GAJALAKSHMI -A TANJORE PAINTING

  "Namasthesthu mahaamayee 

Shree peedesura boojithe

     Shanku chakra gadhaa hasthe

      Mahalakshmi namosthudhe..."

Here is a TANJORE PAINTING of Goddess,GAJALAKSHMI  -done by me for a friend.
Usually.we portray Lakshmi is a shimmering gold sari...but as my friend wanted a colorful painting,
I decided to give Her a red sari.
And red is usually considered a very auspicious shade  too and we often see the Godesses
adorned in a red sari.
Lakshmi is always seated on a lotus flower in Paarkadal..,hence the symbolic lotus is shown on
Her pedastal (Peedam/simhaasan)too in Tanjore style paintings...

Lakshmi,the consort of Mahavishnu -is the Goddess of wealth and occupies
 a place of pride and sanctity in every Hindu household or place of business...


A few words about GAJALAKSHMI ...(courtesy-WIKI)


Gajalakshmi, that is Lakshmi with elephants, is one of the most significant Ashtalakshmi aspects of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. In this aspect, the goddess is depicted seated on a lotus, flanked on both side by an elephant (gaja). She is shown as seated in Padmasana yogic posture, and has four arms. In each of her upper pair of arms, she carries a lotus, and the lower hands are generally shown in abhya and varadamudra. The elephants flanking her are shown as pouring water from their trunk over the goddess. This aspect like most other aspects of Lakshmi is representative of prosperity, good luck, and abundance; and the Gajalakshmi motifs are very common in Hindu and Buddhist iconography.


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