Sita Tara – White Tara
 
Sita Tara or White Tara is one of the two most famous aspects of the goddess. Her name means “The White Liberator” and she is a major long-life deity of the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist pantheon. Sitting legs crossed in meditation upon a carpet covering a square throne, White Tara has the royal appearance of divine manifestations, clad in silk and adorned with jewels. Her right hand is extended in the gesture of generosity and her left, held before her chest, was probably holding the stem of a lotus flower now lost. Young, peaceful and smiling, her long hair is tied in a heavy bun visible over her right shoulder. Her forehead, the palm of her hands and the sole of her feet are marked with an eye, one of her distinguishing feature. The vegetal scrolls on Tara’s garment are inlaid with yellow and red copper underlining the design.
 
Her throne is finely engraved with vegetal motifs and supported by four peacocks. These birds are the sacred mount of Buddha Amitabha, Lord of the Lotus family to which the goddess belongs. The back of the throne is without ornaments but has a long Tibetan dedicatory inscription. It has numerous spelling mistakes preventing a complete understanding. However, it appears to be an aspiration prayer to postpone the moment of death and secure a better rebirth. The statue was commissioned by a lady benefactor whose name remains uncertain.