Chola Bronzes and Stone Reliefs: Examining the Iconography of Gajasamharamurti
The Veeratteswarar Temple in Vazhuvur and Thanjavur's Pullamangai shrine house masterful Chola-era depictions of Shiva as the slayer of the elephant demon. These sculptural works highlight a shift from cosmic balance to divine ferocity through unique dance postures and intricate anatomical details.
Key takeaways
- Vazhuvur's Veeratteswarar Temple houses a Rajaraja I-era bronze of Shiva as the slayer of the elephant demon Gajasura.
- The Gajasamharamurti icon represents Shiva's fierce aspect, distinct from the balanced philosophy of the Nataraja form.
- Unlike many religious sculptures, the Vazhuvur bronze uses a unique posture that deviates from traditional Bharatanatyam karanas.
- The Pullamangai temple relief includes rare narrative details, showing a startled Parvati and child Muruga reacting to Shiva's ferocity.
- Modern recreations using stone powder and resin are being used to bring these 1,000-year-old Chola masterpieces to contemporary audiences.
Background
Vazhuvur, located in the Mayiladuthurai district, holds dual significance as a center for the Saivite tradition and a foundation of Bharatanatyam. It is recognized as one of the Ashta Veerattanams, the eight shrines commemorating the heroic feats of Lord Shiva. The town also serves as the birthplace of Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai, the 20th-century guru who established the Vazhuvur bani, a prominent school of Bharatanatyam choreography.
The Bronze Masterpiece of Vazhuvur
The Veeratteswarar Temple is home to a renowned bronze idol of Gajasamharamurti, generally attributed to the reign of Rajaraja I. While the Nataraja form symbolizes cosmic equilibrium, Gajasamharamurti represents the deity's destructive power. Known in Tamil as Yanai Uritha Thevar, this manifestation depicts the flaying of Gajasura, the elephant-demon.
Expert analysis by T.A. Gopinatha Rao in The Elements of Hindu Iconography identifies the bronze as a superior specimen of Chola art. The deity stands on the demon's severed head with a dramatically twisted hip. According to R. Kalaikovan, founder of the Rajamanickanar Centre for Historical Research, this posture is unique because it does not strictly adhere to the recognized Bhramaraka or Bhrishta Svastika dance karanas. The eight-armed figure carries a trident, sword, shield, and battle axe, while his head is framed by a jata-mandala featuring a crescent moon and skull.
Key Facts
- The Vazhuvur bronze features Shiva with large rounded eyes and projecting tusks to emphasize a terrifying persona.
- At the Brahmapuriswarar Temple in Pullamangai, a stone relief depicts the same scene, including a frightened Goddess Parvati holding a young Muruga who reaches for an attendant.
- The Darasuram temple also produced a Gajasamharamurthy idol, currently housed in the Thanjavur museum, which mirrors the Vazhuvur style by avoiding standard Karana forms.
- Modern artist Laitharam of Vismayam Arts recently produced a three-dimensional resin and stone powder replica of the Pullamangai relief to preserve its millennium-old details.
Comparative Artistic Styles
While Gajasamharamurti images appear in both Pallava and Chola temples, the Chola versions are noted for their technical complexity. The Pullamangai stone sculpture, though miniature, blends elements of the Bhramara and Bhrishta Svastika Karanas. The lower body twists right while the upper torso faces forward, displaying the kunchita pada leg position. Two four-armed ganas playing instruments flank the central figure, adding to the rhythmic intensity of the composition.
Source: The Hindu – Entertainment
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