Vina-Vadini, Mayura-Vahani, Kamalasana Saraswati

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Item Code:	EP79
Specifications:	South Indian Temple Wood Carving
Height:	52 inch
Width:	19 inch
Depth:	7 inch
Weight:	23.25 kg

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This statue of Saraswati, the goddess of learning, rendered using a stylistic blend of the art traditions of Orissa, Andhra and Mysore, synthesises three forms of the goddess, which various Puranas have conceived from time to time. Barring her Rig-Vedic perception of 'Vak' one of the two prime female Vedic divinities, in Puranas the earliest form of Saraswati is that of the lotus-seated four armed goddess carrying in her four hands 'japamala' rosary, two lotuses, and a manuscript : 'Asina kamala karairjjapabatim padmadhyam pustakam bivrana'. Subsequently, lotus emerged as the characteristic feature of the iconography of Lakshmi and got more intimately associated with her. Hence, later Puranas alternated the seat of Saraswati with peacock. By now Saraswati was the patron deity also of all arts and dance and music. Maybe, besides being a dancing bird, peacock, by colours of its feathers, was seen as symbolising arts and dance. Around then, emerged in her iconography 'vina' the stringed instrument, such as lyre. 'Vina' symbolised music another aspect of Saraswati. Knowledge, and hence the form of Saraswati, defined purity and ability to pick up the finest the features that Indian tradition associated with a swan. Hence, in her more recent forms, she is sometimes represented as riding a swan instead a peacock. In her early concept Saraswati was a divine presence, and hence her lotus seat. Subsequently she emerged as an operative power, which better revealed in a peacock, swan, or lion or ram. The symbolic 'vina' is now the instrument she plays on a shift from mere presence to operational character.

Whatever her seat, or attributes that she carried, she has always been conceived as 'parama jyotirupa' or 'jyotiswarupa' the one possessed of absolute beauty. Puranas have perceived her also as endowed with timeless youth, lustre of crores of moons, fragrance, tenderness, and grace of lilies, and snow's soothing softness. As for her body colour, Puranas have primarily two versions : one, considering her 'shubhra-varana' white-complexioned; and the other, 'shyama-varana' black-complexioned, the emphasis of the former being on her purity, and of the latter, on her representing 'Prakriti' the female creative power, which being a blend of 'Sattva' white, 'Rajas' red, and 'Tamas' black, has the colour of cosmos. Here, two of her four hands are engaged in playing 'vina'. The entire composition seems to echo and sway with its melody. In her other two hands she is holding the 'japamala' and the book.

This excellent and a more accomplished image of the goddess, carved from fine timber, satisfies all parameters of a votive image, though at the same time it is also an excellent work of art thus, a thing for both, altar and drawing hall. In its iconography, the artist has adhered to classical norms in regard to the height, number of arms, attributes carried in hands, complexion, vehicle, and similar other aspects of the goddess. Wherever contradictions, the artist conciliated and synthesised them. Her rounded face, elongated but half shut eyes as if in trance, prominent eye-lashes amicably aligning with the nose, cute lips with a gentle smile floating on them, pointed chin, short neck, temptingly modelled breasts with finial-like nipples surmounting them, long arms, fine long fingers with well defined nails, subdued belly and narrow waist, and posture of dance, all are reminiscent of the golden era of India's sculptural art. In anatomical proportions, facial features, and over-all composition, the statue is simply unique. She has shoulders broad enough to adequately assimilate four arms on them. The image appears to emit a melody, but not produced by her fingers playing on 'vina'; rather, it is born of the intense emotionality and life-vigour with which the image of the goddess seems to vibrate.

Lotus, book and 'japamala' rosary were attributes of Brahma. Being associated with him as his daughter or spouse, Saraswati inherited them from him. Fully absorbed, the goddess is playing on her 'vina'. Though closed, from her eyes reveal the 'bhava' of quiescence and inner bliss. She has around her mid-region, frilled covering consisting of beads; on her waist a bejeweled girdle; and, on her ears, elegant 'karnaphools' earrings. She is wearing an elaborately adorned towering crown. Various conventionalised ornaments, often used in votive iconography, adorn the figure of the goddess. The deity has her right foot planted on the peacock and the left on the fully blooming lotus, which lies on a 'vedika' consisting of two rows of conventionalised lotus motifs.

This sculpture was carved in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu. The artist is Shri R. Ganapathy.

Click here to view a high resolution image of the sculpture (2.2 MB).

Sculpting Serenity: Unveiling the Art of Crafting Wood Statues

Wood has been a preferred material for sculptures and statues since ancient times. It is easy to work with than most metals and stones and therefore requires less effort to shape it into any desired shape or form. The texture of the wood gives an element of realism to the sculpture. The selection of an appropriate wood type is necessary for carving. Woods that are too resinous or coniferous are not considered good for carving as their fiber is very soft and thus lacks strength. On the other hand, wood such as Mahogany, Oakwood, Walnut wood, Weet cherry wood, etc., are preferred by sculptors because their fiber is harder. A wood sculptor uses various tools such as a pointed chisel in one hand and a mallet in another to bring the wood to the desired measurement and to make intricate details on it. A carving knife is used to cut and smooth the wood. Other tools such as the gouge, V-tool, and coping saw also serve as important tools in wood carving. Although the wood carving technique is not as complex and tough as stone carving or metal sculpting, nonetheless, a wood carver requires a high level of skills and expertise to create a stunning sculpture.

1. Selecting the right wood

The process of wood carving begins with selecting a chunk of wood that is required according to the type and shape of the statue to be created by the sculptor. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used for making artistic pieces, however, hardwoods are preferred more than softer woods because of their durability and longevity. But if heavy detailing is to be done on the statue, wood with fine grain would be needed as it would be difficult to work with hardwood.

2. Shaping the wood

Once the wood type is selected, the wood carver begins the general shaping process using gouges of various sizes. A gouge is a tool having a curved cutting edge which is useful in removing large unwanted portions of wood easily without splitting the wood. The sculptor always carves the wood across the grain of the wood and not against it.

3. Adding detailing

When a refined shape of the statue is obtained, it is time for making details on the statue using different tools. This is achieved by using tools such as a veiner to make and a V-tool to create decorative and sharp cuts.

4. Surface finishing

Once finer details have been added, the sculptor is ready to smoothen the surface and give it a perfect finish. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are used to get a smooth surface. The finer polishing is obtained by rubbing the surface with sandpaper. If a textured surface is required, this step is skipped. Finally, to protect the statue from excessive dirt accumulation, the sculptor applies natural oils such as walnut or linseed oil all over it. This also brings a natural sheen to the statue.

How to care for Wood Statues?

Wood is extensively used in sculpting especially in countries like China, Germany, and Japan. One feature that makes the wood extremely suitable for making statues and sculptures is that it is light and can take very fine detail. It is easier for artists to work with wood than with other materials such as metal or stone. Both hardwoods, as well as softwood, are used for making sculptures. Wood is mainly used for indoor sculptures because it is not as durable as stone. Changes in weather cause wooden sculptures to split or be attacked by insects or fungus. The principal woods for making sculptures and statues are cedar, pine, walnut, oak, and mahogany. The most common technique that sculptors use to make sculptures out of wood is carving with a chisel and a mallet. Since wooden statues are prone to damage, fire, and rot, they require proper care and maintenance.

Wood tends to expand and contract even after it has been processed, thus it is always recommended to keep the wooden sculptures in rooms with little humidity. Excess moisture can harm your masterpiece.

Periodical dusting of the finished piece is necessary to maintain its beauty as dust accumulation on the surface takes away the shine of the sculpture. You can use a clean and soft cloth or a hairbrush for this purpose.

You must avoid applying any chemical-based solutions that may damage the wood from the inside. Instead, you can apply lemon oil or coconut oil using a cotton rag to the sculpture to bring out its natural shine. Lemon oil also helps to clean any stains on the sculpture.

Applying a layer of beeswax protects the wood from sun damage and hides even the smallest imperfections on the wood.

It is extremely important to preserve and protect wooden sculptures with proper care. A little carelessness and negligence can lead to their decay, resulting in losing all their beauty and strength. Therefore, a regular clean-up of the sculptures is a must to prolong their age and to maintain their shine and luster.

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