Devi Parvati-Uma, Shiva’s beloved wife and the mother of the Universe is seen in South Indian Shaiva shrines alongside her husband as “Shivakami”- the one who is desired by Shiva. In this stately Uma bronze statue, the femininity of Devi achieves its zenith, the icon being one of the most pristine examples of female iconography in Indian art traditions.
Devi Parvati is adorned with a regal high-raising crown that highlights the glory that emanates from her visage. She wears an Ekavali- a single-stringed necklace, armlets, and bangles and a thick Yajnopavita runs across her torso. Elegance and beauty of ornamentation can be seen in the girdle that holds the goddess’s dhoti and is embellished with a series of jeweled chains and Makara motifs that add elaboration to the lower half of this Uma bronze statue.
A lovely polish on the bronze surface and the use of different kinds of incised lines to delineate Devi Parvati’s persona and attire in this Uma bronze icon are awe-inspiring. The triple-bent “Tribhanga” posture of the goddess is tastefully manifested, its grace enhanced by the ease visible in her lithe arms- the left one on her side in the Lolahastha mudra, and the right one raised in the Katakhastha mudra, meant to hold the floral offering made to the ever-blossoming goddess Shivakami.
Four lines carved in the torso of this bronze Uma statue are characteristic Chola bronze features, used to depict flesh folds. Similar attention to detailing is to be observed in Devi Parvati’s countenance, where elaborate descriptions of the beauty of Uma are rendered in Panchaloha medium to create this masterpiece Uma bronze icon.
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