Major American museums carry Hindu Lord Shiva statues

Nevada (US), Feb 20 (ANI):Most major museums of USA carry statues and other artifacts of Lord Shiva, one of the divine trio of the Hindus-Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, commended American museums carrying Lord Shiva related art objects for giving an opportunity to the world to further explore Hinduism, its objects and its concepts. Art had a long and rich tradition in Hinduism and ancient Sanskrit literature talked about religious paintings of deities on wood or cloth, he added.

Various renowned museums in USA which have reportedly acquired Lord Shiva statues and other artifacts include: Smithsonian in Washington DC (Shiva Vinadhara, ca. 950, bronze), Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York ( Umamaheshvara, 11th century, copper alloy), Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio (Shiva as Brahma, 10-11th century, granite), Dallas Museum of Art in Texas (Shiva Nataraja, 11th century, bronze), Museum of Fine Arts Boston in Massachusetts (Shiva, late 10th century, granulite), Los Angeles County Museum of Art in California (Shiva's Family, 10th century), Philadelphia Museum of Art in Pennsylvania (Shiva as Bhairava, 11-12th century, granitic stone), Art Institute of Chicago in Illinois (Dakshinamurti, 10th century, granite), Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Kansas City in Missouri (Shiva Nataraja, 13th century), etc .

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged major art museums of the world, including Musee du Louvre and Musee d'Orsay of Paris, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Los Angeles Getty Center, Uffizi Gallery of Florence (Italy), Art Institute of Chicago, Tate Modern of London, Prado Museum of Madrid, National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, etc., to frequently organize Hindu art focused exhibitions, thus sharing the rich Hindu art heritage with the rest of the world.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksha (liberation) is its ultimate goal.(ANI)