Tara, Buddhist saviour-goddess with numerous forms, widely popular in Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet, and Mongolia. She is the feminine counterpart of the bodhisattva (“buddha-to-be”) Avalokiteshvara. According to popular belief, she came into existence from a tear of Avalokiteshvara, which fell to the ground and formed a lake
Tara is most commonly regarded to be a goddess of compassion, and her two most common forms are the Green Tara and White Tara. Nevertheless, this bodhisattva also exists in various other forms – on Tibetan temple banners, as many as 21
Taras may be depicted, each form having its own symbolism.
