As a symbol Shiva Nataraja is a brilliant invention It combines in a single image Shiva 39 s roles as creator preserver and destroyer of the universe and conveys the Indian conception of the never ending cycle of time Although it appeared in sculpture as early as the fifth century its present world famous form evolved under
Nataraja Nataraja Sanskrit Lord of the Dance the Hindu god Shiva in his form as the cosmic dancer represented in metal or stone in many Shaivite temples particularly in South India In the most common type of image Shiva is shown with four arms and flying locks dancing on the figure of a dwarf who
In the intimate spaces of the Florence and Herbert Irving South Asian Galleries in the Metropolitan Museum of Art the Shiva Nataraja is surrounded by other metal statues of Hindu gods including the Lords Vishnu Parvati and Hanuman It is easy to become absorbed in the dark quiet of these galleries with its remarkable