A SHORT INDIAN GLOSSARY: Saraswati
SARASWATI
No, we’re not referring here to
another Indian-American achiever. So, then, why did the goddess of knowledge
and the arts draw media attention? That’s because a statue of Saraswati was
presented by Indonesia—the world’s largest Muslim nation—to the city of
Washington, D.C. several months ago. Reaching a height of 16 feet, the
white-and-gold statue can be seen in D.C.’s Embassy Row, where it stands
majestically in front of the Indonesian Embassy on Massachusetts Avenue.
Perched on lotus petals, with her four arms raised and a benevolent smile on
her lips, the goddess of learning is looking down at a white swan and three
children who are reading a book. It was carved by sculptors from Bali, the only
Hindu-dominated province in Indonesia.
Saraswati’s aerie in D.C. seems
ideal—it’s not far from the Gandhi statue in front of the Indian Embassy. The
message of tolerance couldn’t be clearer.
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