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This Sculpture of Saraswati discovered from Dhar dates back to 11th to 12th century AD and is a notable collection of State Museum, Bhopal.
Saraswati is one of the major goddesses of Hinduism, who is revered as the goddess of knowledge, education, learning, arts, etc. Evidence of this is found in major Hindu religious texts.
In Jainism, Saraswati is recognized as the goddess of knowledge and wisdom, who is known by various names such as Shrutdavata, Bharati, Sharada, etc Vidya, she is the formless concept of knowledge and wisdom in all its aspects.
This stone sculpture of Saraswati is carved out of brown sandstone. It is estimated to be of the time when Jaisimha Siddharaja established his rule over the whole of Malwa after defeating the Parmara king Yashovarman.
Siddharaja and Kumarpala Solanki kings respected Acharya Hemchandra who was a Shwetambar Jain renowned scholar. Kumarpala adopted Jainism and declared Jainism as the official religion of Gujarat, and all kinds of killing of living beings were banned.
Therefore, it is not surprising that this Saraswati is related to Jainism. Dhar was anyway a major centre of art, culture and education.
Saraswati is sitting on a decorated throne in a semi-lotus pose with one leg hanging and her vehicle is in front. Her body is wearing precious clothes and is adorned with all kinds of jewellery from crown to anklets. There is a rosary and a manuscript in the front hands. There is a lotus flower in one of the back hands and the other hand is broken. The sculptor has depicted all the motifs beautifully and precisely. Only the facial expressions of Saraswati could not be made effective. The absence of a Veena in her hands shows that she is not a Hindu Goddess Saraswati. In the stele either side of the Saraswati’s crown divine beings holding garlands in their hands are carved.