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Mumbai's Rough-Hewn Legacy April 4, 2007
text and photographs by Samir S. Patel

Ancient caves are part of the fabric of life in a megacity's suburban slums.

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Mandapeshwar's other surviving sculptural panel, in the right alcove, depicts the Natraja, or dancing Shiva, symbolizing the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction. The figure is flanked by Shiva's consort Parvati, the central of the three female forms at the lower right; a drummer providing music for the dance at lower left; and Shiva's elephant-headed son Ganesh, at middle left with a tiny yellow and green garland and red sindhoor paste. It is not known why this panel has survived.  Next >>


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Samir S. Patel is an associate editor at ARCHAEOLOGY.

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© 2007 by the Archaeological Institute of America
archive.archaeology.org/online/features/mandapeshwar/

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