Vietnam White Marble Saraswati Statue on a Lotus with Her Swan, 24in

Saraswati with the veena, in cool white stone

Saraswati is worshipped as the goddess of learning, music and speech, and this 24-inch murti shows her in the form most homes and schools know best: seated on a lotus, playing the veena, with her swan (hamsa) resting beside the lotus base. It is carved in Vietnam white marble, a bright, cool white stone with a fine, compact grain and only the faintest hairline veining, so the murti reads clean and luminous rather than creamy. Left unpainted, every detail is carried by the carving alone.

Her four arms and what each one holds

Saraswati is shown four-armed, two arms on each side. The front pair play the veena held across her lap, one hand on the strings and one at the neck near the carved scroll. Her back right hand holds an akshamala, the rosary of japa and steady practice, and her back left hand holds a palm-leaf book, the sign of knowledge and the Vedas. She sits in sukhasana on a double row of lotus petals, crowned and haloed, in a draped sari and fitted choli with the pallu across her torso, wearing layered necklaces, earrings and armlets. Her face is youthful and calm, eyes softly lowered, with a small tilak and a gentle smile.

How it is carved and finished

The master sculptors we work with in Jaipur rough out the block, then carve the crown, the jewellery, the folds of the sari, the strings and frets of the veena and the feathers of the swan with fine chisels and files. The piece is always hand-finished. The surface is polished in stages to a soft satin sheen, which keeps the carved detail easy to read under mandir lights without the glare of a mirror polish.

Placing her at home, school or study

At 24 inches the murti suits a home mandir alcove, a study or music room, or the prayer hall of a school, where Saraswati puja on Vasant Panchami is often the most important day of the year. Keep her raised on a shelf, chowki or pedestal rather than on the floor; many families place her facing east or north. Wipe away kumkum, haldi and flower stains soon after puja and dry the stone after any water abhishek, since marble is a natural, slightly porous material.

Make it your own

The same composition can be commissioned in another height, in warmer Makrana white marble, or with a name or dedication engraved along the front of the base. Message us on WhatsApp with your alcove or pedestal dimensions and we will help you choose the right scale.