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The water lily in the figure’s right hand shows that this statue represents the goddess Uma (also known as Parvati), wife of the Hindu god Shiva. She is standing in an elegant pose, with her body slightly angled at the hip and neck.<br/><br/> In a temple she would have stood to the left of Shiva, her customary position.
Nataraja or Nataraj ('The Lord - or King - of Dance'; Tamil: Kooththan) is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the cosmic dancer Koothan who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for god Brahma to start the process of creation. <br/><br/> A Tamil concept, Shiva was first depicted as Nataraja in the famous Chola bronzes and sculptures of Chidambaram. The dance of Shiva in Tillai, the traditional name for Chidambaram, forms the motif for all the depictions of Shiva as Nataraja. He is also known as 'Sabesan' in Tamil which means 'The Lord who dances on a dais'. The form is present in most Shiva temples in South India, and is the main deity in the famous temple at Chidambaram. <br/><br/> The sculpture is usually made in bronze, with Shiva dancing in an 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. It is a well known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture. <br/><br/> The two most common forms of Shiva's dance are the Lasya (the gentle form of dance), associated with the creation of the world, and the Tandava (the violent and dangerous dance), associated with the destruction of weary worldviews - weary perspectives and lifestyles. In essence, the Lasya and the Tandava are just two aspects of Shiva's nature; for he destroys in order to create, tearing down to build again.
The Brihadeeswarar Temple is a large Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva. The temple was completed in 1010 CE by the Chola Dynasty emperor Raja Raja Chola I (r. 985 - 1014 CE), one of the greatest Indian emperors.
The Brihadeeswarar Temple is a large Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva. The temple was completed in 1010 CE by the Chola Dynasty emperor Raja Raja Chola I (r. 985 - 1014 CE), one of the greatest Indian emperors.
Gingee Fort or Senji Fort (also known as Chenji, Jinji or Senchi) in Tamil Nadu, was originally the site of a small fort built by the Chola dynasty during the 9th century CE. The fort was modified by Kurumbar during the 13th century.<br/><br/> The fort as it stands today was built in the 15 and 16th centuries by the Nayak Dynasty. The fort passed variously to the Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji in 1677 CE, the Bijapur sultans, the Moghuls, Carnatic Nawabs, the French and then the British in 1761. The fort is closely associated with Raja Tej Singh, who unsuccessfully revolted against the Nawab of Arcot and eventually lost his life in a battle.<br/><br/> The fort is so fortified, that Shivaji, the Maratha king, ranked it as the 'most impregnable fortress in India' and it was called the 'Troy of the East' by the British.
Gingee Fort or Senji Fort (also known as Chenji, Jinji or Senchi) in Tamil Nadu, was originally the site of a small fort built by the Chola dynasty during the 9th century CE. The fort was modified by Kurumbar during the 13th century.<br/><br/> The fort as it stands today was built in the 15 and 16th centuries by the Nayak Dynasty. The fort passed variously to the Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji in 1677 CE, the Bijapur sultans, the Moghuls, Carnatic Nawabs, the French and then the British in 1761. The fort is closely associated with Raja Tej Singh, who unsuccessfully revolted against the Nawab of Arcot and eventually lost his life in a battle.<br/><br/> The fort is so fortified, that Shivaji, the Maratha king, ranked it as the 'most impregnable fortress in India' and it was called the 'Troy of the East' by the British.
Gingee Fort or Senji Fort (also known as Chenji, Jinji or Senchi) in Tamil Nadu, was originally the site of a small fort built by the Chola dynasty during the 9th century CE. The fort was modified by Kurumbar during the 13th century.<br/><br/> The fort as it stands today was built in the 15 and 16th centuries by the Nayak Dynasty. The fort passed variously to the Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji in 1677 CE, the Bijapur sultans, the Moghuls, Carnatic Nawabs, the French and then the British in 1761. The fort is closely associated with Raja Tej Singh, who unsuccessfully revolted against the Nawab of Arcot and eventually lost his life in a battle.<br/><br/> The fort is so fortified, that Shivaji, the Maratha king, ranked it as the 'most impregnable fortress in India' and it was called the 'Troy of the East' by the British.
Gingee Fort or Senji Fort (also known as Chenji, Jinji or Senchi) in Tamil Nadu, was originally the site of a small fort built by the Chola dynasty during the 9th century CE. The fort was modified by Kurumbar during the 13th century.<br/><br/> The fort as it stands today was built in the 15 and 16th centuries by the Nayak Dynasty. The fort passed variously to the Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji in 1677 CE, the Bijapur sultans, the Moghuls, Carnatic Nawabs, the French and then the British in 1761. The fort is closely associated with Raja Tej Singh, who unsuccessfully revolted against the Nawab of Arcot and eventually lost his life in a battle.<br/><br/> The fort is so fortified, that Shivaji, the Maratha king, ranked it as the 'most impregnable fortress in India' and it was called the 'Troy of the East' by the British.
Gingee Fort or Senji Fort (also known as Chenji, Jinji or Senchi) in Tamil Nadu, was originally the site of a small fort built by the Chola dynasty during the 9th century CE. The fort was modified by Kurumbar during the 13th century.<br/><br/> The fort as it stands today was built in the 15 and 16th centuries by the Nayak Dynasty. The fort passed variously to the Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji in 1677 CE, the Bijapur sultans, the Moghuls, Carnatic Nawabs, the French and then the British in 1761. The fort is closely associated with Raja Tej Singh, who unsuccessfully revolted against the Nawab of Arcot and eventually lost his life in a battle.<br/><br/> The fort is so fortified, that Shivaji, the Maratha king, ranked it as the 'most impregnable fortress in India' and it was called the 'Troy of the East' by the British.
Gingee Fort or Senji Fort (also known as Chenji, Jinji or Senchi) in Tamil Nadu, was originally the site of a small fort built by the Chola dynasty during the 9th century CE. The fort was modified by Kurumbar during the 13th century.<br/><br/> The fort as it stands today was built in the 15 and 16th centuries by the Nayak Dynasty. The fort passed variously to the Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji in 1677 CE, the Bijapur sultans, the Moghuls, Carnatic Nawabs, the French and then the British in 1761. The fort is closely associated with Raja Tej Singh, who unsuccessfully revolted against the Nawab of Arcot and eventually lost his life in a battle.<br/><br/> The fort is so fortified, that Shivaji, the Maratha king, ranked it as the 'most impregnable fortress in India' and it was called the 'Troy of the East' by the British.
Annamalaiyar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva. The present structure was built during the Chola dynasty in the 9th century, while later expansions are attributed to Vijayanagar rulers of the Sangama Dynasty (1336–1485 CE), the Saluva Dynasty and the Tuluva Dynasty (1491–1570 CE).
The Thillai Natarajah Temple (also Chidambaram Temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It has been a major shrine of Lord Shiva worship since the classical period. There have been several renovations to the temple complex made variously by the Pallava, Chola, Pandya, Vijayanagara and Chera dynasties in the ancient and pre-medieval periods. The temple as it stands now is mainly of the 12th and 13th centuries, with later additions in similar style.
Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति) from Sanskrit shak - 'to be able', meaning sacred force or empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism.<br/><br/> Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes referred to as 'The Great Divine Mother' in Hinduism. On the earthly plane, Shakti most actively manifests through female embodiment representing creativity and fertility, though it is also present in males in its potential, unmanifest form.<br/><br/> Not only is the Shakti responsible for creation, it is also the agent of all change. Shakti is cosmic existence as well as liberation, its most significant form being the Kundalini Shakti, a mysterious psychospiritual force. Shakti exists in a state of svātantrya, dependence on no-one, being interdependent with the entire universe.<br/><br/> In Shaktism, Shakti is worshiped as the Supreme Being. However, in other Hindu traditions of Shaivism and Vaishnavism, Shakti embodies the active feminine energy Prakriti of Purusha, who is Vishnu in Vaishnavism or Shiva in Shaivism. Vishnu's female counterpart is called Lakshmi, with Parvati being the female half of Shiva.
Vishnu (Sanskrit विष्णु Viṣṇu) is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God.<br/><br/> The Vishnu Sahasranama declares Vishnu as Paramatma (supreme soul) and Parameshwara (supreme God). It describes Vishnu as the All-Pervading essence of all beings, the master of - and beyond - the past, present and future, one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within. Vishnu governs the aspect of preservation and sustenance of the universe, so he is called 'Preserver of the Universe'.<br/><br/> In the Puranas, Vishnu is described as having the divine colour of water filled clouds, four-armed, holding a lotus, mace, conch (shankha) and chakra (wheel). Vishnu is also described in the Bhagavad Gita as having a 'Universal Form' (Vishvarupa) which is beyond the ordinary limits of human perception or imagination.
Nataraja or Nataraj ('The Lord - or King - of Dance'; Tamil: Kooththan) is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the cosmic dancer Koothan who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for god Brahma to start the process of creation.<br/><br/> A Tamil concept, Shiva was first depicted as Nataraja in the famous Chola bronzes and sculptures of Chidambaram. The dance of Shiva in Tillai, the traditional name for Chidambaram, forms the motif for all the depictions of Shiva as Nataraja. He is also known as 'Sabesan' in Tamil which means 'The Lord who dances on a dais'. The form is present in most Shiva temples in South India, and is the main deity in the famous temple at Chidambaram.<br/><br/> The sculpture is usually made in bronze, with Shiva dancing in an 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. It is a well known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture.<br/><br/> The two most common forms of Shiva's dance are the Lasya (the gentle form of dance), associated with the creation of the world, and the Tandava (the violent and dangerous dance), associated with the destruction of weary worldviews - weary perspectives and lifestyles. In essence, the Lasya and the Tandava are just two aspects of Shiva's nature; for he destroys in order to create, tearing down to build again.
Raja Raja Chozhan I (Tamil: ராஜ ராஜ சோழன்), popularly known as Raja Raja the Great, is one of the greatest emperors of the Tamil Chola Empire of India who ruled between 985 and 1014 CE.<br/><br/> By conquering several small kingdoms in South India, he expanded the Chola Empire as far as Sri Lanka in the south, and Kalinga (Odisha) in the northeast. He fought many battles with the Chalukyas to the north and the Pandyas to the south. By conquering Vengi, Rajaraja laid the foundation for the Later Chola dynasty. He invaded Sri Lanka and started a century-long Chola occupation of the island.
The Goddess Durga, fighting Mahishasura, the buffalo-demon (Hindu Mythology). In the clouds the Devas or celestial beings are seen watching the event. The story is recorded in the Devi Mahatmya and the Devi Bhagavata and is the background for Durgapuja, the annual Hindu festival each autumn.<br/><br/> In Hinduism, Durga is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eight arms, riding a lion or a tiger, carrying weapons and a lotus flower, maintaining a meditative smile, and practicing mudras, or symbolic hand gestures.<br/><br/> An embodiment of creative feminine force (Shakti), Durga exists in a state of svātantrya (independence from the universe and anything/anybody else) and fierce compassion. Kali is considered by Hindus to be an aspect of Durga. She is thus considered the fiercer, demon-fighting form of Shiva's wife, goddess Parvati. Durga manifests fearlessness and patience, and never loses her sense of humour, even during spiritual battles of epic proportion.<br/><br/> At the Durga Puja festival, Durga is celebrated as the mother of Ganesha, Kartikeya, Lakshmi and Saraswati.
Nataraja or Nataraj ('The Lord - or King - of Dance'; Tamil: Kooththan) is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the cosmic dancer Koothan who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for god Brahma to start the process of creation.<br/><br/> A Tamil concept, Shiva was first depicted as Nataraja in the famous Chola bronzes and sculptures of Chidambaram. The dance of Shiva in Tillai, the traditional name for Chidambaram, forms the motif for all the depictions of Shiva as Nataraja. He is also known as 'Sabesan' in Tamil which means 'The Lord who dances on a dais'. The form is present in most Shiva temples in South India, and is the main deity in the famous temple at Chidambaram.<br/><br/> The sculpture is usually made in bronze, with Shiva dancing in an 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. It is a well known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture.<br/><br/> The two most common forms of Shiva's dance are the Lasya (the gentle form of dance), associated with the creation of the world, and the Tandava (the violent and dangerous dance), associated with the destruction of weary worldviews - weary perspectives and lifestyles. In essence, the Lasya and the Tandava are just two aspects of Shiva's nature; for he destroys in order to create, tearing down to build again.
Nataraja or Nataraj ('The Lord - or King - of Dance'; Tamil: Kooththan) is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the cosmic dancer Koothan who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for god Brahma to start the process of creation.<br/><br/> A Tamil concept, Shiva was first depicted as Nataraja in the famous Chola bronzes and sculptures of Chidambaram. The dance of Shiva in Tillai, the traditional name for Chidambaram, forms the motif for all the depictions of Shiva as Nataraja. He is also known as 'Sabesan' in Tamil which means 'The Lord who dances on a dais'. The form is present in most Shiva temples in South India, and is the main deity in the famous temple at Chidambaram.<br/><br/> The sculpture is usually made in bronze, with Shiva dancing in an 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. It is a well known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture.<br/><br/> The two most common forms of Shiva's dance are the Lasya (the gentle form of dance), associated with the creation of the world, and the Tandava (the violent and dangerous dance), associated with the destruction of weary worldviews - weary perspectives and lifestyles. In essence, the Lasya and the Tandava are just two aspects of Shiva's nature; for he destroys in order to create, tearing down to build again.
Shiva (Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, meaning 'auspicious one' ) is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the Supreme God. In the Smarta tradition, he is regarded as one of the five primary forms of God. Followers of Hinduism who focus their worship upon Shiva are called Shaivites or Shaivas (Sanskrit Śaiva).<br/><br/> Uma or Parvati (Sanskrit: पार्वती (IAST: Pārvatī)) is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti herself, considered as wife of Shiva, albeit the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Supreme Goddess. Parvati is sometimes considered as the supreme Divine Mother and all other goddesses are referred to as her incarnations or manifestations.