Weight: 180 gms Approx

Height: 10 cm
Width: 8.5 cm
Depth:3.4 cm

The origins of Nataraja, and of the Hindu god Shiva himself, lie thousands of years ago. However, the form we recognise best today may have reached its apex around the 9th or 10th century in southern India: The Ananda Tandava or blissful dance.

In it, Shiva is in the Bhujangatrasita karana pose – literally “frightened by a snake” – with his left leg held across his body at hip level, and every element contains a deep meaning. Roughly, Shiva is here at once seen creating and destroying existence, offering the escape hatch from this constant chaos, and finally, revealing the clue to that escape hatch, which is to subdue ignorance.

The following are the five most important elements, indicating the Panchakritya, or five key acts of the Nataraja.
Srishti or creation: The Nataraja’s rear left arm carries the hourglass-shaped drum, damuru, the vibrations of which create the universe. Some conflate this with the Big Bang of cosmic creation.

Samhara or destruction: The raised, rear right-hand carries the fire that atrophies matter to a formless state, only for regeneration. In that sense, it is the fire of transformation, not destruction. It implies constant change, echoing the Buddhist precept of “There’s no being, only becoming.”

Sthithi or maintenance/protection: The open palm of the forehand indicates an assurance: There is nothing to fear about constant cosmic overhaul. Change is normal and I’m here to protect you.

Tirobhava or concealment: The hidden lower-left palm pointing downwards says he’s the creator of maya, illusion or the veil of ignorance.
Anugraha or blessing or liberation: The raised left foot, combined with the closed hand, signifies the option available before the seeker: moksha or liberation from ignorance and, by implication, from the cycle of birth and death.

A few more elements complement the idea of Panchakritya. These are:

Muyalaka or Apasmara: This dwarf demon at the Nataraja’s feet represents the evils of ignorance and ego, to be trampled upon if one must rise to a higher plane of self-actualisation.

Circle of fire: The frame around Nataraja is maya as experienced through the cyclical phenomenon of birth and death.

Yet, for all the esoteric ideas attributed to him, the dancing lord likely has more earthy origins.