c. 1840

Preparing Shiva's Drink

Shiva and his wife, Parvati, sit near each other yet they are separated by the jeweled tree in the background. With her head bent, Parvati embodies the role of a devotee. This composition achieves a sense of symmetry by including another divine worshiper, further diminishing the goddess’s position. Shiva is a wandering, solitary ascetic and here Parvati assists in preparing bhang, a hallucinogenic drink made from cannabis, with the small fire, vessel, and other items placed before him.