The goddess of lore, Saraswati, is important to all that are interested in academics. She is also the spouse of Lord Vishnu the Preserver. Astride a tortoise, she is well-crafted in the finery of the time, note the earrings and crown. Her right hand is raised in the Varada mudra, the gesture of charity, and her left hand in Abhaya mudra, a gesture of protection. A product of Bungamati, Kathmandu, 1999. A Hindu image.