24" Wooden Standing Goddess Lakshmi

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Goddess Dhanalakshmi is evoked by devotees for the achievement of luxuries, money, and abundance in life. By receiving the boons of Dhanalakshmi, who is also known as Vaibhava Lakshmi (Lakshmi who provides splendor), a devotee can realize any goal and is never troubled by the matters of money in their life. To ensure that Devi Dhanalakshmi has her benevolent presence in their house worshippers, especially in the south and south-west India perform the Dhanalakshmi Pooja, where the goddess resided for some time after she argued with her husband, Sri Vishnu, who opined that money did not hold any real importance in a content human life. This legend of Dhanalakshmi is associated with the mighty Tirupati Balaji temple situated in Andhra Pradesh, where Vishnu resides as Tirupati (the Lord of Tirumala Hills). The story tells us that when Vishnu refused to give any significance to Dhana (wealth), an angered goddess Lakshmi disappeared from Vaikuntha (the realm of Vishnu) and incarnated as Padmavati (the lotus-lady, whose beauty can be equated with a fresh, fragrant lotus) in the vicinity of Tirumala hills. After her disappearance, the richness of Swarga (heaven) was lost and gods went to Narayana-Vishnu for his help. Realizing his mistake, Sri Vishnu too descended on the earth in search of his beloved, and ultimately as the valorous Balaji, won back Sri Lakshmi and with her, the wealth of the heavens returned.

The roopa (form) of the goddess of wealth as seen in this teakwood Dhanalakshmi statue is the deification of richness that empowers virtuous deeds and by acquiring which a human being achieves the status of Indra (king of gods) himself. Standing on a blossomed lotus platform, the goddess is depicted as a four-armed deity, holding two yet-to-bloom lotuses by their delicate stems, holding a pot from which an endless stream of gold coins flow in her right hand, and making the gesture of disseminating boons (Varada Mudra) from her left hand. Devi Dhanalakshmi is adorned with an impressive high-raising crown, globular earrings, Skandha Abhooshana (shoulder ornaments), multiple exquisite necklaces, armbands, breastplates with floral patterns, elegant Katisutra (string-like waist ornament), and sets of bracelets and anklets. She is draped in a fine dhoti which is delineated in this wooden Dhanalakshmi statue with precisely made incised lines and is embellished by an intricately designed girdle that has the Kirtimukha (face of glory) motif in its center. The idea that Devi Dhanalakshmi improves human life with her presence is expressed in the network of vegetation (a symbol of auspiciousness and newness) that emerges from the pleats of her dhoti and frames the lower half of the Dhanalakshmi teakwood statue. The goddess stands in a relaxed manner, with her body weight slightly shifted on her right leg and her head tilted to her right, which has enhanced the gracefulness of her form in the murti. The most enchanting work by the maker of this Dhanalakshmi wood statue is on the countenance of the mother-goddess which looks full of life owing to the animated eyes and the peaceful smile as well as on the reverse of the murti where attributes like Sirachakra (circular ornament worn behind the crown), Devi’s flowing long hair, tassels of her crown, armbands, and waist belt and her dhoti that perfectly fits her form are painstakingly captured, marking the devotion with which the artist gave form to the idea of Dhanalakshmi.

Sculpting Serenity: Unveiling the Art of Crafting Wood Statues

Wood has been a preferred material for sculptures and statues since ancient times. It is easy to work with than most metals and stones and therefore requires less effort to shape it into any desired shape or form. The texture of the wood gives an element of realism to the sculpture. The selection of an appropriate wood type is necessary for carving. Woods that are too resinous or coniferous are not considered good for carving as their fiber is very soft and thus lacks strength. On the other hand, wood such as Mahogany, Oakwood, Walnut wood, Weet cherry wood, etc., are preferred by sculptors because their fiber is harder. A wood sculptor uses various tools such as a pointed chisel in one hand and a mallet in another to bring the wood to the desired measurement and to make intricate details on it. A carving knife is used to cut and smooth the wood. Other tools such as the gouge, V-tool, and coping saw also serve as important tools in wood carving. Although the wood carving technique is not as complex and tough as stone carving or metal sculpting, nonetheless, a wood carver requires a high level of skills and expertise to create a stunning sculpture.

1. Selecting the right wood

The process of wood carving begins with selecting a chunk of wood that is required according to the type and shape of the statue to be created by the sculptor. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used for making artistic pieces, however, hardwoods are preferred more than softer woods because of their durability and longevity. But if heavy detailing is to be done on the statue, wood with fine grain would be needed as it would be difficult to work with hardwood.

2. Shaping the wood

Once the wood type is selected, the wood carver begins the general shaping process using gouges of various sizes. A gouge is a tool having a curved cutting edge which is useful in removing large unwanted portions of wood easily without splitting the wood. The sculptor always carves the wood across the grain of the wood and not against it.

3. Adding detailing

When a refined shape of the statue is obtained, it is time for making details on the statue using different tools. This is achieved by using tools such as a veiner to make and a V-tool to create decorative and sharp cuts.

4. Surface finishing

Once finer details have been added, the sculptor is ready to smoothen the surface and give it a perfect finish. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are used to get a smooth surface. The finer polishing is obtained by rubbing the surface with sandpaper. If a textured surface is required, this step is skipped. Finally, to protect the statue from excessive dirt accumulation, the sculptor applies natural oils such as walnut or linseed oil all over it. This also brings a natural sheen to the statue.