The Goddess Tara is worshipped in both Hinduism and Buddhism as the goddess of compassion and protection. In Hinduism, she is a form of the female primordial energy known as shakti. The name comes from the Sanskrit root tar, meaning “protection.” In other Indian languages, the name translates as “star.” The goddess sits majestically wearing a saree and a silver crown, and red vermilion in the parting of her raven hair. The foreheads of devotees are anointed with her vermilion by the temple priests as a mark of blessings. In the Himalayan region, especially in Tibet and Nepal,  Tara Devi Idol is more that of a supreme goddess or female buddha than a bodhisattva. She is referred to as the Wisdom Goddess, the Embodiment of Perfected Wisdom, the Goddess of Universal Compassion, and the Mother of all Buddhas.