Page 6 - Stone and Bronze, Indian art of the Chola Dynasty, Metropolitan Museum, NYC

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FIGURE 4
Brahma, c. 950. Naltunai Isvaram temple, Punjai

"~
* . C ing over the arm and tied on the shoulder, and the neck-
<J ,"?s' . lace with festoons of pearls all correspond with the
<
X Kumbakonam sculpture. The divine nobility of the
god is emphasized by his proportions, compared to
those of the kneeling worshipers on either side of him.
The back panel of the relief-supporting an umbrella
-here fills almost the entire niche and thus is visually
almost nonexistent. While the sculpture apparently
was inserted after construction, the two worshipers were
carved in situ. The pilastered niche with a projecting
lintel supported by wide abaci and carrying a makara
?-_e , ' qse 'G torana (crocodile arch) is a splendid example of Early
Chola architecture.
The corresponding image on the Naltunai Isvaram
at
x;R ~~~~~~temple Punjai, near Tanjavur, is less slender
(c. 950)
<~ ;1%~ ~ and somewhat heavy (Figure 4). The torso again is
tubular and
;~~~~~~~~~~ i ~~rather only slightly modeled. We have al-
ready noticed this trend at Pullamangai, but here even
the stomach roll has virtually disappeared. The sacred
cord once more is a flat band without bell clasp but with
a bow tied on the shoulder. The flap of the dhoti or sash
out above the
,i;~~ _ C ~ ~ eQ ~ ~ ~~sticking girdle at the side has become
I
more prominent and three-dimensional; the girdle
clasp here is a real lion mask. In addition to the vertical
*gR;~~~~~~~~ _ 0belt pendant hanging between the legs-which already
occurred on two of the preceding examples-there are
heavy pendants and festoons hanging to the thighs.
, ^ . The frontal loop of the girdle is twisted and undulating.
a
? *j * , ~~The lateral sashes falling from the large bows at the
_~ -~
hips are shown as separated from the legs. The em-
blems are held almost vertically, as at Pullamangai.
- t . ' For the first time we notice two fly whisks in the back-
ground, flanking the divine head. The back panel
neatly fits the niche; the relief was probably carved
in situ.
The beautiful Punjai temple can be dated only ap-
> -i -
,j.;f ~ proximately, to about 950. It is evident that its con-
struction was not yet affected by the consequences of
| .the defeat that the Cholas suffered in 949 at the hands
of the Rashtrakutas in the battle of Takkolam, where
their crown prince Rajaditya was killed, and the sub-
sequent occupation of the northern realm by the enemy.
King Parantaka I himself died a few years later, to-

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