The proud, active, and fluidic body of goddess Uma dancing is the manifestation of her performing the ‘uma tandava.’ As Sivagami, Uma manifests this form of the ‘rudra tandava,’ and complements the supreme celestial dancer Shiva in representing the unity of ‘Purusha’ and ‘Prakriti.’ As the dutiful consort of Shiva, her celestial presence is the ultimate representation of love, fertility, and devotion. To that end, Uma’s right hand is raised in either the gesture of ‘ahaya varada’ or ‘kataka mukha’ – the former gesture beckons the devotee towards the supreme being so that she may bless them, and the latter is the gesture of holding a flower such as a lily or lotus.
The lotus is itself a powerful element in the visual iconography of gods and goddesses of Hinduism – Lakshmi, for example, holds two lotuses signifying purity, the attainment of knowledge, and self-realisation. These attributes are enshrined in our quintessential devi here as well, for she is seen dancing on top of a raised lotus platform. Uma, moreover, is unassertively draped in an inornate diaphanous ‘dhoti’ and beads and tassels over her body. She is humble, yet her ‘tandava roopa’ or form here portrays how powerful she can truly be.
Interestingly, Uma has had several visual manifestations in the ‘madhuchista vidhana’ bronze wax technique, and here we can see her more benevolent form.
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