Shiva as Lord of the Universe in Benares (Kashi Vishvanatha)

This powerful representation of Shiva as the ascetic lord, entwined with protective cobras, has the appearance and presence of a life portrait. It is startlingly naturalistic, and is set with an oval frame, a favored device of late Victorian studio photography. Shiva’s portrait represent him as a handsome north Indian nobleman, sporting a wondrous moustache and pearl ear ornaments. On his forehead is a vertical third eye, and with horizontal double line tilka mark, both affirming his identity. As if asserting the worldly mood of this image, the lime green tilka is set with an engraved gemstone. Shiva’s neck and topknot of braids are entwined with cobras, the traditional guardians of Shiva lingas, especially naturally occurring ones such as towering anthills and landscape elements. He wears the deadly snakes here as ornaments, literally as a snake-garland (sarpamala), and also as a reminder to devotees of Shiva’s role as the swallower of poisons (Vishapraharana). The myth, in which Shiva destroys the dreadful poison emerging from the churning of the cosmic ocean of milk that threatened the world with destruction, is also referenced by the round mark on his throat, reminding devotees that Shiva’s throat turned blue with the power of the venom. He wear a rudraksamala necklace of berry seeds from a tree whose fruit is favored by ascetics for making rosaries. These mala are particularly associated with Shiva and his followers. Finally, from Shiva’s topknot, cascades the mighty river Ganges, alluding to his role as the protector of the earth from the descent of the Ganges (Gangavatarana).