In the Kangra style of Pahari paintings, this watercolor painting by Kailash Raj brings an unusual form of Lord Shiva's Bhairava roopa with a profusion of aesthetic elements from the Punjab hill school. Dressed in the hide of a tiger and elephant skin, Bhairava appears in his four-armed form, with a Jatamukut and garland of skulls adorning his body. His companion, a dog walks in the left half of the canvas, while Bhairava follows him, seated on a parrot, which is an unusual feature of this painting. Parrot or Shuka is generally associated with Kamadeva as his bird-mount, the Lord of Love in Hinduism, while Shiva in his ferocious aspect is the annihilator of Kama (basal human passions).
In Indian culture, taking the mount of one's enemy is seen as a symbol of victory over them, in keeping with which it seems, the artist has offered Bhairava the parrot of Kama, forming a rare and enriching visual narration of his powers.
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