Hello Friday and a tale of the Ushnishavijaya !

This month at TECD, the spot light has been on Oriental decor. I’ve strived to churn out posts that are original, inspirational, global in appeal and loaded with aesthetic beauty. I do hope you’ll have enjoyed these as much as I have had fun putting these together. Today, I conclude this series with a post on the “Ushnishavijaya”. If you haven’t heard of her, she is one of the three main Buddhist deities of longevity. Will tell you more about her in a bit but first let me share with you the story of how I scored this beautiful Ushnishavijaya statue on a trip to Darjeeling (West Bengal – India)…… 

Just the word “Darjeeling” conjures up images of lush green tea estates, carpeting the sloping sides of the many hills encircled by snow peaked mountains that make up the landscape of this scenic summer get-away. The winding roads and cool mountain breeze urges you to explore this picturesque place on foot. On one such walk, we (my family and I) stopped at a roadside tea stall to rest our tired feet. As we relaxed and enjoyed the hot chai, the very friendly localities made for great company. Chit chatting with them, we were able to get the address of a local treasure house that sold brass artifacts and knick-knacks. Following the directions, we came upon a rickety little place…..I’m glad we checked it out and did not decide otherwise. The place was chock-full of amazing goodies. The first thing that my eyes noticed was this Ushnishavijaya statue. I perused through the entire store but I knew I had my heart set on this beauty. After a bit of haggling with the shop keeper (I love a good bargain you know;), we were carrying the figurine back to our hotel to stash it in my suitcase and getting it travel ready. Years later, it is here adorning a corner of my home and reminding me of the beautiful time that we spent in Darjeeling!

Now for a little more on Ushnishavijaya. She is a celebrated feminine deity of Tibetan Buddhism and her form is said to personify the ushnisha (the cranial protuberance that marks the Buddha’s heightened intelligence that he is said to have attained after spiritual enlightenment). The statue shows the deity in a meditative pose, seated on a lotus base. The unique feature is her three heads, each exhibiting a third eye. Each of her eight hands is either in the form of a mudra or holds an instrument representing her divine powers. She is known to shower her devotees with wisdom and a long life..... 

The other day, I brought home a bunch of Daffodils to add a dash of spring cheer. Paired with the Ushnishavijaya, it makes for a delightful exotic spring vignette, don't you think?

Wishing you a wonderful and relaxed weekend! 

Images: Clicked by Sruthi Singh. Please do not use without prior written permission. 

Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright.