Bronze figure from the Thanjavur Art Gallery.

Description

The images of Siva and his consort Parvati under description, Bhikshantanar (Cat. No. 13), Bhairavar (Entholmukkannar) (Cat. No. 15) and Kalyana sundarar (set-4 Idols-Cat. No. 15), were all treasure trove finds found buried in troubled times in Tiruvengadu Village, Sirkali Taluk. They were casually unearthed in the year 1951 and acquired for the Art Gallery Thanjavur in the year 1952.

An inscription1 on the southern (garbhagriha) wall of Svetaranyaswami Temple at Tiruvengadu of the 26th year of accession, (corresponding to 1011 A.D.), of Raja Raja I, refers to the presentation of this bronze image by one Kolakkavan. Just about this time, the great Chola Emperor Raja Raja I, had completed the building of the Brahadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur (Brihadeeswarar Temple, Peruvudaiyar Kovil or Rajarajesvaram, the blog author).

Another inscription2 on the same wall refers to the image of Devi, styled as Umaparameswari, the consort of Rishabhavahana Devar, was made and presented in the next year 1012 A.D., by a guild called Rajaraja Jananatha Therinja Parivaram of the village.

This superb representation of Siva is an unique achievement of the early Cholas: you won’t find anything like it in any temple or museum of Tamil Nadu!

The tresses are arranged as a circular jatabhara, similar in fashion to an ushnisha. The turban, consisting of the hair locks of Siva, is unique and fits in an admirable manner. The hair is arranged in fifteen locks drawn back from the fillet on the forehead. These are divided into two switches of three locks of hair wich cross each other and overlap to present from the front the appearance of a turban.

At the back ten loose ends of hair locks reappear, eight emerging in a semi-circular shape at the nape of the neck, and the remaining two curling down each shoulder. Since the deity is represented here as a peasant and cowherd, the sculptor has evidently intended the curls of hair on each shoulder to be a substitute for the usual bahulamala of flowers.

The usual chandrakala (moon) is shown on the right side, realistically inserted inside one of the upper strands of the hair style. A cobra may be seen crawing among the locks of hair on the right peeping out but not hissing. The datura flower has been similarly tucked in at the left side.

The face is round with beaming eyes looking down, The third eye is in the middle of the forehead. A well-chiselled nose without any exaggeration, pretty lips and chin enhance by contrast the beauty of the powerful torso below. The right ear is empty. The left ear carries the patra-kundala, while a beautiful flower rests above the ear on the right. In addition to the hair-locks already described a streamer of three silk strings hangs from his necklaces down the shoulder as a skandamala.

Three necklaces, one of beads, another of arabesque work and the third a rudrakshamala with tiger’s claw dangling below the breast, adorn the neck. A threestranded yajnopavita without branches, with a brahma-bandha knot and a broad tight udara-bandha set off the excellent proportions of the torso. An under-cloth, of befitting schematic folds moulded with a central flap and kaubina folds at the back, is held in place by a waist belt with a kiriti-mukha clasp between makaras.

The deity has been provided with two hands only in keeping with His representation as a peasant. The right hand is positioned to rest on the head of His sacred Bull (Rishabha), while the left hand is in katyavalambita-hasta. A baji-bandha and a bangle with a mukappu, mark each arm. The thumb and three fingers of each hand wear rings. Details of the hands, including the nails have been finished with meticulous care. With unrivalled grace and diginity, siva, as a cow-herd, stands firm on his left leg, the right crossed with its toes resting on the ground. Padasara’s, with a series of small bells attached and rings on all the toes except the middle ones, complete the simple decoration of the otherwise, bare legs.

Completed just one year later in 1012 A.D., the Devi is in every way a fit companion for the aesthetic excellence of Her Lord. She stands in tribhanga, leaning towards Rishabhavahana – murti with her hands in kataka and the left hand hanging like a cow’s tail (govala).

A karanda-makuta with an elaborate siraschakra sits behind the head. Both the ears are empty with long distended lobes. Bahlamalas fall down the shoulders with two streamers at right angles, one of beads and jewellery on the right shoulder the other a curl of hair. Between the natural breasts of the becoming and graceful torso, flows a three stranded yajnopavita of beads with a brahma-bandha knot.

Three neck-laces, one of beads with tiru another of gold and precious stones and a third of pravala are further decorative features. The hands wear wristlets of patli pattern of fourteen courses at the wrists, a baji-bandha and angada of arabesque work on the arms. The under garments of moulded schematic folds with its central flap ending in an elegant swallow-tail, is held in place by a makara and kiriti-mukha clasp.

From a second jewelled belt, a long ornamental chain ending in a gem-set pendant, hangs down between the legs of the goddess. Simple padasaras and ring worn on all the toes expect the middle one decorate each foot. Both the God and the Devi stand on separate padmapitham’s the latter attached to a separate square plate.

The hair-do of Siva is an unique feature of this image.

We are reminded here of the Thevaram hymns wherein Saint Sundaramurthi Nayanar who sings as folows:

பிழைக டீரத் தொழு மின்!
பின்னு சடை பிஞ்ஞகன்

“For Liberation from all acts of ommission and commissions pray thou to the Lord with the twisted hair-locks”

திருக்கழுக்குன்றப் பதிகம் 9 வது செய்யுள்

The twisted hair-locks in this image may also be specially noted (Vide plate No. XXVIII) such twisted hair-locks are also displayed in Nataraja images.

Note: Before the year 1942, the words ‘பின்னுசடை‘ were printed as ‘பின்சடை‘. It was left to Maha-Maho-Ubhadyaya Dr. U. V. Swaminatha Ayyer cto correct the words ‘பின்சடை‘ as ‘பின்னுசடை‘. This was during his last days at Tirukkazhukundram (Vide page 4 of the Tamil daily Swadeesamitran, dated 8th May 1942.)

(Siva reclining on his bull, the bull was not available among the finds.)3

Informations

Acc. No.: 86, 87

Century: 11th CE (Early Chola – 1011 A.D.)

Place of discovery: Thiruvenkadu

Taluk: Sirkazhi (erstwhile Mayiladuthurai)

District: Mayiladuthurai (erstwhile Nagapattinam)

State: Tamil Nadu

Country: India

Exhibition Location: Thanjavur Art Gallery

Height: Siva: 106.5 cm with pedestal, 96.5 cm without pedestal; Parvati: 94 cm with pedestal, 84 cm without pedestal

Breadth: no information about the breadth

Weight: Siva: 120 kg; Parvati: 68-75 kg

Pictures

Rishabhavahana Devar (Siva)

Rishabhavahana Devar (Siva)

Rishabhavahana Devar (Parvati)

Rishabhavahana Devar (Parvati)

Map

  1. Inscription No. 456 of 1918 published by the Archaeological Department ↩
  2. Inscription No. 457 of 1918 published by the Archaeological Department ↩
  3. see Rathnasabapathy, S., The Thanjavur Art Gallery – Bronze Sculptures – (A Discriptive Catalogue with Illustrations in Colour) – Volume-I, 2009, pp. 33-37 ↩