Saraswati's iconography has been brought out to perfection in this Kailash Raj watercolour. Since She is the personification of intellect, the very anti-thesis of the darkness of ignorance, Her skin tone is pristine and flawless. She is enrobed in a resplendent white saree, Her shringar replete with gold and pearls. The border of Her saree is woven with a thick panel of studded gold, which matches the jewels on Her arms, wrists, neck, lobes, arms, and waist. A garland of miniature lotuses adds a fresh, earthy touch to Her form. Note how high the gorgeous crown looms above Her head of shining black curls that cascade down Her back. Her emerald halo sets off its beauty, and the tender composure of Her countenance.
The Devi sits atop a magnificent pale pink lily that has just bloomed on the susurrous current. The ethereal blue of the backdrop depicts a balmy twilight, from whose characteristic glamour the image of Her seemingly emerges in the foreground. Her vahana, the superbly graceful swan that Brahma Himself is seen on, wades next to the verdant green lilypad on which rests the Devi's gentle feet. What sets this portrayal of Saraswati apart from the usual pieces of Her iconography are the combination implements borne by Her four arms. While the pothi and the akshamala in Her anterior hands are integral to Her essence, the weapons in Her posterior hands stand for the battle She wages against ignorance and adharm.
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