In ‘Appreciating the Sculptural Tradition of India’, Chithra Madhavan brings into focus elements such as the top of a crown, the presence of the oft-ignored navanidhis (nine types of wealth in human forms) in temples, arches, chakras and domes that are uniquely associated with each dynasty.
The mystery of the broken wrist
Place: Hampi, Karnataka
You have seen nothing in the capital city of the Vijayanagara Empire, until you have seen the partially-destroyed sculpture of Yoga Narasimha. The scattered rubble around the area suggested that there might have been a temple. A bejewelled wrist of Lakshmi on the rear side of Narasimha is proof of a missing sculpture. It is said that Vijayanagara kings embraced Islamic art, and the arches and domes in the elephant stables that they built, are proof.
The forest dance
Place: Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Tamil Nadu
The Nataraja here is called Thirualamkadu Nataraja. As the story goes, he had a dance competition with goddess Kali in a forest, and the sculpture is a tribute to that. What confirms it is the etched-out form of an old frail woman at the bottom, carrying cymbals. She is Karaikal Ammaiyar, one of the 63 Nayanmars, who is only associated with this particular form of Siva.
The case of missing karanas
Place: Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
The main attraction here is the sculptures depicting 108 dance poses or karanas on the walls of the big temple. Each posture has been numbered by the Archaeological Department. Interestingly, they stop at 81. No one knows what happened to the sculptors who were supposed to finish all the 108. There is also a wall sculpture that conveys the defeat of the Pandyas (represented by fish) by the Cholas (represented by the tiger).
Who’s the starving man?
Place: Badami, Karnataka
The capital of the Chalukyas is famous for its four cave temples. There’s a striking sculpture of Durga as Mahishasuramardhini. Another sculpture is that of Ardhanareeshwara. But what’s more intriguing is one of a starving man. Is it Bhageeratha who went on a fast to convince Siva to bring back the Ganges to the Earth, or Arjuna, who prayed to Siva for a weapon to defeat the Kauravas, or is it Bringi, a three-legged ardent devotee of Siva? Bringi remains the most likely choice. The devotee was obstinate about only worshipping Siva; angered by this, Parvathi cursed him to be a weak soul, but Siva blessed him with a third leg.
Sleeping Buddha
Place: Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra
There are 30 caves in Ajanta — Viharas (residences of monks) and Chaityas (rectangular prayer hall with a stupa). In one, you can see a 7.07-metre-long sculpture of a sleeping Buddha. The pathway is so narrow that you cannot capture the full image from one point. At one end of the sculpture, you can see a standing form of the Buddha, which denotes his rise to the heavens.
