Goddess Lakshmi (Varalakshmi) Tanjore Painting | Traditional Colors with 24K Gold | Teakwood Frame

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A golden pavilion adorned with jewels, silk drapes, and splendid Yali (mythical lion-horse composite animal) pillars, houses the scene of the Vara Lakshmi Pooja. In the center of this Tanjore artwork, there is an auspicious pot-Kalasha with mango leaves, lotus flowers, and golden embellishments on it, a symbol of the goddess Lakshmi herself. A nariyal (coconut) with red Tilak (Hindu mark), gold ornaments, and floral garlands is kept at the mouth of the Kalasha.

The coconut is an integral part of Hindu rituals and is also known as Sri Phala (Sri, an epithet for goddess Lakshmi), thus making it equivalent to the goddess herself. In the body of the Kalasha, the four-armed form of Devi Lakshmi is seated on a blossomed lotus flower, holding two lotuses in her hands, with her primary hands in the gesture of fearlessness (right) and disseminating boon (left).

Devi wears a golden sari that looks appealing owing to the 24 karat gold plating used in its decoration, and gold ornaments embellished with red and green cut glass pieces. The positioning of the goddess in the body of the Kalasha which is symbolic of the female womb reinforces her connections with the spheres of fertility and abundance. This association of Devi Lakshmi with fecundity is also expressed in the fruiting and flowering banana trees that stand parallel to the golden pillars of the outdoor shrine.

In front of the goddess in this Vara Lakshmi Tanjore painting, saucers of sweet fruits and a plate of ritual objects are laid out. Two couchant lions on either side of the shrine appear to be carrying it, giving the temple a hovering appearance. Female attendants, dressed in the traditional South Indian attire, holding chowri (fly whisk) in their hands stand gracefully, next to the Yali pillar.

The background of this Vara Lakshmi Tanjore painting is painted red, following the idiom of traditional Thanjavur paintings. Gold embossing on the elements of the painting has played the role of highlighting the best features of the Vara Lakshmi Pooja scene, which brings incomprehensible boons of propitiousness, luxuries, and virtues in the life of the devotee.

Gilded Elegance: Unraveling the Artistry of Tanjore Paintings

Tanjore painting is a traditional form of art in the South Indian style and was started by the inhabitants of a small town known as Thanjavur of Tamil Nadu. This gives it another name called “Thanjavur painting”. This painting draws its figures, designs, and inspiration from the time when Vedic culture was prevalent in India. Certain remarkable features of a Tanjore painting distinguish it from other paintings. Some of these are pure gold or gold foil coating on gesso work, the use of rich and vivid colors, and the inlay of cut-glass or semi-precious and precious stones. The subjects of most of the Tanjore paintings are Hindu Gods, Goddesses, and saints. The main devotional figure is portrayed in the central portion of the painting and is usually surrounded by various secondary figures.

The process of making a Tanjore painting

The classic Tanjore paintings are done on wooden planks and hence are also referred to as Palagai Padam in South India (Palagai = Wooden plank, Padam = Picture). Creating a masterpiece is never an easy task but the skilled artists of Thanjavur have been following the tradition of making timeless Tanjore paintings for decades.

The making process begins with preparing the wooden board or canvas. The size of the board depends upon the choice of the patron. The next step is to paste cardboard over the wooden board and then a cotton fabric is stretched and pasted upon it using Arabic gum.

Now that the cloth is attached to the wooden panel, a rough sketch of the motifs and figure is drawn onto the fabric. After this, a paste of chalk powder and water-soluble adhesive is evenly applied over the base and smoothed.

Thereafter, the outlines which were made or traced using a stencil are now ready to be beautified and decked with various add-ons. The usual materials for decoration are cut-glass, pearls, semi-precious and precious gems, gold leaf, and laces. 22 or 18 Karat Gold leaves and gems of varied hues are especially inlaid in areas like pillars, arches, walls, thrones, and dresses. In the final step, the rest of the painting is filled with rich and striking colors such as shades of red, blue, and green. Formerly, the artists used natural colors like vegetable and mineral dyes instead of chemical paints. The entire painting is then cleaned and refined to give a flawless finished look.

Since the making of a single piece of Tanjore painting requires a complex and elaborate process, the artists usually take at least one or two months to complete it. The use of pure gold foil and gems for beautification is a characteristic of an authentic Tanjore painting. Due to this, Tanjore paintings last for generations without getting tarnished and are much more expensive than general paintings. Though the art form has undergone various changes and technique modifications over the years, it continues to attract the hearts of art lovers.