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Alade
and
the
Cosmic
Vibration
Cover
image
Yemi
Alade's
stance
in
this
picture,
complemented
by
the
dynamic
configuration
of
her
hairstyle,
in
harmony
with
the
elegant
glow
of
her
form,
epitomizes
the
combination
of
power,
grace,
beauty
and
erotic
allure
that
shapes
her
performance
at
its
most
potent.
Image
from
"Yemi
Alade:
Our
Celebrity
Fashion
Styles
Crush
for
the
Week"
by
Kate
Joseph
at
JeekStyle.
Summary
An
appreciation
of
Nigerian
singer
and
dancer
Yemi
Alades
music
video
Johnny,
in
relation
to
the
Hindu
image
of
Shiva,
the
cosmic
dancer,
and
the
associated
concept
of
Spanda,
cosmic
rhythm,
enriched
by
images
from
the
video,
Hindu
art
and
Hindu
literature.
Shiva
Nataraja,
the
Cosmic
Dancer
One
of
the
most
comprehensive
bodies
of
religious
thought
and
practice
is
Hinduism.
A
central
figure
in
that
scope
is
the
figure
of
the
God
Shiva
and
most
iconic
of
the
various
images
of
Shiva
is
the
picture
of
him
as
Nataraja,
the
cosmic
dancer
who
dances
the
cosmos
into
existence,
sustains
it
through
the
rhythm
of
his
dance
and
dances
it
out
of
existence,
in
a
continuous
cycle,
Shiva's
dance
of
cosmic
creation
and
his
dance
of
cosmic
destruction
being
key
forms
of
Indian
dance,
the
various
postures
that
constitute
these
dances
identified,
numbered,
named
and
represented
in
art.
Landmarks
in
the
elucidation
of
the
universal
significance
of
this
image
are
represented
by
Ananda
Coomaraswamy's"The
Dance
of
Siva",
1918,
which
introduced
the
world
to
the
evocative
range
of
the
figure,
describing
it
as
"a
synthesis
of
science,
religion
and
art...a
key
to
the
complex
tissue
of
life,
a
theory
of
nature
[reconciling
]
Time
with
Eternity
[
ensuring
that,
as
]
explorers
of
the
infinitely
great
and
infinitely
small,
we
are
worshipers
of
Nataraja
still".
Fritjof
Capra's
The
Tao
of
Physics
:
An
Exploration
of
the
Parallels
Between
Modern
Physics
and
Eastern
Mysticism
,
1975,
expands
the
ideational
resonance
initiated
by
Coomaraswamy,
interpreting
the
icon
in
terms
of
contemporary
physics,
describing
the
dance
of
Shiva
as
"the
ceaseless
flow
of
energy
going
through
an
infinite
variety
of
patterns
that
melt
into
one
another".
This
orientation
is
also
projected
by
Carl
Sagan
in
Cosmos
:
The
Story
of
Cosmic
Evolution,
Science
and
Civilisation,
1980,
depicting
the
picture
of
the
cosmos
undergoing
cycles
of
creation
and
destruction
as
visualized
in
the
dance
of
Shiva
as
foreshadowing
the
speculation
in
modern
scientific
cosmology
of
the
span
of
existence
of
the
universe
as
possibly
constituted
by
a
sequence
of
expansion
and
contraction.
The
widespread
impact
of
these
correlations
is
reflected
in
the
instillation
of
a
Shiva
Nataraja
statue
in
the
grounds
Previous
image
Shiva
Nataraja,
the
cosmic
dancer,
each
gesture
of
hands
and
feet,
each
object
held
in
his
hands,
each
form
in
the
entire
image,
suggesting
an
aspect
of
the
creative,
sustaining
and
destructive
dynamism
of
the
cosmos
enabled
by
Shiva.
"Shiva's
cosmic
dance
sets
in
motion
the
rhythm
of
[
cosmic
creation,
sustenance,
destruction
and
recreation]
the
[
cosmos]
symbolized
by
the
ring
of
fire
that
is
filled
with
the
loose,
snakelike
locks
of
the
god's
hair.
One
pair
of
his
arms
balances
the
flame
of
destruction
and
the
hand
drum
(damaru)
that
beats
the
rhythm
of
[
creation
]
while
another
performs
symbolic
gestures:
the
raised
right
hand
means
"fear
not,"and
the
left
hand
(gajahasta)
pointing
down
toward
his
raised
left
foot
signifies
release
from
the
ignorance
that
hinders
realization
of
the
ultimate
reality.
Shiva
is
shown
perfectly
balanced,
with
his
right
leg
planted
on
the
demon
of
darkness
(apasmara),stamping
out
ignorance.
The
tiny
figure
of
the
personified
river
goddess,
Ganga,
is
caught
up
in
his
matted
flowing
locks.
...Shiva
[
is
described
as
breaking
]
the
fall
of
the
great
Ganges
[holy]
River
as
it
descends
from
the
Himalayas
by
standing
beneath
the
waters,
which
divide
over
his
hair,
becoming
the
seven
holy
rivers
of
India".
Text
source:
"Shiva
as
Lord
of
the
Dance
(Nataraja),
Chola
period,
c.
10th/11th
century
Bronze".
Art
Institute,
Chicago.
Image
source
unknown.
10
11
Image
on
Previous
Page
Marble
Ardhanari
by
Balan
Arimuvani
at
Lotus
Sculpture
The
totality
of
Shiva
is
inconceivable
without
the
perception
of
the
masculine/feminine
unity,
the
Shiva/Shakti
matrix
embodied
as
Ardhanarishvara,
both
voluptuous
and
dynamic
in
dance.
Yemi
Alade's
choreography
combines
the
masculine
force
suggested
by
the
downward
thrusting
clenched
fists,
synchronizing
with
the
face
strained
in
concentration,
visible
in
Johnnyat
3
:
02,
the
power
of
the
contracted
fists
raised
like
a
battle
cry
in
3
:15-16,
3
:
18
and
5
:05-
6,
the
crossed
fists
held
like
staffs
of
office
at
4
:
28,
these
projections
of
force
synchronized
with
legs
positioned
wide
and
steady
as
if
to
control
the
earth
or
with
flashing
thighs,
evoking
stoked
up
fires
as
the
erotic
is
transmuted
into
art.
Description
of
Marble
Ardhanari
by
Balan
Arimuvani
at
Lotus
Sculpture.
"This
encaptivating
Adhanari
sculpture
won
the
prestigious
Poombuhar
Handicraft
award
for
best
sculpture
in
the
state
of
Tamil
Nadu
2004-2005.
It
has
both
power
and
feminine
aspects
associated
with
Ardhanari,
the
synthesis
of
Shiva
and
Parvati.
Ardhanari's
face
is
sublime!
Beauty
just
pulsates
from
the
expression.
Ardhanari
stares
down
with
a
passive
aloofness
of
a
god.
Shiva
is
depicted
on
the
right
side
and
Parvati
on
the
left.
Shiva
is
holding
a
noose
and
a
trident
while
Parvati
holds
a
lotus
flower.
Over
Ardhanari's
head
is
a
cobra.
To
the
right
of
Ardhanari
is
a
female
attendant.
Carved
into
the
base
is
half
the
face
of
a
Nandi,
Shiva's
bull,
and
a
lion
which
is
the
vehicle
of
Parvati.
The
entire
sculpture
is
carved
from
one
piece
of
black
marble.
The
entire
piece
of
marble
is
affixed
to
a
block
of
wood.
The
statue
is
carved
from
one
piece
of
marble.
The
marble
is
very
unique
with
large
veins
of
orange
towards
the
top
of
the
sculpture.
The
natural
colors
of
the
marble
actually
add
to
the
power
of
the
overall
sculpture.
This
stunning
Ardhanari
sculpture
is
a
one
of
kind
marble
statue,
hand-carved
by
the
artists
of
southIndia.
The
black
marble,
called
sange-rathek,
is
found
in
Jhansi,
in
the
state
of
Bihar,
India.
The
stone
is
known
for
its
wonderful
deep
black/blue
color
and
the
colored
purple
and
yellow
veins
that
flow
through
the
stone.
Looking
into
a
piece
of
sange-rathek
is
like
staring
into
deep
space
and
seeing
distant
galaxies.
It
is
a
very
unique
and
wonderful
stone.
Sculpture
is
very
rare
to
find
in
this
stone
because
there
are
seldom
pieces
of
raw
stone
large
enough
to
accommodate
a
full-sized
sculpture"-from
Lotus
Sculpture.
12
"Only
if
conjoint
with
Shakti
(Thyself),would
Shiva
earn
the
privilege
to
become
overlord;
otherwise
the
God
is
not
even
able
to
stir.
While
so,
how
dares
one,
who
has
acquired
no
merit,
either
salute
or
praise
You
(
O
Goddess!
)
who
are
worthy
of
being
adored
even
by
Hari,
Hara,
Virinca
and
others?"
-
Soundarya-lahari
:
Ocean
of
Beauty
[
by]
Sri
Samkara-
Bhagavat-
Pada,
translation
and
commentary
by
Subrahmanya
Sastri
and
Srinivasa
Ayyangar.
Stanza
1.
"I
salute
the
Goddess
(Apara)...who
resides
in
the
body
of
the
dancing
Bhairava
[
a
fierce
form
of
Shiva]
and
plays
within
it
like
a
lightning
flash
in
a
sky
covered
with
storm
clouds"
-
Tantraloka,
Light
on
the
Tantras
by
Abhinavagupta.
Translated
by
Mark
Dyzkowski.
Book
1.
Stanza
3.
Image
source
"Yemi
Alade
and
Her
African
Prints
in
Music
Videos"
by
Marija@Afrodable,
July
3,
2015
in
Afrodable
:
Around
and
About
Fashion.
13
14
Ardhanarishvara
dancing
Image
source
ExoticIndia
Art
15
16
17
18