Kamalasana Saraswati

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that is, the goddess is seated on lotus seat. She has four hands. She holds in her hands 'japamala', two lotuses and a manuscript.

This representation of Kamalasana Saraswati largely deviates from above. She is seated on a lotus and has four arms.She carries in two of them the 'japamala' and a manuscript but in other two holds instead a 'vina' which she is playing. In her various iconographic specifications, as laid down in different Puranas, goddess Saraswati has been attributed different vehicles to be seated on. They range from peacock, swan, ram and lion to lotus. Most Puranas ordain that Saraswati should have an icnography which corresponded to that of Brahma. This is obviously due to her association with Brahma, either as his daughter or spouse.

Lotus is an essential element of the iconography of Brahma and thus that of Saraswati. She has been hence largely conceived as carrying lotuses in two of her four arms. This also is the reason for assigning to her a lotus seat. In this image of Saraswati the artist opted for her a lotus seat but avoided lotuses in her hands. For imparting to the image an element of realism he conceived his Saraswati as playing upon 'vina', instead of just formally carrying it. In the colour of her complexion too the artist has deviated from scriptural tradition. Most Puranas have conceived her complexion as white, a few as black and a few others as blue, but the artist has chosen for his goddess a light tint of vermilion. This is a folk element as most of the votive images of folk deities are smeared with vermilion paste as a ritual. Jains have sixteen forms of Saraswati. One of them has been attributed vermilion complexion.

This statue of the goddess of learning, art and drama, is an excellent piece of South Indian wood-art. This artefact has been carved out of a single piece of Vangai wood of the Kalakorchi region of Tamilnadu. Saraswati, the goddess of timeless youth and unmatched beauty, has been conceived here more as a youthful maid playing on her vina rather than a deity. Her eyes aptly depict her absorption in the celestial music emitting from her instrument. The vigour of her perpetual youth bursts out from the glow of her face and rising breasts. She could hold her vina close to her only when one of the two breasts has been partially compressed. Save what of it her rich but elegant jewels conceal the figure of the goddess above her waist has been left unclad. She wears a large towering crown and has behind her head a celestial halo. The style of carving is South Indian but not without a blend of Oriya cult especially in its features. The fire-arch, or the 'Prabhavali' topped by a Shri-mukha is characteristic of both South India and Orissa and imparts to it exceptional beauty. The arch takes off from one side of the image, rises above it and terminates on its other side. The entire arch has been embellished with lotuses and beads.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of ancient Indian literature. Dr Daljeet is the chief curator of the Visual Arts Gallery at the National Museum of India, New Delhi. They have both collaborated on numerous books on Indian art and culture.

Sculpting Serenity: Unveiling the Art of Crafting Wood Statues

Wood has been a preferred material for sculptures and statues since ancient times. It is easy to work with than most metals and stones and therefore requires less effort to shape it into any desired shape or form. The texture of the wood gives an element of realism to the sculpture. The selection of an appropriate wood type is necessary for carving. Woods that are too resinous or coniferous are not considered good for carving as their fiber is very soft and thus lacks strength. On the other hand, wood such as Mahogany, Oakwood, Walnut wood, Weet cherry wood, etc., are preferred by sculptors because their fiber is harder. A wood sculptor uses various tools such as a pointed chisel in one hand and a mallet in another to bring the wood to the desired measurement and to make intricate details on it. A carving knife is used to cut and smooth the wood. Other tools such as the gouge, V-tool, and coping saw also serve as important tools in wood carving. Although the wood carving technique is not as complex and tough as stone carving or metal sculpting, nonetheless, a wood carver requires a high level of skills and expertise to create a stunning sculpture.

1. Selecting the right wood

The process of wood carving begins with selecting a chunk of wood that is required according to the type and shape of the statue to be created by the sculptor. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used for making artistic pieces, however, hardwoods are preferred more than softer woods because of their durability and longevity. But if heavy detailing is to be done on the statue, wood with fine grain would be needed as it would be difficult to work with hardwood.

2. Shaping the wood

Once the wood type is selected, the wood carver begins the general shaping process using gouges of various sizes. A gouge is a tool having a curved cutting edge which is useful in removing large unwanted portions of wood easily without splitting the wood. The sculptor always carves the wood across the grain of the wood and not against it.

3. Adding detailing

When a refined shape of the statue is obtained, it is time for making details on the statue using different tools. This is achieved by using tools such as a veiner to make and a V-tool to create decorative and sharp cuts.

4. Surface finishing

Once finer details have been added, the sculptor is ready to smoothen the surface and give it a perfect finish. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are used to get a smooth surface. The finer polishing is obtained by rubbing the surface with sandpaper. If a textured surface is required, this step is skipped. Finally, to protect the statue from excessive dirt accumulation, the sculptor applies natural oils such as walnut or linseed oil all over it. This also brings a natural sheen to the statue.