Shri Rajarajeshwari, The Embodiment Of Beauty

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Each of the das mahavidyas, the ten deities of great wisdom, are a form of Sati, Shiva's wife. Sati assumes those forms in order to block the ten directions so that Her husband could not escape Her rage. Each mahavidya, a roop of the divine mother, has Her own qualities, mantras, and devotees. Shri Raja Rajeshwari is one of them, an embodiment of beauty like Durga and Kali are embodiments of power. Hence, She is depicted by artisans as brimming with the grace of youth. This Kailash Raj watercolour is no exception. The deity's skin is rubescent, Her shringar flawless, and Her stance one of divine fervour.

She sits draped in thick garlands on a solid gold throne, over which lies the train of Her red silk saree. It is studded with pearls and emeralds like the ones on the chunky gold pieces adorning Her lobes and torso and limbs. From beneath the generously inlaid crown emerge the black ringlets of Her much-sung-about mane. In Her four hands are the symbols of life and plenty. Colourful flowers are strewn on the floors beneath Her throne. A plethora of pooja samagri has been strategically placed on the foreground: a basket of fresh fruits, a tall curvaceous diya, and a kalash.

The artist's skill could be deduced from the richly coloured background of the painting. Steady brushstrokes, layered one after the other, convey the powerful glow of Her gigantic halo. The red core emanating a circle of yellow light that gradually emerges into a dusky blue, gives the viewer an impression of the setting sun.