Uma-Mahesvara (Alinganamurti)
Also known as Alinganamurti, Shiva pacifies Parvati's tantrums, who yields to his embrace and caressing. They represent the ideal dampati (couple) to whom the grahastha (house holder) devotees pray that the ideal couple bestow upon them lifelong happiness and marital bliss. In the sculptural depictions with their eye glances, body language and postural interactions, the Indian sculptors have expressed the divine couple's emotional relationship, which is like a counterpart to Sanskrit Shringara (love) poetry. The twist in Parvati's torso adds to her elegance.
Period:
9th century AD
Measurement:
39 cm(H) x 25.5 cm(W) x 11.5 cm(D)
Accession Number:
LDII.01096
Category:
Sculpture
Provenance or region:
Basalt Eastern India