The Harmony Of Lord Shiva

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As the cosmic destroyer, Lord Shiva is worshipped by man and beast alike. He is a tall, resplendent yogi, ashtabhujadhari (eight-armed), traversing the rugged terrain of His home in the Himalayas. This kalamkari composition depicts His majestic roopa (form), a powerful picture that is at once harmonious and awe-inspiring. He is clad in little more than a tigerskin loincloth; in His anteriormost hands He bears a golden trident (trishool) as tall and stately as the one who wields it. On either side is a representative of Shivagana, the lot (gana) of Lord Shiva worshippers. He towers above them as they fold their hands up to Him (namaskaram mudra) in veneration, each of them haloed in their devotion to Him.

In each of the Lord’s hands is a weapon (sword and axe) or an image of cosmic symbolism, such as the pashu and the damroo. There is a significant presence of snakes in Shaivite iconography: one is in His hands, another raises its hood from the nape of His neck. Caught in the mass of His swaying locks is His wife, the Devi Parvati. In fact, the hair of Lord Shiva is one of the most distinctive aspects of this composition. Against the deep crimson backdrop of the painting, the cream-coloured clouds and the twin faces of the sun and the moon, of soothing composure of countenance, are reminiscent of harmony.