Dharti Mata is called the Hindu Mother Goddess. Puranic texts mention this rather obscure deity. She is also called as Bhumi Devi, Bhuvati, Avni, Vasudha, Bhuma-Devi, Dharti, Dharani, Dhaatri, Varahi, Hiranmaya, Hema, Dhanshika, Ira, Urvi, Vasumati, Ela, Kashyapi, Vaishnavi, Vasundhara, Bhudevi, Bhumi or Padmavati. She represents Mother Earth and is goddess Lakshmi’s another avatar. She is the companion of Varaha, the boar God, who is an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Prajapati is the father of Bhumi the Hindu Mother Goddess.
Dharti Mata is depicted as sitting on a raised structure that rests on the back of 4 elephants. The four directions of the world are represented by the four elephants. Dharti Mata is depicted generally with 4 arms, that the hold a bowl filled with healing herbs, a water vessel, a pomegranate and a bowl filled with vegetables, respectively. At times she is depicted as having 2 hands with the left hand arm in the Lolahasta Mudra or the Abhaya Mudra indicated fearlessness and a pose that mimics a horse’s tail. The right hand of the Dharti Mata holds the blue lotus called the Utpala or Kumuda.
As per Hindu belief, Dharti Mata is one of the panchabhutas. Prithvi is the Sanskrit word for earth. She is the Nurturer, soil, one of the bhutas, the essence of the earth element and the mother of plants. The female principle of fertility is represented by Prithvi. In this supportive capacity, the Vedic texts have praised her frequently. She is responsible for agricultural bounties being a vegetation source.
