CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY

Subject: Parvati: Parvati is the consort of Shiva, here standing in the thrice-bent or tribhanga pose that was preferred by the Chola artists. Her right hand is in kataka mudra; the left arm in lola hasta. The hair is dressed into a high bun. Behind the head there is a flowerlike siras cakra (disc for hanging garlands). Other details include a sacred cord, keyura armlets, makara kundala ear pendants, garlands on both shoulders, and padasaras on the feet. The figure stands on a circular lotus pedestal with holes for fixing the image to a processional carrier.

Subject: Buddha seated: In South India, the Buddhist and Jain faiths were quite vital in the Chola period. Buddhist monasteries attracted donations of individual images of the Buddha and Buddhist deities. The early arrival of Buddhism in south India is evident from the ancient Buddhist monastic sites that dot Godavari and Krishna basins of the Andhra region as well as literary sources. However with the upsurge of Shaiva nayanmars and the Vaishnava alvars, the power of Buddhists greatly reduced. Buddhism received new impetus during the eleventh century partly because of the arrival of a colony of Buddhists from the kingdom of Shrivijaya in Indonesia. This is a seated figure of Buddha in dhyani-mudra (contemplation gesture). The robes cover only one shoulder.

Subject: Bhairavi, standing; this sculpture was brought by Rajendra Chola I to Gangaikondacholapuram from the the Kalinga region (northern part of present-day Odisha) as a war trophy

Subject: Brahma seated: Brahma is in charge of carrying out the work of creation. In this sculpture he has the attributes associated with his priestly appearance, the prayer beads and the kamandalu or ritual water jar and his matted dreadlocks are piled on his head. Four arms connote superhuman power, and four heads convey the idea that his creative activities spread in all four directions. Brahma featured regularly in one of the three central niches on the exterior sanctum walls of the earliest Chola temples.

Subject: Brick from Maligaimedu Chola Palace (set of 2 large bricks and 7 smaller bricks)

Subject: Visnu, standing, front and back views. From the time of the devotional poet-saints through the Chola period, temples became an increasingly prominent part of the Tamil religious landscape. The scale of annual festivals also expanded greatly in Chola times. With this development, the demand for processional icons also increased. Bronze images of Vishnu were the first Hindu metal images being produced toward the end of the Pallava period (750-850 CE). Here, Vishnu the Preserver is most often portrayed holding the militant attributes that symbolize his protective role. Here he holds a chakra (war discus) in his upper right hand and a shankha (conch battle trumpet) in his upper left. His lower left hand makes the gesture of resting on a gada (mace), while his lower right hand is held in abhayamudra (the gesture that allays fear). The image included both front and back views of the sculpture.

Subject: Candikesvara: An interesting facet of Hinduism on the Tamil-speaking region of south India is the emphasis given to the worship of sixty-three Shaiva saints called nayanmars. The Shaiva saints who lived between the sixth and ninth centuries, were part of a community of holy persons who travelled together across the Tamil countryside, stopping to sing the glories of the deity enshrines at each temple. Through the hymns of the saints, the figure of the distant godhead was humanized. Candikesvara, born as Vicharasarman, was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva when he was a boy. Each day as he tended his cows, he would use some of the milk for ritual lustration of a mud linga that he worshipped devoutly. Candikesvara's father reproached Candikesvara for the misuse of the milk and in anger kicked the mud linga. Candikesvara lashed out with his cowherd staff which miraculously turned into Shiva?s sacred axe, felling his father to the ground. This spur of the moment reaction pleased Shiva immensely and he made Candikesvara the principal guardian of Shiva?s properties. During the Chola period, Candikesvara acquired a new role as guardian and supervisor of Shiva temples. As Chola monarchs started to convert, a supervising agent was needed to ensure the sanctity of the shrine. Therefore an image of Candikesvara as divine supervisor was placed within the grounds of the Shiva temple. Additionally the Chola rulers perhaps identified themselves with the devotee. The saint is shown seated on a horizontal base in the lalitasana posture. His right hand holds an axe.

Subject: Brahma: Brahma is in charge of carrying out the work of creation. In this sculpture he has the attributes associated with his priestly appearance, the prayer beads and the kamandalu or ritual water jar and his matted dreadlocks are piled on his head. Four arms connote superhuman power, and four heads convey the idea that his creative activities spread in all four directions. Brahma featured regularly in one of the three central niches on the exterior sanctum walls of the earliest Chola temples.

Subject: Vishnu: From the time of the devotional poet-saints through the Chola period, temples became an increasingly prominent part of the Tamil religious landscape. The scale of annual festivals also expanded greatly in Chola times. With this development, the demand for processional icons also increased. Bronze images of Vishnu were the first Hindu metal images being produced toward the end of the Pallava period (750-850 CE). The two rear hands of the sculpted image that usually bear a conch and a discus are now broken.

Subject: Vimana of Padmaprabha, Vasupujya and Vardhamana shrines (L to R). The Vardhamana shrine probably came into existence between the reigns of Rajendra Chola I (1012-1044 CE) and Kulottunga I (1070-1120 CE). It may have been built of sandstone but the original structure has fallen from dilapidation. The Vasupujya shrine has a granite plinth.

Subject: Rajapradhani-Brahmadhirajan: The figure is probably a portrait of Brahmana chief who served the Chola monarch as an army commander. He is sparsely dressed with little jewelry on his body and his hands clasped in front carrying a chaplet of flowers. It is known that many Brahmanas served as commanders of the imperial army, especially under Rajaraja I, Rajendra I and his successors, distinguishing themselves in every war. They were given the title Brahmadhirya, king among Brahmanas. This image belongs to the period of Rajaraja I, and is an excellent example of Chola portraiture, of several other examples are known, most of these being set up in the temples as devotees. This is the view of the back of the image.

Subject: Parvati, back: Parvati is the consort of Shiva, here standing in the thrice-bent or tribhanga pose that was preferred by the Chola artists. Her right hand is in kataka mudra; the left arm in lola hasta. The hair is dressed into a high bun. Behind the head there is a flowerlike siras cakra (disc for hanging garlands). Other details include a sacred cord, keyura armlets, makara kundala ear pendants, a long plait of hair extending below the right shoulder, garlands on both shoulders, and padasaras on the feet. The figure stands on a circular lotus pedestal with holes for fixing the image to a processional carrier. 

Subject: Devi of Shiva as Vrishabha Vahana Deva, detail: Parvati is the consort of Shiva, here standing in the thrice-bent or tribhanga pose that was preferred by the Chola artists. Her right hand is in kataka mudra; the left arm in lola hasta. The hair is dressed into a high bun. Behind the head there is a flowerlike siras cakra (disc for hanging garlands). Other details include a sacred cord, keyura armlets, makara kundala ear pendants and padasaras on the feet. The figure stands on a circular lotus pedestal with holes for fixing the image to a processional carrier. 

Subject: Brick from Maligaimedu Chola Palace (set of 2 large bricks and 7 smaller bricks)

Subject: Buddha: In South India, the Buddhist and Jain faiths were quite vital in the Chola period. Buddhist monasteries attracted donations of individual images of the Buddha and Buddhist deities. The early arrival of Buddhism in south India is evident from the ancient Buddhist monastic sites that dot Godavari and Krishna basins of the Andhra region as well as literary sources. However with the upsurge of Shaiva nayanmars and the Vaishnava alvars, the power of Buddhists greatly reduced. Buddhism received new impetus during the eleventh century partly because of the arrival of a colony of Buddhists from the kingdom of Shrivijaya in Indonesia. In this image of Buddha, he has a serenely elegant face and elongated ear lobes, stands erect with his right hand raised in the abhaya gesture of protection and his left lowered in the varada gesture of wish granting. His head is covered with tiny curls, and rising from the top of the head in a stylized flame, characteristic of south Indian images of Buddha. His monastic robe covers his shoulders and the scalloped folds along its lower outer edges is a feature that becomes highly pronounced from the twelfth century onwards. Chola Buddhist bronzes are portable images intended for processional festivities as is evident from the holes in the Buddha's circular lotus pedestal intended to help hoist the image and the ceremonial aspects of Hindu and Buddhist images overlapped considerably. This is the front and the back view of the image.

Subject: Bhairavi, standing; this sculpture was brought by Rajendra Chola I to Gangaikondacholapuram from the the Kalinga region (northern part of present-day Odisha) as a war trophy

Subject: Rajapradhani-Brahmadhirajan: The figure is probably a portrait of Brahmana chief who served the Chola monarch as an army commander. He is sparsely dressed with little jewelry on his body and his hands clasped in front carrying a chaplet of flowers. It is known that many Brahmanas served as commanders of the imperial army, especially under Rajaraja I, Rajendra I and his successors, distinguishing themselves in every war. They were given the title Brahmadhirya, king among Brahmanas. This image belongs to the period of Rajaraja I, and is an excellent example of Chola portraiture, of several other examples are known, most of these being set up in the temples as devotees. This is the view of the back of the image.

Subject: Inscription, praise or prashasti of King Rajendra Chola I

Subject: Somaskanda: Somaskanda is the term used to describe a composition that depicts Shiva and his consort Parvati seated on a throne with their infant son Skanda between them. The four-armed Shiva holds a battle-ax and a deer in his upper hands. His lower right hand is raised in abhayamudra (the gesture of fearlessness). Parvati sits turned towards Shiva. Her left hand bestows grace using the varada-mudra. This subject was especially popular in shrines of the Pallava period (300-850 CE), and continued to be so in the Chola period (850-1267 CE). Both figures have a projecting disc (siras cakra) at the back of their heads. This was used for hanging garlands during pujas (worship) and processions. Four rings at the lower corners of the pedestal allowed the sculpture to be secured to a platform in order to be carried in processions. The Saiva Siddhanta system as developed in the Tamil land lays great emphasis on the concept of Ammai and Appan (i.e., Mother and Father) for Shiva and Parvati. A large number of Somaskanda images exist, in apart because a range of Agamic texts specify that if a temple does not possess the exact image required for a specific ritual procession, Somaskanda bronze can be used as a substitute.

Subject: Parvati: Parvati is the consort of Shiva, here standing in the thrice-bent or tribhanga pose that was preferred by the Chola artists. Her right hand is in kataka mudra; the left arm in lola hasta. The hair is dressed into a high bun. Behind the head there is a flowerlike siras cakra (disc for hanging garlands). Other details include a sacred cord, keyura armlets, makara kundala ear pendants, garlands on both shoulders, and padasaras on the feet. The figure stands on a circular lotus pedestal with holes for fixing the image to a processional carrier. 

Subject: Devi of Shiva as Vrishabha Vahana Deva, detail. Parvati is the consort of Shiva, here standing in the thrice-bent or tribhanga pose that was preferred by the Chola artists. Her right hand is in kataka mudra; the left arm in lola hasta. The hair is dressed into a high bun. Behind the head there is a flowerlike siras cakra (disc for hanging garlands). Other details include a sacred cord, keyura armlets, makara kundala ear pendants and padasaras on the feet. The figure stands on a circular lotus pedestal with holes for fixing the image to a processional carrier. This is the back view of the image.

Subject: Buddha seated: In South India, the Buddhist and Jain faiths were quite vital in the Chola period. Buddhist monasteries attracted donations of individual images of the Buddha and Buddhist deities. The early arrival of Buddhism in south India is evident from the ancient Buddhist monastic sites that dot Godavari and Krishna basins of the Andhra region as well as literary sources. However with the upsurge of Shaiva nayanmars and the Vaishnava alvars, the power of Buddhists greatly reduced. Buddhism received new impetus during the eleventh century partly because of the arrival of a colony of Buddhists from the kingdom of Shrivijaya in Indonesia. This is a seated figure of Buddha in dhyani-mudra (contemplation gesture). The robes cover only one shoulder.

Subject: Later Chola inscription

Subject: Bhadrakali; this sculpture was brought by Rajendra Chola I to Gangaikondacholapuram from the the Kalinga region (northern part of present-day Odisha) as a war trophy