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A Dvarapala or Dvarapalaka (Sanskrit, "door guard"; IAST: ) is a door or gate guardian often portrayed as a warrior or fearsome giant, usually armed with a weapon - the most common being the gada (mace). The dvarapala statue is a widespread architectural element throughout Hindu, Buddhist, and Jainism cultures, as well as in areas influenced by them like Java.
These statues were traditionally placed outside Hindu temples or Buddhist temples, as well as other structures like , to protect the holy places inside. A dvarapala is usually portrayed as an armed fearsome guardian looking like a demon, but at the gates of Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka, dvarapalas often display average human features. In other instances, a fierce-looking nāga snake figure may perform the same function. Dvarapalas are present in almost all Hindu temples, Dvarapalas are highly important in Vaishnavism and are called Jaya-Vijaya they are the guardians or (gatekeepers) of the abode of Vishnu, known as Vaikuntha (meaning place of eternal bliss). They are present in almost all Vaishnavism and they are mentioned in several Hindu scriptures like Brahmanda Purana and Bhagavata Purana. According to the Brahmanda Purana, Jaya and Vijaya were the sons of Kali, an Asura, and Kali, in turn, was one of the sons of Varuna and his wife, Stuta (Sanskrit (स्तुत, meaning 'praise').
The ancient sculpture of dvarapala in Thailand is made of high-fired stoneware clay covered with a pale, almost milky celadon Ceramic glaze. Ceramic art of this type were produced in Thailand, during the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods, between the 14th and 16th centuries, at several kiln complexes located in northern Thailand. Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, Gainesville, Florida
Depending on the size and wealth of the temple, the guardians could be placed singly, in pairs, or in larger groups. Smaller structures may have had only one dvarapala. Often there was a pair placed on either side of the threshold to the shrine. Some larger sites may have had four (lokapālas, guardians of the four cardinal directions), eight, or 12. In some cases only the fierce face or head of the guardian is represented, a figure very common in the kratons in Java.
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