Lalitasana Umiyaa Mata On The Back Of The Cow

Mother Umiya is best described as a folk deity. The kuladevi, or the deity presiding over the clan (‘kula’) in question, of the Kadava sub-caste of the Patidar caste of Western India, She is the mother incarnation of Devi Lakshmi, Devi Sarasvati, and Devi Kalee. Bestower of strength and divinity, Her demeanour is gentle; and despite the weapons She wields in each of Her six arms (shashtabhujadharini), Her stance is one of maternal benevolence.

Devi Umiya is poised upon the back of the sacred cow, Her vahana (mount). She is seated in lalitasana, which makes the pleats of Her saree cascade in lifelike folds down Her legs. The garland of fresh flowers, that reaches all the way down the length of Her torso, lies folded on Her lap. There are weapons in Her posterior hands, of which there are four; in the anterior left hand She holds a lotus bud, while the right She raises in blessing over Her devotees.

The wise and tender composure of Her countenance. A close-fitting crown on Her head, and a halo in the shape of a distant yet powerful star. The cow on whose back She is seated has the same serene bearing as its mistress, a bunch of gold ornaments around its neck and face and on its head. A snatch of land beneath the bovine hooves, strewn with leaves and petals, completes the picture.