Pahari painters perfected the art of idealized features quite akin to calendar art of today. Oval faced Shiva here wears an elaborate head ornament and kundala-tatanka in his ears. In between his two finely shaped eyes is the third eye. The three eyes of Shiva represent the sun, moon and fire. Through his three eyes, Shiva can see the three forms of time: past, present and future. The frontal eye, the eye of fire is the eye of higher perception. It looks mainly inwards. When directed outwards, it burns all that appears before it. His two wide open eyes convey meditative peace. Tripundara, the three lined horizontal Shaivaite mark as well as a Chandrabindu adorns his forehead.
The ashen blue Shiva is wreathed with a large serpent. Ruudraksha beads adorn his neck. It is believed that these beads came from the tears of Rudra which he shed on contemplating the end of the world. The snakes around him are shaded and spotted to making them appear realistic and venomous, signifying Shiva's fearlessness. The eyes project a quaint gentle quality, whereas the nostrils and the pressed lips convey strength.
This painting has the intense simplicity of a work of folk art but one executed with the awareness of the style of the Pahari School.
This description by Renu Rana.
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