Nataraj Shiva - Syed Haider Raza - Early Works

In this early piece, Raza evokes the cosmic dance of Nataraj Shiva through a subtle interplay of abstraction and spiritual symbolism. Rather than rendering the figure in a literal form, he uses bold shapes and geometric abstraction to suggest the energy and rhythm of Shiva’s divine dance. The composition feels meditative, with the “bindu” motif — a recurring symbol in Raza’s work — hinting at the seed of creation, the center of the universe, and the unification of the spiritual and material. This painting foreshadows how, throughout his career, Raza would draw from Indian mythological aesthetics to express universal metaphysical truths.

Sayed Haider Raza, “S H Raza” is one of the most respected Modernists of India and is celebrated for his range of styles and the uniqueness of his vision. His early forms reflect a mastery of abstraction and after years of travel, exploration, and experimentation, he returned to Indian visual idioms for inspiration in the late 1970s, culling from tantric imagery. SH Raza looked to forms as the bindu (seminal source of energy), beej (seed), and garbagraha (sanctum sanctorum or hallowed space) for inspiration. Furthermore, he ascribed color with symbolic meaning and transformed local visual traditions into universal yet deeply personal spiritual iconographies.)