Shiva 2

If a single icon had to be chosen to represent the extraordinarily rich and complex cultural heritage of India, the Shiva Nataraja might well be the most remunerative candidate. It is such a brilliant iconographic invention that it comes as close to being a summation of the genius of the Indian people as any single icon can.

Other useful links:

• Wikipedia article on Nataraja
• Article and example at the Royal Academy of Arts
• Another example at the Asia Society
• Shiva Nataraja at CERN

Hindu Temples

Mammallapuram (Mahabalipuram) temples

• article at Wikipedia
• article at templenet

Rajararajeshvara Temple (also known as the Brihadishwara Temple) at Thanjavur

• Brihadeeswarar Temple article at Wikipedia
• UNSECO site “Great Living Chola Temples”
• Article at Templenet.com
• Unesco World-Tour images
• Photosynth image mosaic (requires Silverlight)

Kandariya Mahadeva temple

• Dr. Francis Pritchard’s page (Columbia University)
• article at Asian Historical Architecture
• page at Great Buildings Online
• UNESCO world-heritage-tour images
• Photosynth image mosaic

Shiva 1

Shiva Trimurti (Elephanta)

Shiva Mahayogi (Bangalore)

Broad Background:  A good overview of Hinduism at Wikipedia
Details: Wikipedia’s page on Shiva
360 Image:  Shiva Trimurti at the Elephanta Cave Temple, Mumbai 
Wikipedia entry on the Shiva Temple at the Elephanta Caves, Mumbai

Video for Children that describes Shiva & tells some important stories