Saraswati

As the goddess of culture and learning, Saraswati was popular among the Brahmanical religion, as well as among the Buddhists and the Jains. Vak, Vagdevi, Bharati, Vani, etc are some other names by which she is known. Saraswati as an individual goddess seems at first to have been consorted with Brahma. According to Matsya Purana, Brahma performed austre meditation in order to create. And amongst the children thus created was Saraswati. Indian mythology also refer to her as Brahmani, or the wife of Brahma.

She is represented here sitting on a lotus seat with the right leg gracefully crossing over the left knee. She rests the veena close to her and uses the front two hands to vibrate the strings. In the left hand, she holds the book, indicating her association with learning. A serene expression is on the face; eyes in meditative stare and long, thick hair falls on her back. Her crown is not very tall; has a prabhavali behind and further behind is a distinctive white halo.

The foreground has various colours, mainly, shades of blue, representing the cosmic waters. The lotus, Saraswati's seat, in white is symbolic of purity, opening its petals above the dirt of ponded water. The main painting is in pure, traditional colours but the background is resplendent with yellow, peach and mauve, each blending into the other.

This description by Renu Rana.