Lakshmi as Shridevi

This excellent painting, rendered with fine iconographic details, represents goddess Lakshmi in her Shridevi form consecrated in a golden shrine inlaid with precious coloured stones. Lord Vishnu's consort Lakshmi is the principal female deity of South India and is worshipped both as Padamavati and Shridevi. Different from Lakshmi Padamavati is the deity by realisation and Shridevi by manifestation, that is, when deserted by Lakshmi Vishnu abandoned Vaikuntha looking for her and re-emerged as Venkatesh, he was able to discover her but only as an abstract realisation within his heart. Lakshmi, then, sprouting like a lotus, re-appeared as Padamavati and manifested as Shri, the all-round abundance - riches, prosperity, fertility and thereafter the world was more beautiful. Lakshmi in her manifestation as Shri is thus the supreme goddess of prosperity, fertility and beauty. This Shridevi form is so popular in South that even the name of Vishnu, her lord, has changed to Shrinivasa after her.

With beauty as her prime appearance Shridevi is conceived, as in this visualisation, usually with normal two arms. She is the image of the supreme beauty and is heavily bejeweled. A display of abundance all around her is characteristic of Shridevi's iconography. She is usually enshrined on a golden seat inside a golden shrine, both inlaid with precious gems. Shrimukha and parrot are almost essentialities of Shridevi icons. The Shrimukha symbolises auspices and the parrot fruition and fertility. Padamavati sprouted as lotus in her Lord's heart. She hence carries lotus in her hands and upon her person. Shri, the riches, has her abode in ocean, manifestation on earth and expansion into sky. The lotus, symbolising the all three - ocean, earth and sky, is hence her very base and usually forms her seat.

In this manifestation the large eyed and round faced Shridevi has been enshrined on a large lotus laid on a golden pedestal inside a traditional arched shrine consisting of gold and inlaid with multiple coloured precious stones. Rising from the mouth of mythical dragons surmounting the pillar-tops the arch apex terminates in traditional Shrimukha motif. Two lion figures, based on the tails of the dragons that top the pillars, support on them the roof projections and from their forelegs suspend large 'chambaras' on both sides of the shrine. A barrel dome with auspicious dragons on both ends and five finials on its top surmounts the entire structure of the shrine. There is in the sky on each side of the shrine a flying Gandharva couple pouring flowers from the bowls it holds in its hands. For emphasising the Vaishnava character of the visualisation the artist has painted a decorative conch over the Gandharva couple on left side and a 'Chakra' or wheel over the other one on right. They are the known attributes of Lord Vishnu.

The votive character of the presentation is quite obvious. Not only those priests with 'chawris' serve her on both sides but the deity also has laid before her the ritual lamps, fruits and sweets as offering. She is heavily bejeweled and clad in green, the colour of fertility and crop, further emphasised in the form of the parrot carried on the golden standard, which the deity is carrying in her hand. It symbolises the union of three - riches, fertility and beauty. The typical garland of blue lotuses, symbolising the colour of her Lord, suspends from her shoulders down to the earth with its ends aligning with earth. This excellent Mysore painting manifests its distinction and character in each of its part - the style of ornaments and dress, iconographic features and physiognomy, style of colouring and colour choice, form of structure, motifs used and highly evolved symbolism.

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.

---

Delivered by to all international destinations within 3 to 5 days, fully insured.

---

Of Related Interest:

Padmavati (Stone Color on Paper Nathdwara (Rajasthan) School)

Devi Padmavati (Kangra School Painting)

Nratya-rata Padmavati (South Indian Temple Wood Carving)