Intricate wooden work is the image of the divine couple Hara (Shiva) and Parvati, made by expert artisans of the Sutradhar tribe in Assam. The sculpture is mounted on a semicircular-shaped pedestal, which is a realization of stability and completeness in divine union.The male figure Hara is white, depicting ideals like purity, asceticism, and transcendence. The head bears a half-moon, the traditional emblem of Lord Shiva, which is time, immortality, and cosmic rhythm. Light shade of yellow, contrastingly, is painted on Parvati, standing for fertility, energy, and kindness.The effigy stands as the testimony of craft and spirituality behind the Sutradhar tribe, thus merging aesthetic activity with heritage sustenance. Painting with natural colors and carving that single block of wood into the statue manifests the tribes' sustainable attitude towards art and holistic significance.
Standing next to him is Parvati, his feminine counterpart, buoyant in a yellow hue indicating fertility, energy, prosperity, and devotion. Her poise and expression exude the nurturing grace of divine femininity; thus completing the image of cosmic duality-the male and the female, the ascetic and the domestic, the destroyer and the nurturer. The Sutradhars, traditionally known for temple building and carving, have from times immemorial preserved this knowledge. Their woodwork is often concerned with mythology and even relates to the culture itself in a style that banters about with symbols and is rendered with vibrant natural dyes. As much as there is a religious aspect embedded in this effigy, it is also a prime example of the preservation of elements belonging to intangible cultural heritage and the worldview characteristics that define the tribe in terms of nature and spirituality. Such effigies are placed in temples, home shrines, or community altars during religious festivals, rituals, and storytelling performances. Locally available wood and natural pigments highlight the fact that the Sutradhars hold their surroundings with utmost regard and carry out sustainable practices in their art making.