This is a wonderful composition of Siva and his family, Parvati, Subramanya and Ganesha. To complete the family picture Rishabha, Siva’s vahana, is in the front facing them.

Siva’s family is the first family of the Hindu Pantheon, and they are the only deities portrayed as a family group.

Siva is holding drum and Trishul in his rear hands. Subramanya’s attributes are not discernible. Ganesha as usual is holding Modak in his left hand.

This bronze is from Kerala, and it is about 10.5 cm in height. This Vigraha may be dated to the seventeenth century or earlier.

There are a few other Siva family Vigraha in this collection. See above. They are from Eastern India (Pala), Central India, Odisha, Maharashtra and Maharashtra (Sadashiva). The Central Indian one features Subramanya as a Cobra. The Maharashtrian ones do not show Subramanya. In that part of the country, women are not allowed to worship Subramanya. Hence Subramanya’s absence.