Page 36 - Stone and Bronze, Indian art of the Chola Dynasty, Metropolitan Museum, NYC

stone.78 The literary evidence quoted above proves that
at least by the second half of the ninth century the
ananda-tandava concept existed.
From the miniature panel and the torana arch, the
Nataraja soon moved to a more important place: a v
niche on the south wall of the porch or entrance hall , i '_ n
(ardhamandapa). We find him in this place on the
Uma-Mahesvara temple at Konerirajapuram (be-
tween 969 and 972 or 977) .79 From then on, this appar-
ently was the standard placement. The relief on the
great temple at Gangaikondacholapuram near Chi-
dambaram, which was built in 1030 (Figure 35), illus--
trates the difficulties with which the sculptor had to :! S ,
battle in this medium. The swinging leg apparently
was broken off-as in most extant examples-and
(badly) repaired with the help of a strut; a certain awk-
wardness is the result.

78. This was first suggested byJohn Irwin. .
79. Barrett, ColaBronzes, pp. 2I, 27.

FIGURE 36 l ? ^
c.
Nataraja, c. o010. Height 53 in. Rajarajesvara
temple, Tanjavur

s3 ra.

FIGURE 37
k
;i.t--;l \JiS w^JFe -- s Nataraja, xii century. Height 6o 1/ in. Museum
IjP ^;1
/^.yjSf^-^ -Jvan Asiatische Kunst, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
The god dances on top of the Dwarf of Ignorance
' ;/ k :' who with a In the
l f V (apasmara-purusha), toys serpent.
It
\fXst \\ /t / background, the Goddess dances in her terrifying aspect
as Durga; other figures are concealed by the strut. As
J
,
/
f^^ --prescribed for the ananda-tandava mode, the back
Lf
7 ,/- hands of the god carry drum and fire. A serpent writhes
X^
from his right arm, another behind his shoulder. His
hair is adorned with a skull, a crescent moon, and a
'""u
-fan-shaped
v'L: e '"'.~ ^~ t- crown of feathers or leaves; the goddess of
^^^^^^y?^^^^_acgon_ . the river Ganges is not in evidence.
?
^n4?i~,~~~ aIt ~ ' is in the bronzes-portable icons made for pro-
64