The goddess Uma, also known as Parvati,
daughter of the mountains, was the consort of
Shiva. When she finally attracted Shiva, after a
long and physically grueling courtship, she
shared with her the secrets of the world, a
conversation that would lead to the dispersal of
this elite knowledge amongst the wise. Shiva’s
exploits were represented on the relief carvings
of Angkor Wat, the center of the Khmer dynasty
and the largest religious monument in the world.
Thus, Uma was a favored goddess of Khmer
artists for her important stature in the Hindu
hierarchy. This extraordinary bronze sculpture
depicts the goddess standing straight, holding a
rolled up scroll in her left hand and the stem of a
fragmented plant in her right. She is adorned by
an elaborate floral diadem and necklace of
pedal-shaped pendants. The intricate carving of
her conical coiffure imitates the form of a lotus
bulb. Her ears droop down to her shoulders
from the weight of her ear ornaments. She wears
two bands high up on her arms, both decorated
with rosettes in the center, and two heavy
anklets just above her feet. Her voluptuous torso
is exposed while a long, pleated sarong covers
her lower body, supported by a belt decorated by
suspended leaf-shaped pendants and two
central rosettes. A slight over-fold wraps around
her waist and a central sash falls in two layers
between her legs, tapering off in a curving
fishtail shape. The sensuous form of the
goddess recalls a timeless beauty. Her
sumptuous jewelry further attests to this
elegance. It is clear from this sculpture why
Shiva, the destroyer and recreator of the
universe, chose to love this woman.
- (FZ.384)
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