Lord Shiva to be part of Louvre Abu Dhabi

The iconic Nataraja statue to be among permanent collection of new museum at Saadiyat Island

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ABU DHABI The iconic Louvre Abu Dhabi museum slated to open in 2015 will display a 10th century bronze statue of Hindu deity Lord Shiva, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and Culture has confirmed to XPRESS.

The 86-cm tall lost-wax bronze statue of Lord Shiva in the dancing pose was cast during the Chola Dynasty of South India dating back to the 10th century.

The statue was in the collection of national Gallery of Australia in Canberra till 2009. With the opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi at Saadiyat Island next year, the statue will become part of the $360 million museum’s permanent collection.

The official website of Louvre Abu Dhabi gives a description of the significance of Lord Shiva in his iconic pose as Nataraja or Lord of the Dance, as depicted in the statue. “Shiva is one of the most important Hindu gods, and is traditionally represented in many forms, the best-known of which is the one you can see here, the “Lord of the Dance”.

“Shiva’s extraordinary anatomy actually reveals several symbols of his powers. He is an ambivalent god, both a violent figure and a protective deity, who is responsible for the creation and destruction of the world. So, in his upper right hand, he holds the drum with which he beats out the rhythm for the creation of the universe, and in his upper left hand he holds the flame that destroys it at the end of the cosmic cycle,” reads the description. -gulfnews