The Beauteous Devi Parvati, Tiger-skin Over Her Saree

The beauty of Devi Parvati is supreme. She is wife to the Lord of destruction, the great Lord Shiva. With Him She resides in Kailash Mansarovar, Her skin the same colour as the pristine snows that cover Her home. This sculpture of the Devi, with its soft curvaceous make, captures the beauty of Her divine persona. She is youthful and sweet, Her composure of countenance made of equal parts both.

Over the pale peach saree that conceals Her young maternal figure, She wears a tiger-skin that holds the drape in place. Together with the necklace of rudrakshas and the kamandalu in Her right and left anterior hands, respectively, these elements of Her iconography convey Her status as the wife of none other than Mahadeva Himself. The gold on the edges of Her garment and the shringar on Her torso, wrists, and earlobes add to Her divine glamour.

Zoom in on the simple quadrilateral pedestal She stands on. Her feet rest on a lustrous green lotuspad, flanked by Her simhavahana (lion-mount) and Nandi. The presence of more deities are to be found in Her iconography - the Shivalingam and the miniature Lord Ganesha, Her son, atop the two lotuses She holds in Her posterior hands. Note the distinctive halo behind Her head, and how the sharp gold rays make a statement of strength and power.