Green Tara, Her skin the radiant hue of natural jade, is the most attainable of the Bodhisattvas. This owes to the captivating beauty of Her form, which makes the devotee simply want to visualise Her and Her alone without diluting their meditation by visualising, and merely scratching the surface with, other deities. She is born as a princess, of the tears shed by the compassionate Avalokiteshvara upon contemplating the suffering of earthly life. Her mantra, "Om tare tuttare ture svaha" is the point where all suffering comes to an end. The embodiment of transcendental compassion, which in itself is fathomless and ungraspable, She fills sadhakas with a sense of familiarity and approachability.

The beauty and tenderness of Her countenance are matched by Her lithe limbs and torso, carved skilfully out of coniferous wood that grows in abundance in Nepal. The sumptuous red of Her dhoti and meditation sash, and the resplendence of Her ample shringar from head to toe, are brought out by the riotous pastels that colour the dual-layer lotus pedestal. The lalitasana is typical of Bodhisattvas steeped in meditation - note how a fresh lotus has sprouted where the right feet lowers and rests itself. Her right hand is in dhyana mudra, while the left is in the characteristic gesture reminiscent of the Three Jewels. From amidst the circle made by Her thumb and forefinger emerges a gracious blue lotus with a centre of golden light. A similar lotus to the right of Green Tara adds balance to the composition.

More stunning than those freshly bloomed lotuses is Green Tara's handsomely sculpted face. Framed by large pink ears - they say large ears are a sign of wisdom - adorned with glimmering floral kundalas, a magnificent crown with gold undertones sits on Her brow. Together with the matching bejewelled necklace, it constitutes the most striking part of this one-of-a-kind Green Tara sculpture. The Buddhists believe that whatever one sets one's heart upon, that one becomes. By visualising and meditating on Green Tara, one inches closer to compassion and eases into wisdom.