This is Lakshmi, identified by the lotus buds in her upper hands. The lower hands are in Abhaya (protection) and Varada (boon bestowing) mudra. Lakshmi is sitting in Ardhapadmasana on a lotus pedestal. The breast band (Kaccha bandha) reinforces the identification.

Lakshmi is Vishnu’s consort and the Goddess of prosperity. As is the tradition, the Lakshmi is shown with four-hands when she is on her own.

This Vigraha is single cast with the base and Prabhavali quite remarkable considering its size, just 4.5 cm tall.

Those who follow this blogsite know these micro-miniature Vigrahas have a special place in my collection. In my view, their size makes them affordable, portable, creates a sense of ownership and brings the deities closer to the worshipper.

Nowadays it is difficult to get cast Vigrahas of this size. The artisan prefer to work on a larger Vigrahas, 20+ cm. Part of the reason is economics, as they price the Vigrahas based on the weight. Most of the small Vigrahas are made using injection moulding or moulds, and not made using traditional lost-wax method.

This Vigraha is from Tamil Nadu and may be dated to the eighteenth century. Going by the corrosion and deposits this may be a river-piece, meaning it was immersed in water for an extended period.