The lithograph Shanker by Raja Ravi Varma depicts Lord Shiva seated on a tiger skin at the edge of a hilly mountain, beneath a tree. He has four hands—one raised in Abhaya Mudra (gesture of reassurance), another holding a Trishul (trident), one resting on His lap, and the fourth gently embracing a deer standing beside Him. In front of Him, His loyal bull Nandi and a devoted follower sit in reverence, while snow-capped mountains create a majestic backdrop.

Shiva, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism, is known as Nilakantha, the "blue-throated one," for consuming the deadly poison during the churning of the Milky Ocean. The deer beside Him symbolizes the restless human mind, which must be controlled through wisdom. The tiger skin beneath Him represents the conquest of ego. His Trishul embodies non-attachment, knowledge, and meditation, while He also wields Pinaka, a celestial bow adorned with a serpent. His third eye grants Him the ability to see beyond time—past, present, and future. Seated in divine serenity on Mount Kailash, Lord Shiva extends His blessings and protection to all His devotees.