The showcased handcrafted brass statue is beautifully crafted by the artisans. Nataraj is seen here absorbed in celestial rapture, his locks flying, entwined with snakes, carrying a drum symbolizing the rhythm of creation. In one hand he bears fire, which can destroy the Universe, while he confers protection with another hand, held with the palm open in a gesture of blessing. The demon of ignorance is crushed under Nataraj’s dancing foot. The aureole that surrounds Nataraj represents the fiery cosmos, which is sustained by the dynamic movement of the celestial Lord of the Dance.

About Nataraj
Nataraj or “Lord of the Dance” is a form of Shiva, one of the powerful trinity of Indian Gods. Brahma is the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer. In the form of Nataraj, Shiva dances the cosmos into creation and as long as he continues dancing, lost in his celestial trance, the universe will continue to exist. If he were to stop, the flow of Divine energy that sustains the Universe would come to an end.

Shiva is worshiped in different forms. The Shiva Nataraj motif was first seen during the Chola period in Southern India from 875 -1075 A.D., which was known for its tradition of bronze casting. Shiva is associated with snakes, because their ability to shed their skin suggests the destruction of the old and the creation of the new.