Posted on: 13 February 2016

Sarasvati

10th-11th century
Sandstone
Sculpture
India

Sarasvati, goddess of speech, learning, and the arts, is revered by Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists alike. Associated especially with music and knowledge, she plays the vina (a stringed instrument) and holds a palm-leaf manuscript. Here, she also holds a lotus. The presence of the elephant-headed god Ganesha in this stele suggests that the sculpture once belonged to a Hindu temple.

Text and image credit:
The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore


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Sanghapriya Mukhopadhyay

❤️❤️

Daruun..

Seems to be from West or Central India. Please do mention place of origin, not just the current museum location

Looks Chandella to me, just a guess.

This is the first time I am seeing a sculpture where the swan is not her vahan ...... Can you help me with animal figurines below her seat on the right hand corner

वर दे वीणा वादनी वरदे मां वर दे

When the source site does not mention the location, I leave it to the comments to hazard a guess.

सुंदर

There are plenty of rock sculptures like this one in the Badami Caves, quite close to where we lived in Bijapur District, Karnataka.

वीणा वादिनी का वर्दान है तुमको माँ सरस्वती की कृपा बनी रहे

thanks for this image because this posture is mystic.