Nataraja

Uncommon card · No. 96982

Nataraja (Sanskrit: नटराज, IAST: Naṭarāja; Tamil: நடராஜர், Naṭarājar), also known as Adalvallan (ஆடல்வல்லான், Ādalvallāṉ), is a depiction of Shiva, one of the main deities in Hinduism, as the divine cosmic dancer. His dance is called the tandava. The pose and artwork are described in many Hindu texts such as the Tevaram and Thiruvasagam in Tamil and the Amshumadagama and Uttarakamika agama in Sanskrit and the Grantha texts. The depiction (murti) of his dance is featured in all major Hindu temples of Shaivism, and is a well-known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture, as one of the finest illustrations of Hindu art. Stone reliefs at the Ellora Caves and the Badami Caves, by around the 6th century, are among the oldest Nataraja sculptures in India. Chola bronze statues emerge in Tamil Nadu around the 8th to 10th century. Nataraja reliefs have been found in many parts of South East Asia such as Angkor Wat and in Bali, Cambodia, and Central Asia.

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