The Buddhist deity Green Tara

Green Tara is beloved across the Himalayan world as the swift and compassionate liberator—called upon in moments of fear, illness, or despair. Her vibrant green hue signifies active compassion, and her relaxed yet alert posture reflects her readiness to leap into action. With one foot poised to rise and her hand extended in the gesture of giving, Tara embodies the immediacy of mercy.

Here, Tara sits radiantly at the center of a lotus throne, surrounded by multiple manifestations of herself. In her left hand blooms a blue utpala lotus, symbol of enduring compassion that rises unstained from mud. Above her, the great reformer Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug school, presides—his presence grounding Tara’s cosmic power in Tibetan scholastic tradition.

Below, fierce guardians such as Mahakala and the Four Directional Kings watch over the worldly plane, reminding viewers that Tara’s care spans from the subtle to the elemental. In this thangka, she is not only a goddess to be worshiped—but an intimate force to be trusted.