Shiva Natraj

Nataraja (The Lord or King of Dance), is the dancing posture of Hindu God Shiva, who performs divine dance as a part of his activities of creation and destruction.

An extraordinary iconographic representation of the rich and diverse cultural heritage of India, it was developed in Southern India by 9th and 10th century artists during the Chola period (880-1279 CE) in a series of beautiful bronze sculptures. By the 12th century AD, it achieved canonical stature and soon the Chola Nataraja became the supreme statement of Hindu art.

Nataraja is most often depicted through a statue. The sculpture is usually made in bronze, with Shiva dancing in a aureole of flames, lifting his left leg (and in rare cases, the right leg) and balancing over a demon or dwarf (Apasmara) who symbolizes ignorance.