Arati Mirji shared a bit about the symbolism behind her creation for the July/August 2016 Painted Cakes issue.

This painting is a reproduction of the frescos depicting mythology and legends, which are drawn on the walls of temples and churches in South India, principally in the state of Kerala. The icon represents the interdependence and union of feminine and masculine energies in recreation and regeneration of all life. In Indian art, this vision of ideal couple is derived from Shiva and Parvati as being half of the other, represented as Ardhanarishwara.

Shiva is a Hindu God – the destroyer, recycler and regenerator of universe and all life and Parvati is the Hindu goddess of fertility, love and devotion as well as of divine strength and power.

The couple jointly symbolise at once both the power of renunciation and asceticism and the blessings of marital felicity.

Some of the iconographic attributes of Shiva have been represented here-the third eye on his forehead, the Trishula (or Trident) as his weapon and the Damaru (or 2-headed drum) as his musical instrument.”