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Chola Bronzes

Article · February 2022

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Aparna Joshi

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Chola Introduction
The Chola Empire was an early medieval

Bronzes state formation in the Deccan part of

The Nataraj, Polity Penninsular India. Politically speaking, the

and Cultural Impact Cholamandalam or Chola Empire and its

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nature have been a cause of debate since the

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later 20th century.

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The nature of state however, worked along

side the development of ‘Bhakti’ traditions,

aJ that were patronised by the rulers of the

Chola dynasty.

They primarily used art and architecture as

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tools of Political legitimisation. This process

of political legitimisation however, would be

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incomplete without the nature of Chola

Polity itself.
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In a centralised Polity as asserted by Noburu

Karashima, the King was seen as a reflection

of Shiva or Vishnu on Earth. Further, they

patronised large temples as tools of this

This article is a moral and intellectual assertion of the Author, no part of it may be
reproduced or transmitted without her express permission

legitimisation. Within these temples, large used as part of festivities and processions

metallic statutes were used as primary that aimed to take the temple deity outside

deities. However, as suggested by Burton of its confines to the masses. Therefore,

Stein, in a segmentary state, with multiple Bronze along with Clay were used to make

layers of power, these sculptures and large and ornate sculptures of the primary

temples indicated the relative supremacy of deity, fusing the popular element into a

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the Emperor at the centre. classical art form.

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The art of making Bronze statues emerged Chola Bronze idols stand out from

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in the period from 600 CE to 1300 CE, in contemporary idols being made at the time

this phase, Peninsular India was under the for their distinctive manner of casting and
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control of multiple rulers and successive alloys used. They were cast using a

dynasties including the Cholas and the technique known as the Lost Wax

Pallvas. Technique.
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The Cholas were prolific builders and the The Lost Wax Technique is based on the Art
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David style of architecture reached its zenith of Casting that has been seen since

under their rule, however, it is in Chola age proto-historical times a period before found

bronzes that they have captured popular in almost all regions of the world, the art of
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imagination. casting a single image was seen in this

phase. Initially in the Chola period the Lost

In fact, Art and Architecture in the Chola
Wax Technique was used.
period cannot be seen as mutually exclusive.

To the extent that these bronze idols were

This article is a moral and intellectual assertion of the Author, no part of it may be
reproduced or transmitted without her express permission

In this technique, the first step a detailed These are prior to the Pallav dynasty that

model of the intended sculpture is carved was derived from the region of Amravati

out of a block of wax. school.

In the second step, a clay model is made It was an indegenous as a form of art

around the wax it is allowed to set an in the Mahendra Verman patronised the Lost Wax

third step, the wax is melted out of the clay Technique as a form of art, in the beginning

h i
cast, thus loosing wax and gaining the name they provided stone sculpture as the basis of

of lost wax. In the fourth step, melted metal the art.

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an alloy is added to the mould. This is
Bronze images were not seen as a form of
allowed to set.
folk art but rather, began as a classical art,
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The Pallava also used this technique the different phases of the Pallav art.

Chola Bronze is an example of

They were bold and in terms of shape they
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workmanship.
were grotesque of definite form of structure,

There were two alloys among Bronze slender, roundedness and proportion was
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Sculptures in North India, there were five visible.

metals that were commonly used were

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copper, silver, gold, tin and lead. In

Peninsular India however, there were eight

metals that were used gold, silver, lead, Iron,

Zinc and Copper.

This article is a moral and intellectual assertion of the Author, no part of it may be
reproduced or transmitted without her express permission

an elaborate headdress. In this phase, images

were donative in nature, fixed in temples

Stages of Development of Chola
and used merely for festivities.
Bronzes
However, Bronzes in the Chola phase can be
An Early Example of the Bronzes are the
divided into four primary phases of
Shiva, in the 9th century, this form was

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development. In the first half of the 10th
known as Vishparhna, in the Madras

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century, known as the Aditya Chola
Museum. It was built with a stiff torseau,

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Bronzes, they were elaborately patronised
and seen as a blend of Vitality and repose.
by the ruler for personal and ornamental use

Another example in the early phase of the and seen as depiction of temporal authority.
aJ
Chola example is the Kalyan Sundaram
In the second quarter of the 10th century,
Murti depicting the marriage of Shiva and
Chola Bronzes seemed to reach their Zenith
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Parvati.
in terms of form and refinement, under

Queen Simbiya Mahadevi.

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This image is portrayed as a Youngman, The images were large in scale and perfect

with broad shoulders and haughty air around in proportion and details of the sculptures
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him, in that idol there however is an air of themselves. In this phase of the Chola

adolescent grace around Shiv himself. Bronzes, they were being exported as part of

trade commodities from the coastal ports.

Paravati on the other hand, is seen as a child,

her knees are seen to be slightly tilted with

This article is a moral and intellectual assertion of the Author, no part of it may be
reproduced or transmitted without her express permission

Their size and method of casting was also The torseau of the figure became more

refined to add more facial details along with slender, dresses and ornaments were deeply

objects that were held in the hands. stylised.

In the 11th century, under the rule of The eyes were beautiful the eyebrows of the

Rajaraja 1, temple construction took centre figure were beautiful, remarkable images

i
stage regarding the Chola Bronzes were can be found outside Chola Mandalam in

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sculpted more overt and sensual as per SR this phase of sculpture

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Balasubrmaniyam.

They were well developed and rounded. In Forms of the Nataraj

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the last phase of Chola bronzes, the
A clear Shaivite influence can be seen in the

Art of the mature Chola Phase, namely in

sculptures became smaller and more
the second and third phases of Chola Bronze
detailed, they therefore lost their grandiose
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sculptures.
scale and type of sculptures.

A popular image is that of the Shiv Tandav

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In the second quarter of the 10th century, a

or Shiv in the Nataraj form of cosmic dance.
number of examples were seen in this phase
The concept of Cosmic dance to J. Gonda
There is an impage Vishnu from Kongu, the
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can be seen in the Shiva Purana, where, in

workmanship is visible here another is the
oder to maintain balance of the earth,
image of Nataraj.
between the various elements (Panchatatva).
This article is a moral and intellectual assertion of the Author, no part of it may be
reproduced or transmitted without her express permission

Neelima Chittgopekar however, mentions Anand Tandava can be identified with the

that this dance is a form of cosmic bliss and numerous icons that he carries, the sculpture

connects it to the union of male and female generally has four arm limbs, the first hand

energies. holds the Damru, in the rear left hand, it

provides rhythm for the dance and harmony

The Nataraj is alway surrounded by the
to the form, with the Damru that also

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flaming prabha, a ring of fire that
symbolises universal balance.

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symbolises energy and enlightenment. In

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Sculpture, it is represented as pointed The Second Hand, rear right hand, holds

flame-shaped objects around the image flames signifies, death, destruction, fury and

itself. purity.
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The form of Nataraj can be of two types, The third hand faces downwards in the

either Tandava (active and violent in nature) gajahastha Mudra, while the fourth hand in
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or Lasya (soft and classical). the Abhaya mudra offers protection and

abundance to the devotees.

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This was used by the Chalukyan Emperors

as a form of classification of dance forms in The arms and legs are in the shape of a

terms of refinement in movement as either quadrangle, that point in the four cardinal
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Margi, Classical or Desi regional. This was directions of the Earth. He is wearing a

carried forward to the region of Tondaimalai narrow band of cloth around his waist and a

and Peninsular India. The Nataraj was cloth hanging from his shoulder.

classified by A Kumaraswamy into the

Anand Tandava and the Shiv Tandava. The

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This article is a moral and intellectual assertion of the Author, no part of it may be
reproduced or transmitted without her express permission

These ornamentations depict what Auguste He treats Shiva as the metaphysical aspect

Rodin calls grace, elegance and perfection. as the king of cosmic dance, the symbolic

He is also seen surrounded by the skull of representation is the universal circle of Life.

Dhatura, who signifies death, destruction It is the supreme statement of Hindu Art.

and the metaphysical state of new

In conclusion, there is a difference in style,
beginnings.

i
the reason is the difference in time period.

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He stands on a dwarf named Apasamara Nataraja in the 10th century, most detailed in

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who signifies ignorance, snakes maintain the the 12th century, but also its characterisation

ego symbolised by the Shiva Nataraja. aJ as a secular image, that continues to thrive.

His hair symbolises simplicity, the Ganga References:

and locks depict the balance of the A History of Ancient and Early Medieval
India- Upinder Singh
Kundalini. The Slight smile on his face is
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Looking Again at Indian Art- Vidya Daheja
seen as a symbol of fullfilment and creation.
Middle Chola Temples- SR
A Kumaraswamy, depicts this Nataraj as a
Balasubramaniyam
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representation of five primary activities,

Vaishanavism and Shaivism-J Gonda
Creation (Shruti), Samhara (destruction),
Rudra: the Idea of Shiva- Neelima
Chitgopekar
A

Support (Stithi), Tribhava (illusion) and

Anugraha (emancipation). The Dance of Shiva - Ananda Kentish

Coomaraswamy