11'' Nataraja | Madhuchista Vidhana (Lost-Wax) | Panchaloha Bronze from Swamimalai

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Even though sculptural representations of Shiva’s ‘nadanta’ image of ‘ananda tandava’ began with the 7th century Pallavas, it was the Chola dynasty that truly realised the unique signification of such an image, for their bronze cast work of cire perdue (as witnessed here) encapsulated what Shiva’s dance stood for: creation, preserver, and destroyer – a literal as well as figurative portrayal of the continuous cycle of time. The Swamimalai image here, paralleling the Nataraja sculpture kept at the National Museum or the Met, portrays Shiva’s arms in a manner that he holds the ‘damru,’ the eternal fire, and the ‘abhayamudra’ and the ‘gajahasta’ pose. The drum and fire work in conjecture, for while the instrument’s music signals creation, the fire destroys and cleanses. The ‘abhayamudra’ signals release and dispenses blessings, while the ‘gajahasta’ posture points to the lifted foot, the refuge of the soul. We also note Shiva wearing the vanquished snake over his hand, and his dance over the defeated dwarf Muyalaka, a dance that signifies the dispelling of ignorance. The rim of fire that surrounds Shiva’s dance has interestingly been interpreted in various manner. The flaming circle is seen to represent purification – a figurative crematory fire through which we are released from this materialistic world. However, scholars like Ananda Coomaraswamy opine that the rim does not signify our resting place, but that it remains emblematic of the fire that burns inside every Shaivite’s (the followers of Shiva) heart. This complex assemblage of ideas is further complimented by the outflowing dreadlocks that gravitate towards the rim. We are lead to understand that Shiva’s hair symbolise the flow of the holy river Ganga – another icon of purification.