Devi- she who is the essence, origin, and meaning of “Daiva” (the primordial divine element) is the supreme mother goddess in Hinduism. She is Durga to protect her children, Kali to annihilate the fear of Kala (death and time), Saraswati to bestow pearls of wisdom, and Maa Lakshmi to enrich human life with material and spiritual wealth. Indian art traditions since the early days have relished in the divinity of Devi through her innumerable icons in various moods and forms- from ten-armed Kali to Ashtabhuja (eight-armed) Durga.
The most awe-inspiring and popular representations of the mother goddess, however, is in her benign two-armed form, as an ethereal young maiden, who accompanies the icons of Shiva as Uma-Shivakamasundari, and Vishnu as Sri-Lakshmi or Bhudevi. These Devi statues are undifferentiated, presenting the active feminine potency that enables the deeds of the male gods- Prakriti.
This wooden Devi statue stands on a simple pedestal adorned with lotus petal marks, in the elegant Tribhanga (triple bent) posture. A conical Kiritamukuta crown with a halo and ornately carved ornaments beautify her divine physique. The statue has been carved in a rounded manner to display the exquisiteness of the mother goddess wholly.
Arched eyebrows, almond eyes, sharp nose and softly curving lips in a smile animate this monotone wooden Devi. Her left hand is in the Katakahasta mudra, a gesture of offering a flower, and her right hand gracefully dangles at her side. Tassels from Devi’s dhoti and the elaborate ornament worn by her magnify the sumptuousness of this woodwork.
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