Lajja Gauri is an important manifestation of Mother Goddess (Shakti) and in this is form today she is mainly worshipped by Shakti worshippers and Tantrics. Lajja Gauri has a lotus head and her legs are shown as raised – in giving birth form. Thus she is fertility goddess. Symbolically this form of Mother Goddess indicates that all that is living and nonliving was born from her. She is life, creativity and abundance. This form was widely worshipped till the 13th century.
Images quite similar to Lajja Gauri have been unearthed from Many scholars are also of the view that Lajja Gauri has close similarities to Aditi – the Mother Goddess mentioned in the Rig Veda.
Most modern stories associated with Lajja Gauri equate her with Goddess Parvati. In these stories, Shiva tests Her modesty and a shy Goddess Parvati bows down her head or is replaced with lotus. These stories seem to be an attempt by modern Hindu scholars to follow the line toed by Islamic invaders and British – these two groups were against nudity and sexuality.
Goddess Lajja Gauri does not have a human head – she has a lotus flower in the place of the head – it represents material and spiritual wellbeing. She also has a huge belly suggesting pregnancy – creation.