A masterpiece of Kerala’s traditional woodwork, this triangular decorative wood panel depicts the profound form of goddess Lakshmi as Gajalakshmi, in a mesmerizingly ornate iconography. A gem from the treasures of Kerala woodworkers, known as Asaris, the panel is an ode to the ancient most aspect of Lakshmi, revered in the Rig Veda and Puranas, as the sovereign queen mother of the Universe and the source of all auspiciousness. The attributes and iconography of the goddess in the panel draw from her associations with fertility, fortune, and fecundity, crafting an imagery that is one of a kind.
The triangular shape in itself, has been traditionally associated with the feminine energy or Shakti in Hindu Tantra. Within it, goddess Gajalakshmi is delineated in a forest of bustling vines, a symbol of fertility, youth, and newness in nature- activities and virtues that are empowered by the presence of Lakshmi. Two Gaja or elephants, adorned exquisitely, flank the great goddess, raising their trunks dynamically, creating an aureole for the Devi, holding pots of water with which they consecrate her.
In ancient literary traditions of Hinduism, the goddess Lakshmi is often revered as the deity of fertility and fecundity, comparable to the goddess Earth or Bhudevi, who is seen as an aspect of Lakshmi. There are several instances, when goddess Lakshmi becomes Earth-nourished and fertile, which is made moist by rain-filled clouds, compared to elephants who fill their trunks with water and sprinkle it on the goddess. At other times, elephants as representatives of prowess and royalty, are shown serving the goddess, who is the supreme mother goddess, revered by kings and elites as the origin of their opulence and power. Fusing these narratives in a marvelous visual idiom, this wooden panel narrates the divinity of Gajalakshmi.
Devi is seated at the heart of the image, with fully developed feminine features that signify her feminine allure and potency. With her legs folded together, Gajalakshmi gives the effect of being in a variant of the birthing pose, a special posture linked to mother goddesses in Hindu art, to highlight their abilities as life-giving divinities.
The countenance of Gajalakshmi in this artwork deserves special mention, meticulously carved with fine lines and detailing, to infuse in it the divine presence of the goddess. With her lotus eyes opened benevolently, Gajalakshmi seems to have descended from Vaikuntha in this image, filling the aesthetically rich woodwork with her unparalleled celestial beauty.
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