The Hindu deity Shiva in half-male, half-female form (Ardhanari)

The combined form of Shiva and Parvati as Ardhanarishvara (the Lord Who Is Half Female) is a popular subject with several Mithila artists. Here, the right half of the six-armed figure shows Shiva in his male form, and the left half represents the female aspect (note the female face in yellow and the long skirt). In this densely packed painting, Bachha Dai Devi reserves space for four prominent snakes (nagas), a reference to local beliefs in snakes as semidivinities.