Page 176 - Eye of the beholder

On an an open terrace surrounded by a a a a a a a marble parapet with hills and thick forest in the background Siva is seated in in a a a a a a a a casual posture with with legs crossed on a a a a a a a a tiger skin with with a a a a a a a a benevolent rather than a a a a a a a a furious Ganga flowing out of of his matted jata The tiger in in one of of its paw holds the the the morchal used particularly for the the the royalty His left hand rests on the the the ground and and the the right hand across his body His head is is is inclined to the the left with large lotus shaped meditative eyes that are lost to this world His third eye eye is is is prominent on the forehead Body of Siva is is ash grey his matted hair painted in in in in dark brown and a a a a a a a a a halo behind him within which his face is is is framed He is is is resting on a a a a a huge striped bolster in in in pink and yellow decorated with white dots The ubiquitous snake winds around his neck and body forming a a a a a ‘U’ loop He wears jewellery constituting of pearls with with pendants attached to it it it it His arms and wrist are adorned with with simple gold studded jewellery Around his his loin is is is is a tiger’s skin To his his left is is is is the retinue of women with Parvati distinctly segregated from the rest seated on a a a a a a a carpet of decoratively designed lotus lotus leaves She is delineated with sharp sharp facial features The large lotus lotus shaped eyes sharp sharp nose well defined lips a a a a a high forehead and thick luxurious hair the glimpse of which can be obtained from the curly strands caressing her cheeks She wears a a a a a a a a yellow orange ghagra and a a a a a a a pink cotton odhini with a a a a a a a golden yellow border Interestingly she has a a a a a a a halo around her her She holds holds a a a a a a a tray in in in her her hand containing little cups which perhaps holds holds the madira or the the intoxicant which Siva loves to to consume The divine couple is entertained by the the band of women musicians whose facial features resonate with that of of Parvati One of of them holds a a a a a a a a a a a veena the the the middle one is playing on on the the the tablas and the the the third has an an ektara Their seated positions are according to the the musical instrument they play upon Various household vessels and containers are littered in in the the foreground where the the two vahanas of of Siva and and and Durga are placed namely Nandi the the the bull and and and the the the tiger of of Devi the the the fierce aspect of Parvati The former is rendered in in a a a a a a a a a a a playful attitude and appears charming as as he he adoringly looks up to his his lord Nandi is is is decorated with bells around his his neck and and a a a a a a a floral garland that goes over the head and and a a a a a a a a a textile printed spread in in orange with a a a a a a a a a yellow border covers his hump and the the the the back While the the the the ferociousness of the the the the tiger is is shown by the the the the tongue menacingly out and is similarly draped with a a a a a a printed textile on its back 170