Among the numerous gifts of the southern Indian Chola dynasty to the art world, the Chola bronzes have an extremely exalted status. Infused with sensuality and life, these bronze idols are some of the best works of art in metal. Here, we have a standing Uma or Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva and the mother of all life forms, in bronze. The goddess is standing on a high platform, decorated with lotus petals. On her head is a conical mukut or crown, signifying her divine status. Numerous texts have exhausted themselves in describing the celestial beauty of Uma, the goddess who captured the heart of the ascetic god Shiva. Her eyebrows have been compared to the crescent moon, her eyes like the lotus petals, and her face gleaming like the sun and moon combined.
