Page 45 - Stone and Bronze, Indian art of the Chola Dynasty, Metropolitan Museum, NYC

In the temples of the Early Chola period, bronze
images of the consort of the main deity (Bhogesvari)
had been set up, judging from inscriptions, at least as
early as the reign of Parantaka I (907-955).92 A sepa-
rate shrine devoted to the Goddess was first erected by
Rajendra I (1012-I044) in the precinct of his great
temple at Gangaikondacholapuram (c. I030). From
at
I
the time ofthe accession of Kulottunga (I 070), least,
this was standard practice.93
The magnificent bronze Parvati in The Metropolitan
Museum of Art (Figures 49-51) is a bequest of Mrs. i
Cora Timken-Burnet, in whose collection she was for
many years. The Goddess is standing in a gently ac-
cented "triple-bend" pose; her raised right hand once
held a lotus. She wears a richly bejeweled crown, heavy
a
circular earrings, triple necklace, heavy wristlets, and ": ,
foot ornaments. Each armlet carries a three-pronged
jewel tied down by string; below is a string pearls
of
a
forming festoons and tassels. We recognize a similar r;
motif in the front of her crown and on its sides. The
sacred cord, also of pearls, falls between her heavy --
breasts, following the flowing rhythm of her body; it is t
closed by a small round clasp with a bow. The girdle is -.
held together by jeweled clasps; the tasseled end of a
girdle band falls along her left thigh. Two large pipal ' .
pendants flanked by small bells hang from the girdle on ; -: - -
chainlike straps, reaching almost to the knees. One. .'
folded end of the garment falls between her legs to a " ?
zigzagging tip; the other is tucked up on the left, falling
over the girdle. 1 "
Looking at the back of the image, we note the flower-
shaped hair ornament (siraschakra) with a small tassel'
of pearls hanging from the hub. At the nape of the neck,
the hair is gathered in a loose coil. The rest of the curled
locks fall loosely over the shoulders, some in closed or
open loops; two end in a tasseled jewel. Between them ' '
we see the tasseled ends of a ribbon that probably holds - . .
the necklace and, perhaps, the pipal pendant falling -: ..
between the shoulders. The armlets are tied in simple
knots with tassels. That end of the garment which is
pulled up between the buttocks and under the girdle
stands out in a furled splay.
FIGURE 48
92. Barrett, Cola Bronzes, p. 33. Maiden, 895. Koranganatha temple, Srinivas-
93. K. R. Srinivasan, "Temples of South India," Archaeological anallur
Remains, Monuments and Museums, xxvi International Congress of
Orientalists (New Delhi, 1969) part 2, p. 233; Balasubrahmanyam,
Early Chola Art, p. I22.

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