Kadambari 

Raja Ravi Varma painted this image of a woman, Kadambari, with oils on canvas. She holds a sitar, an instrument whose very form is laden with symbolism. Note how the sitar is held, not merely as a musical device, but almost as an extension of the body. We see this echoed through time, recall David with his harp, or Orpheus whose lyre charmed even the gods. The musical instrument here transcends simple melody; it becomes a conduit for something divine. Kadambari's serene expression and posture evoke a sense of bhakti, a deep, devotional love. Observe how this mirrors representations of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, and the arts, often depicted holding a veena, a stringed instrument. The motif of a woman with a stringed instrument, therefore, resonates far beyond this single canvas. It speaks to a collective yearning to connect with something greater than ourselves through art and music.