The beautiful Kalamkari painting depicts the Lord Shiva (Nataraj Shiva) performing his cosmic dance in a most prolific manner. Nataraja (The King of Dance) is the dancing posture of the Shiva, who performs his divine dance as a part of his divine duties of creation and destruction. The Lord Shiva is shown dancing in a circle of flames, lifting his left leg and balancing over a demon or dwarf (Apasmara) who symbolizes ignorance. It is a well-known scultptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture. A specific hand gesture (mudra) is used to hold the drum. It symbolizes sound originating Creation.

As the Lord of Dance, Nataraja, Shiva performs the tandava, the dance in which the universe is created, maintained, and resolved. Shiva's long, matted tresses, usually piled up in a knot, loosen during the dance and crash into the heavenly bodies, knocking them off course or destroying them utterly. In his ten different hands, the Lord is holding ten different weapons. He is wearing some beautiful ornaments and drapery.