Tara is the most famous goddess from buddhism, who appeared in the time between 12th to early 13th century.
Tara is the supreme Saviour and the goddess of mercy in Vajrajana Buddhism. mostly she have been interpreted as a female counterpart of a Bodhisattva.
Story behind Tara's origin is-
After seeing misery of all human being's life Bodhisattva Avaloketshwara's tears flowed down into the earth and made up a lake, where a lotus born, after the lotus blooms, goddess Tara appeared from there.
Mainly there are five forms of Tara, else we can find 21 icons of Tara...even in some other religions like in Hinduism Shakta tradition also adopted the concept of Tara in their Dasamahavidya.
These five Buddhist Tara signifies different states of a bodhichitt or a pure consciousness.
Green tara•
Historical name: Khairabani Tara.
She is a symbol of mercy, pure love, compassion. Khairabani Tara saves her practitioner from their inner fear.
White Tara•
Historical name: Sitatara.
She is symbol of purity and she appears as a healer for a wounded soul and also for physical illness. She offers longevity of life to her practitioner. She usually appears with a third eye on her forehead, which symbolise that she looks upon the misery of our lives and comes to heal them.
Yellow Tara•
Historical name: Cintamani Tara
She is a symbol of prosperity, physical comfort and wealth.
Red Tara,•
Historical name: Kurukulla
She is known as the most enlightened among the all Dakinis.
She symbolizes the magnetization of material things but also in other hand she is worshipped for transforming the desires into the enlightened actions.
Blue Tara•
Historical name: Mahacinatara/Ugra Tara/Ekjati
She is the most powerful goddess in Vajrajana. She is worshipped as a secret keeper of Vajrajan's secret practice and it's secret sutras.
Figure: Souparna Pal
Creative & Art direction: Sneha Nandi
Inspired by Dr. Deboprosad Bhattacharya & Dr. Abdul Kafi
Creation of Sizan Azmir