Buddhist Goddess Identification

[Ven. Tantra]

Thanking List members Dante, Stephen Hodge,
Swaminathan Madhuresan and David Gray for their
remarks on the identity of the sculptural image of the
apparently Indian/Buddhist Goddess.

The photo itself came to me as a private collection on
an un-labled CD. If the other photos in the archive
are any indication, the Goddess shot may be up to 80
years old. Stylistically, I initially shared
Swaminathan Madhuresan�s feeling that the statue could
be from Indonesia.

I take, then, that the inscription identifies her as
maamakii.

Inscription aside, however, can Dante�s observation --
that she looks like Taaraa -- be disputed? He has
pointed to her left hand <in vitarka mudra � holding
something: the stem of the lotus � [t]he right hand in
varada�>.

Finally, can the entire inscription not be deciphered?

Kind regards,

Ven. Tantra


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