Gaja Lakshmi, Goddess of Fortune

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Gaja Lakshmi, crowned with tripartite diadem and enthroned on a lion seat, is venerated as a bringer of good fortune and well-being to the earth, of which she was an early personification. The two elephants that lustrate her with water from pots held in their trunks can be equated with the rainclouds of the monsoon and successful crops. This aspect is further emphasized by her cornucopia in the form of a flowering lotus, symbolizing abundance.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art