly dressed and adorned with jewelry. His crown and halo feature a swirling “cloud foliage” motif that evokes clouds, water, and plants—a visual connection between monsoon rains and the crops they nourish. Each hand once held a lotus stalk, with the lotus at his left shoulder carrying his attribute, the vajra, or thunderbolt. Indra is especially important in Nepal, where he is honored during Indra Jatra, or Yenya, an eight-day festival celebrated in Kathmandu. This year, the festival takes place September 23–30, with the main chariot procession on September 25. The celebration begins with the raising of a pole bearing Indra’s banner in the center of Durbar Square. It culminates with the jatra, or procession, w...