Shiva in the Nepal valley is a popular divinity, worshipped by the Newars as the protector of their home and the eternal god- Adideva. Kathmandu Valley boasts many Shaiva shrines, including the powerful Pashupatinath temple, where Shiva resides in one of the most potent forms. This brass Shiva Linga from Nepal is a symbol of Shiva’s timeless reign on the culture of Nepal. Made with ritually sacred brass, the Shiva Lingam has been crafted traditionally, with the Lingam marked with the Tripunda, emerging from the Vedi or base placed on an inverted lotus platform.

The lowermost part of the Lingam has been shaped like a Yantra, adding an element of sacred geometry to the Lingam. A five-hooded serpent shades the Lingam, sculpted in a way that reminds one of dragons, a mythical creature of significance in Buddhism, highlighting the exchange of iconography between Hinduism and Buddhism in Nepalese art. With incised lines, Bilva patra or leaves of Bel tree are etched on the upper part of the Lingam, an imperishable offering of the devoted hands that sculpted the Lingam.