Nataraja is a depiction of the god Shiva the cosmic dancer who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for God Brahma to start the process of creation. In this sculpture, Shiva is dancing in an aureole of flames, lifting his leg and balancing over a demon or dwarf (Apasmara) who symbolizes ignorance. It is a well known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture.