Natraj is a depiction of god Shiva as the cosmic dancer who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for the god Brahma to start the process of creation. The sculpture is made in brass, with Shiva dancing in a circle of flames, lifting his left leg (or in rare cases, the right leg) and balancing over a demon or dwarf who symbolizes ignorance. 

The two most common forms of Shiva's dance are the Lasya (the gentle form of dance), associated with the creation of the world, and the Tandava (the violent and dangerous dance), associated with the destruction of weary worldviews - weary perspectives and lifestyles. In essence, the Lasya and the Tandava are just two aspects of Shiva's nature; for he destroys in order to create, tearing down to build again.

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