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Hindu
Sculptures of god Lord Shiv is one of the principal
deities of Hinduism. Shiva is one of the six primary
forms of the Divine in Smartism, a denomination of
Hinduism that puts particular emphasis on six deities,
the other five being Vishnu, Shakti, Ganesha, Kartikkeya
and Surya. Shiva is also known as the destroyer or
transformer in the Hindu trinity. Shiva is usually
worshipped as the Shiva linga. In images, he is
generally represented as immersed in deep meditation or
dancing the Tandava upon the demon of ignorance in his
manifestation of Nataraja, the lord of the dance.
The stone
carving tradition in India is one of the richest in the
world. Stone carving is an ancient activity where pieces
of rough natural stone are shaped by the controlled
removal of stone. Art of Stone Statues and Collectibles
is the poetic expression of stone craft. Sculptures of
Hindu deities, modelled on classical prototypes,
continue to be made in many parts of India. In Tamilnadu
such sculptures are made in granite. In Karnataka,
exquisite figures carved in relief in black stone, with
details engraved in fine lines, come out in greyish-
white against the black surface. Softer stones are used
in Orissa, which are easy to carve. The fully carved
jali-worked, in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, are most
intricately done. The artisans in Gujarat are engaged in
the art of cutting and polishing semi-precious stones.
One can see the life like images being skillfully
sculptured in different varieties of stone across the
state. In Jaipur, white marble is used for carving out
statues of gods and goddesses as well as animal and
human figures.
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