Endocrinology and the arts at the feet of the dancing Lord: Parathyroid hormone resistance in an Indian icon

Abstract

The dance of Siva has a cosmic appeal. Nowhere has this dance been crystallised in its pristine form as in the Nataraja Bronzes from the Chola period. Mysticism surrounds the dancing form of the Nataraja. But does Nataraja dance upon an endocrine mystery. Does the demon under his feet Apasmara literally forgetfulness or epilepsy have an endocrine disorder. The short limbed stocky eye popping dwarf with possible mental retardation with a name that suggests epilepsy throws open a host of endocrine diagnoses. From cretinisim to the original descriptions of pseudohypoparathyroidism here is one view of the medical mystery under Shiva′s dancing feet.

Keywords

• Shiva
• Nataraja
• Apasmara
• epilepsy
• cretinism
• hypoparathyroidism
• pseudohypoparathyroidism