White Tara (Saptalochani Tara)
Samundra Man Shrestha, 2017
Oil on canvas
107 × 130 cm

© Birendra Shahi

Tears rolled from Karunamaya Lokeshwar’s eyes when learning of the extent of the world’s sorrows. For the good of the world, two taras issued from the flow of the tears: Arya Tara (green tara) and Saptalochani Tara (White Tara).

As her name suggests, Saptalochani Tara has seven eyes (sapta - seven, Lochan - eyes), three in her face, and two on each of her hands and legs. The eyes symbolize consciousness; they urge people to be attentive and aware at every moment and to perform every action with a view to its outcome. The background features a painting of the White Tara in traditional Newar style, whereas the foreground depicts her image, a constellation the artist created according to his own philosophy. The flags and embellishments behind the goddess are cast in traditional Newar style but rendered by way of a three-dimensional technique. By juxtaposing the painting style of senior and contemporary artists in one frame, the artist has shown the history of art in one picture. This painting received the National Award for Traditional Painting at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in 2017, organized by the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts.