The cosmic union of Shiva and Parvati – or Maheshwara and Uma, here – represents the coming together of celestial energies, or Shakta and Shakti, in making the universe, and the Swamimalai ‘sthapati’ has beautifully presented that imagery in this lost wax ‘madhuchista vidhana’ image. Shiva and Parvati have been presented in various visual iterations for generations – from their marriage as the ‘Kalyana Sundara murti’ to the ‘Ardhanrishwara’ image, which fuses the masculine and feminine energies of both Shiva and Parvati into one body. Uma Maheshwara carries this tradition forward and presents the ornately clad couple in an amorous manner.

With both images composed in the self-assured ‘abhanga’ manner, posturing the deities deep in thought, Maheshwara’s graceful figure is elegantly and delicately caressing Uma. Our supreme lord of the universe and celestial destroyer is presented as a gentle family man, poised with four hands and a ‘mukuta’ with a ‘prabhamandala.’ While two hands are around Uma, the other two at the back carry his usual attributes: the ‘parashu’ axe that Shiva bestowed to Parashurama, and the ‘mriga,’ identifying his lordship over the animal kingdom. Uma, meanwhile, in presented with two hands: the left one hanging pendent, while the right hand projecting the ‘katakamukha mudra,’ or the hand gesture of holding a flower, which would have been a lotus.