CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY

Subject: Nataraja, back: The Shiva Nataraja combines Shiva's roles as creator, preserver, and destroyer of the universe in a single image and conveys the notion of never-ending cycle of time. Although it appeared in sculpture as early as the fifth century, its present, world-famous form evolved under the rule of the Cholas. Shiva is shown dancing within a flaming halo (prabha mandala) which represents Time and which is shown as a circle to symbolize it cyclic nature. Shiva holds in his upper right hand the damaru (hand drum that made the first sounds of creation). His upper left hand holds agni (the fire that will destroy the universe). With his lower right hand, he makes abhayamudra (the gesture that allays fear). The dwarfish figure being trampled by his right foot represents Apasmara Purusha (illusion, which leads mankind astray). The dance that Shiva is performing is the Tandava. This is the back view of the image.

Subject: Vishnu, seated

Subject: Yashoda with Krishna: Vasudeva, a mythological king, had several wives including Rohini and Devaki. After Devaki's wedding, her brother Kamsa had a premonition that her eighth son would kill him. Kamsa killed Devaki's first six children and during Devakai's seventh pregnancy, Vishnu transferred the embryo to Rohini?s womb in order to prevent the child?s murder and when the child was born it was called Balarama. Then Vishnu allowed himself to be conceived in Devaki and the Goddess of Sleep and Night to be conceived in Yashoda, wife of the cowherd Nanda, both of whom looked after Rohini in their country retreat. Vishnu was now Devakai's eighth son whom Kamsa had sworn to kill. By his power, Vishnu arranged that Devaki and Yashoda give birth at the same time so at the time of the birth the babies could be exchanged. Thus Vishnu was born as Krishna and was brought up by Yashoda and Nanda and Vasudeva and Devaki pretended that their eighth child was a daughter.

Subject: Yashoda with Krishna: Vasudeva, a mythological king, had several wives including Rohini and Devaki. After Devaki's wedding, her brother Kamsa had a premonition that her eighth son would kill him. Kamsa killed Devaki?s first six children and during Devakai's seventh pregnancy, Vishnu transferred the embryo to Rohini?s womb in order to prevent the child?s murder and when the child was born it was called Balarama. Then Vishnu allowed himself to be conceived in Devaki and the Goddess of Sleep and Night to be conceived in Yashoda, wife of the cowherd Nanda, both of whom looked after Rohini in their country retreat. Vishnu was now Devakai's eighth son whom Kamsa had sworn to kill. By his power, Vishnu arranged that Devaki and Yashoda give birth at the same time so at the time of the birth the babies could be exchanged. Thus Vishnu was born as Krishna and was brought up by Yashoda and Nanda and Vasudeva and Devaki pretended that their eighth child was a daughter. This is the back view of the image.

Subject: Shivakamasundari: Parvati stands on a lotus pedestal over a square Bhadra Sana, has a karandamakuta (crown resembling a basket) on her head. She wears makara kundalas in her ears. Her left hand is in lolasana (pendant pose).

Subject: Subrahmanya: Skanda as Subrahmanya is the South Indian god of war. Skanda has one head and four arms, holding ritual weapons-head of a spear and a thunderbolt in his upper hands. The lower two hands are held in abhaya (gesture of fearlessness) and varada (favorable mudra) mudra.

Subject: Subrahmanya: Skanda as Subrahmanya is the South Indian god of war. Skanda has one head and four arms, holding ritual weapons-head of a spear and a thunderbolt in his upper hands. The lower two hands are held in abhaya (gesture of fearlessness) and varada (favorable mudra) mudra. This is the back view of the sculpted image.

Subject: Sridevi: The figure is a representation of Goddess Sri, the consort of Lord Vishnu distinguished by her breast band. She stands with her left leg slightly flexed; this causes her right hip to sway and is known as the abhanga pose. Sridevi wears a striped and patterned lower garment that drapes around her legs. This figure of Sridevi is affixed to a circular lotus pedestal, which was cast as one piece. The pedestal is mounted onto a rectangular base that has two prongs to enable this figure to be carried during ceremonial or religious processions.

Subject: Bhudevi: One of Vishnu's consorts is Bhudevi or Goddess Earth, also known as Bhu Lakshmi, whom he rescued from the depths of the cosmic ocean in his incarnation as the great boar, Varaha.

Subject: Bhudevi: One of Vishnu's consorts is Bhudevi or Goddess Earth, also known as Bhu Lakshmi, whom he rescued from the depths of the cosmic ocean in his incarnation as the great boar, Varaha. This is the back view of the sculpted image.

Subject: Vishnu's Yoga Narasimha form: The Agamas prescribing the worship of Vishnu, speak of four types of images, made to suit the different requirements of the devotees. They are - Yoga murti (the image of bestowal of Yoga), Bhoga murti (the image for bestowing pleasure and prosperity), Vira murti (the image for the instilling heroism) and Abhicarika murti (the image for destroying the enemies). There has been a preference in the south for the Yoga form of Narasimha and is found in large numbers in stone and metal. In the layout of temples, the Yoga Narasimha is found in the neck (griva) portion of the temples including Shiva temples. Vishnu?s fourth incarnation, as man-lion Narasimha, revolves around King Hiranyakashipu, who had received a boon from Brahma by which he could be killed neither by day nor night, not through the use of any known weapon. In this invincible position, his power rivaled and threatened that of the gods, who appealed to Vishnu for help. Vishnu took a form that was neither man nor beast, raised him up into the air (neither earth nor heaven) at the moment of dusk (neither night nor day) and tore him with his lion claws (not a conventional weapon). This image portrays Narasimha seated with a yoga band around his knees; two front hands in the position of quiet meditation and two rear hands display Vishnu?s attributes of discus and conch shell.

Subject: Vishnu's Yoga Narasimha form: The Agamas prescribing the worship of Vishnu, speak of four types of images, made to suit the different requirements of the devotees. They are - Yoga murti (the image of bestowal of Yoga), Bhoga murti (the image for bestowing pleasure and prosperity), Vira murti (the image for the instilling heroism) and Abhicarika murti (the image for destroying the enemies). There has been a great preference in the south for the Yoga form of Narasimha, found in large numbers in stone and metal. In the layout of temples, the Yoga Narasimha is found in the neck (griva) portion of the temples including Shiva temples. Vishnu?s fourth incarnation, as man-lion Narasimha, revolves around King Hiranyakashipu, who had received a boon from Brahma by which he could be killed neither by day nor night, not through the use of any known weapon. In this invincible position, his power rivaled and threatened that of the gods, who appealed to Vishnu for help. Vishnu took a form that was neither man nor beast, raised him up into the air (neither earth nor heaven) at the moment of dusk (neither night nor day) and tore him with his lion claws (not a conventional weapon). This image portrays Narasimha seated with a yoga band around his knees; two front hands in the position of quiet meditation and two rear hands display Vishnu?s attributes of discus and conch shell. This is the back view of the image.

Subject: Parvati

Subject: Nagini: A female deity that takes the form of a serpent.

Subject: Vishnu, seated

Subject: Vrishabha Vahana Deva: In the Vrishabha Vahana Deva form, Shiva grants boon to the devotee and appears in the company of the bull Nandi. Shiva stands with the weight of his body thrown on the left leg, right leg carried gracefully. He wears a short undergarment, fastened to the waist by a broad band, which has a large lion-face clasp. The right arm is bent as though placed on the head of the bull; the left is placed on the thigh. The matted locks are coiled around the head as a turban. 

Subject: Probably a Nayaka Queen

Subject: Mahalakshmi

Subject: Mahalakshmi, back view of the image

Subject: Lakshmi

Subject: Ayyanar with Purna and Pushkala: Ayyanar is the protector of forest and hunters. Traditional architectural treatises prescribe a separate temple for Ayyanar in the certain quarters of both Vaishnava and Saiva settlements. He often appears seated on a pedestal one leg pendant the other pulled up on the seat with a waistcloth hanging around it. To his right is Purna, to his left Pushkala both carrying lilies.

Subject: Surya: Surya, the Sun God is represented holding a lotus (padma) in each hand. The god stands frontally in an unflexed position (samabhnaga posture) and has an orblike halo setting off his crowned head. He wears elaborate ornaments including a jeweled crown (ratna mukuta), necklace (hara) and a sacred thread (yajnopavita). Images of Surya had a role to play in temples dedicated to other deities. In the imagery of northern India, Surya regularly wears boots; however in Tamil Nadu, Surya is invariably barefoot as are all other deities.

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: Lakshmi-Narayana: The word Narayana is an epithet of Vishnu having several meanings ('abode of man', 'moving on the waters', etc). Vishnu sits on a tiered base with Lakshmi seated on his left knee. He holds a chakra in his upper right hand and an openwork shankha (conch shell) in his upper left hand. His lower left hand encircles the goddess's waist and the right hand now broken, was probably lifted in the abhaya mudra (gesture of fearlessness).