Natraj Statue

Handcrafted Bronze Natraja Statue with various semi precious stones.

The great Hindu god Shiva has many guises and many representations in art, but perhaps the most familiar is as a dancing figure within a circle of fire, that is as Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the Dance.

Shiva, as many other important Hindu gods, is a complex character with a myriad of traits, sometimes seemingly in conflict with each other. Accordingly, in his guise as Nataraja he is represented in his triple role as Creator, Preserver and Destroyer.

The dance the smiling Shiva is performing is the Tandava, the cosmic dance which both creates and destroys the universe. The energy and wildness of the dance is shown in his bent knees and the extravagant spreading of the god’s hair. Shiva’s locks also contain a skull, a datura blossom, and a crescent moon which represents the idea that Shiva is ever-present even if sometimes he is not always visible.