Green Tara, Her Captivating Beauty (Tibetan Buddhist Deity) -

There are thought to be at least 21 forms of Tara. She is shows to have anywhere between two to twelve arms, sometimes holding a blue lotus. She appears in green, white, yellow, blue and red forms, some peaceful and motherly, others wrathful and fierce. Green Tara, or Syamatara as depicted here, is her most popular aspect. She is said to have appeared in her green aspect before Nagarjuna, in the deep forests of Kandirvani in South India, to protect him from the eight great fears. Green Tara is a forest goddess, deeply linked to nature. She's depicted in all standing, sitting, meditative, and casual postures. There is a reclining Tara too.

This colourfully crafted brass piece comes in three versions: The multicolour, patina, and silver gold. Each of the three are individually unique works of art in their own right, highlighting subtly different emotional aspects of the goddess. Green Tara is depicted here in her most famous posture: her right leg extended, and left tucked in. She wears an ornate crown rising like at the top like rays of light or petals of a lotus.

The intricate sculpting of the crown and the ornaments impart the piece a masterful import that bears testament to the authenticity of the depicted symbolism. The marks on her soles and palms have divine meanings. She is shown with a choker, necklace, armlets, and bracelets. She sits on the night lotus, that releases its fragrance when the moon rises up in the sky, highlighting her associations with the moon and the night.