Haloed Devi Gajalakshmi, Rich In Shringar

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Chaturbhujadhari Devi Gajalakshmi is seated in lalitasana on the back of the majestic elephant (gaja). She is clad in the finest fabrics that befit a devi and is covered head to toe in jewels, the very picture of plenty. Indeed She is the deity that presides over wealth and resources, which are prerequisites to the preservation aspect of the creation-preservation-destruction process. As the wife of Lord Vishnu, the deity that presides over preservation, She is indispensable to Him.

Zoom in on every aspect of the Deviroopa to take in the beauty of Her iconography. From the minute shringar of Her fingers to the layered kamarband that holds Her dhoti in place; from the gorgeous karna-kundalas that flank Her delicate neck to the tall bejewelled crown that towers over Her curly-haired head. Her face is as fresh and expressive as the two pink lotuses She holds up in Her posterior hands, an integral element of Her iconography.

So is the elephant, to the Devi Gajalakshmi. A richly adorned elephant translates to abundance and prosperity, which makes it the ideal companion to Devi Lakshmi. Its soft slate-coloured body bears a world of silks and ornaments, which are a match to His Devi’s shringar. From the large halo that forms an aureole behind Her figure to the temple-carving motifs in the background and border, this composition is a fine example of the kalamkari painting tradition.