12" Andal Devi With Parrot In Brass | Handmade | Made In India

This incredibly lifelike statue of Andal Devi, portrays her standing in an Abhyanga posture. The pedestal, on which she is standing, is beautifully decorated with fine floral engravings. She has a traditional South Indian sari draped about her. Her right hand is held in Lolahasta's posture, a pose resembling the tail of a horse. She wears necklaces and an elaborate waistband. Her face, a thing of ethereal beauty, projects a look of calm contentment. A parrot is perched upon the lotus Andal Devi holds in her hand. Her parrot is believed to be a harbinger of good luck. Andal Devi was a follower of Vaishnavism Bhakti and the only female saint among the Twelve Alvars of South India. An ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, Andal Devi is often compared to Mirabai, the famous devotee saint of North India, who sacrificed her life of material comforts to lose herself in the divine love for Krishna. Andal Devi lived in the 9thcentury, well over a thousand years ago, but even today, her unique iconography finds its own niche in various forms of Indian art, especially sculpture.