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Goddess Saraswati Playing Veena

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Name: Goddess Saraswati Playing Veena
Brand: Exotic India
SKU: TY49
Price: 135.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$135

Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, and learning, is one of the most prominent deities in Hindu mythology. Along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati, she completes the holy Tridevi, the female counterpart of Hinduism’s holiest Trimurti that includes Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Saraswati is also called Veenavadini (or the goddess who plays Veena, a chordophone musical instrument) which is beautifully represented in this painting of her. The goddess has usually depicted seating on a white lotus, as in this painting. By tradition, her element and symbols are usually in white—as seen in this painting where the lotus, her skin, and the white space at the back. The white theme is a symbol of purity, search for true knowledge, and wisdom.

In this painting, she is shown with four hands which represent the mind, intellect, imagination, and the ego. The four hands are also seen as either busy in action or hold a symbolic item. On one hand, she is holding a Pustaka or a book that can be considered a representation of the Vedas, the universal and divine knowledge and source of all learning. A quick zoom shoes Saraswati holding rosary beads or the mala. This is a symbol of meditation and spirituality. Meanwhile, the veena is Saraswati's most recognizable symbols. It is shown front and center in this painting and represents the creative arts. The act of Saraswati playing the veena is also symbolic of the knowledge that leads to creative harmony. The painting comes with a bright palette that adds a touch of liveliness to the whole picture, taking cues from Saraswati's association with Anurag, or love for rhythm and music.

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Item Code:	TY49
Specifications:	Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions	Size of Painted Surface 10.7 inch X 13 inch Size with Brocade 20.5 inch X 32.5 inch

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Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas

A Thangka is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting that usually depicts a Buddhist Deity (Buddha or Bodhisattva), a scene, or a mandala. These paintings are considered important paraphernalia in Buddhist rituals. They are used to teach the life of the Buddha, various lamas, and Bodhisattvas to the monastic students, and are also useful in visualizing the deity while meditating. One of the most important subjects of thangkas is the Bhavacakra (the wheel of life) which depicts the Art of Enlightenment. It is believed that Thangka paintings were developed over the centuries from the murals, of which only a few can be seen in the Ajanta caves in India and the Mogao caves in Gansu Province, Tibet. Thangkas are painted on cotton or silk applique and are usually small in size. The artist of these paintings is highly trained and has a proper understanding of Buddhist philosophy, knowledge, and background to create a realistic and bona fide painting.

The process of making a thangka begins with stitching a loosely woven cotton fabric onto a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas was prepared by coating it with gesso, chalk, and base pigment.

After this, the outline of the form of the deity is sketched with a pencil or charcoal onto the canvas using iconographic grids. The drawing process is followed in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. The systematic grid helps the artist to make a geometrical and professional painting. When the drawing of the figures is finalized and adjusted, it is then outlined with black ink.

Earlier, a special paint of different colors was made by mixing powdered forms of organic (vegetable) and mineral pigments in a water-soluble adhesive. Nowadays, artists use acrylic paints instead. The colors are now applied to the sketch using the wet and dry brush techniques. One of the characteristic features of a thangka is the use of vibrant colors such as red, blue, black, green, yellow, etc.

In the final step, pure gold is coated over some parts of the thangka to increase its beauty. Due to this beautification, thangkas are much more expensive and also stand out from other ordinary paintings.

Thangka paintings are generally kept unrolled when not on display on the wall. They also come with a frame, a silken cover in front, and a textile backing to protect the painting from getting damaged. Because Thangkas are delicate in nature, they are recommended to be kept in places with no excess moisture and where there is not much exposure to sunlight. This makes them last a long time without their colors fading away. Painting a thangka is an elaborate and complex process and requires excellent skills. A skilled artist can take up to 6 months to complete a detailed thangka painting. In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas that spent many years on Buddhist studies before they painted.

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