Lord Shiva: Nataraja or Nratya Dakshinamurti

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The four-armed Lord Shiva, represented here in a dance mode, has under his feet Apasamarapurusha – enertness or forgetfulness personified, which is a characteristic feature of 'anandatandava'. Apasamara – enertness, awaits 'anandatandava' – dance of dissolution, to end, for after 'anandatandava' is accomplished and dissolution has taken place, there shall prevail nothing but enertness – Apasamara. Obviously, this form of Shiva represents a step of 'anandatandava'. But 'anandatandava' is swifter than winds, and when performed in full ecstasy there emit from Shiva's head and palms flames of fire symbolising explosion of ultimate cosmic energy and its dynamics. Though Shiva's hair fling flames-like on both sides of his head, actual flames, so characteristic of 'anandatandava', are missing. The dance does not have also the boisterousness of 'anandatandava'. Obviously, in this statue, Lord Shiva might not be perceived as engaged in 'anandatandava' but only as demonstrating one of its modes, more like its 'Adiguru' rather than the one performing it himself.

In most other things, the statue represents Shiva with his usual attributes not carried in his hands during 'anandatandava'. 'Abhaya', which he is imparting with his lower right hand is its only exception. Goad, which he is carrying in his uppermost right hand, leaping antelope, which he is carrying in his upper left hand, and 'varada', which he is imparting by his lower left hand, are normal features of Shiva's conventionalised iconography. Goad keeps the straying ones to the right path, and antelope suggests that it was from his hand that the time shot off and it was out of him that the motion had its beginning. Excellent anatomical proportions, fine well-defined features, elaborate ornamentation with elegantly bejewelled 'jatamukuta', and 'tripunda' mark on forehead, define the image of the great Lord. Apasamara holds in one of his hands a snake symbolising endless existence, and a flower suggestive of the birth of life from the womb of darkness.

"Prabhavali', comprising conventionalised floral and leafy creepers with ecstatic birds – mythical parrots, perching on them, is quite an attractive feature of the statue. It rises from a base consisting of two layers made of conventionalised designing patterns. At the foot of 'prabhavali', there are two devotee sages with long beards and hands folded in reverence. Just above the 'vedika', there lies the figure of Apasamara, supporting on its hips the great Lord Shiva. Contained within a 'prabhavali', with a 'vedika' below and its apex above, the image acquires votive character of a sanctum deity.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of ancient Indian literature. Dr Daljeet is the chief curator of the Visual Arts Gallery at the National Museum of India, New Delhi. They have both collaborated on numerous books on Indian art and culture.

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Sculpting Serenity: Unveiling the Art of Crafting Wood Statues

Wood has been a preferred material for sculptures and statues since ancient times. It is easy to work with than most metals and stones and therefore requires less effort to shape it into any desired shape or form. The texture of the wood gives an element of realism to the sculpture. The selection of an appropriate wood type is necessary for carving. Woods that are too resinous or coniferous are not considered good for carving as their fiber is very soft and thus lacks strength. On the other hand, wood such as Mahogany, Oakwood, Walnut wood, Weet cherry wood, etc., are preferred by sculptors because their fiber is harder. A wood sculptor uses various tools such as a pointed chisel in one hand and a mallet in another to bring the wood to the desired measurement and to make intricate details on it. A carving knife is used to cut and smooth the wood. Other tools such as the gouge, V-tool, and coping saw also serve as important tools in wood carving. Although the wood carving technique is not as complex and tough as stone carving or metal sculpting, nonetheless, a wood carver requires a high level of skills and expertise to create a stunning sculpture.

1. Selecting the right wood

The process of wood carving begins with selecting a chunk of wood that is required according to the type and shape of the statue to be created by the sculptor. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used for making artistic pieces, however, hardwoods are preferred more than softer woods because of their durability and longevity. But if heavy detailing is to be done on the statue, wood with fine grain would be needed as it would be difficult to work with hardwood.

2. Shaping the wood

Once the wood type is selected, the wood carver begins the general shaping process using gouges of various sizes. A gouge is a tool having a curved cutting edge which is useful in removing large unwanted portions of wood easily without splitting the wood. The sculptor always carves the wood across the grain of the wood and not against it.

3. Adding detailing

When a refined shape of the statue is obtained, it is time for making details on the statue using different tools. This is achieved by using tools such as a veiner to make and a V-tool to create decorative and sharp cuts.

4. Surface finishing

Once finer details have been added, the sculptor is ready to smoothen the surface and give it a perfect finish. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are used to get a smooth surface. The finer polishing is obtained by rubbing the surface with sandpaper. If a textured surface is required, this step is skipped. Finally, to protect the statue from excessive dirt accumulation, the sculptor applies natural oils such as walnut or linseed oil all over it. This also brings a natural sheen to the statue.