- The Chola dynasty produced many bronze sculptures from the 10th-13th centuries CE, primarily depicting Hindu gods like Shiva and Vishnu. - The lost wax casting technique was commonly used, involving making a wax model, encasing it in clay, and melting the wax to leave a hollow mold for molten metal. - Early Chola bronzes were more formal in style while later ones had more elongated bodies and exaggerated features. Major production centers included Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, and Chidambaram. - Iconography and symbolism were carefully followed according to religious texts. Natraja sculptures of Shiva's cosmic dance became prominent. Buddha and Jain figures

1. Chola Bronzes
Dr.Virag Sontakke
Assistant Professor
A.I.H.C. & Archaeology
Banaras Hindu University,Varanasi
B.A. III
Semester IV

2. Chola Bronzes

3. Introduction
• Roots goes back to Pallva dynasty
• The agma prescribed two types of worship in the
temple 1) Pujas 2) Utsav
• Main deity once installed in the temple is
immovable.
• Movable icon of God used in festivals.
• Festivals: 1) Daily 2) Mahostavas
• Bronze light weight images were much preferred
in the festivals.
• Thus, high demand.
• Metal images were manifestations of the main
deity and visual representation.

4. Sources
1. Aagama Literature
2. Mansar
3. Shilp Shashtra
4. Abilashashitarth Chintamani
5. Temples
6. Sculptures
7. Inscriptions

5. Background
• The mode of worship in the temple was controlled
according to the text ”Agamas”
• The Agamic texts prescribed the procession of
“Panch Murtis” (5 idols).
• The Agama also said the Bhktostavas, or the festival
of Devotees.
• In each festival Metal icon of the God is necessary.
• These festivals gained great popularity from 10th c.
CE.
• Festival become integral part of the temple worship.
And according to Agama each festival metal icon was
necessary. Tamilnadu alone has 40000 temple.

6. Classification of Metals
• Metal: Gold, Silver and Copper
• Classified in 4 categories by colors
1. Pale yellow
2. Reddish
3. Whitish
4. Black
• Classification as per Metal
1. Gold: Desire to achieving enjoyment both in
this and next world. (Victory, wealth
Knowledge).
2. Silver: Those who seek wealth (bestow wealth)
3. Copper: Wants prosperity (well Being).

7. • Most preferred metal was copper.
• Copper content more than 90%.
• Images were called “Cepputtirumeni”
• Five –melted alloy (panch-loha),
1. Gold,
2. silver,
3. copper,
4. lead and
5. tin
composition of five elements.

8. Techniques
• Lost wax technique.
• It is known in artistic terms as "Cire Perdure".
• The Sanskrit Shilpa texts call it the "Madhu
Uchchishtta Vidhana".
• The artisan were well aware about inlaying silver
and copper.
• Images whose eyes are made of gems
• Nagapattanam bronze image has precious gems
on head

9. 1. Beeswax and kungilium are mixed with a little oil.
2. It is kneaded well. From it, the necessary figure is made.
3. All the minute details are fashioned into it.
4. Clay from a termite-hill is made into a paste and the entire figure
is coated with it over and over again until the mould is of a
necessary thickness.
5. Then the whole thing is dried.
6. After that the clay-mould with the wax-mould is baked over an
oven with cow-dung cakes.
7. The wax-model melts and flows out. Some of it vaporises.
8. Now the clay-mould is empty and ready.
9. The metal alloy of bronze is melted and poured into the mould.
10. When the metal has filled all crevices and has settled and
hardened and cooled, the mould is broken off.
11. It is then cleaned, details are added, blemishes are removed,
smoothened, and polished well.
12. It cannot be moulded or copied.
13. Since it is the only specimen available at all times, it is unique
and expensive.”
https://youtu.be/7SEBtIJuH-o

10. Bronze details
• The figures are made according to the Silpa Sastras.
• The dimensions, the proportions, the pose, the
ornaments, the mudras and the bhavas are all
followed very carefully.
• Accurate measures and descriptions were recorded.
• Technique of image (hollow or solid)
• Size of the idol was pre-determine (height, breadth
and width).
• Total weight of the image was also specified
• Size and shape of pedestal also fixed.
• Special emphasis was given to the metal.
• Rajraj Chola was peculiar about images (80) he
donated to Tanjore temple.

11. School of Chola Bronze
• 23 Kings ruled for over 400 years (850-1275 CE)
• Chola age divided in two school
1. The Early Chola period from Aditya Chola to
Kullotunga (c.875-1075 CE).
2. The Later Chola period (c.1075-1275 CE).

12. The Early Chola Bronzes
Features
1. More formal,
2. Rounded face,
3. Oval body,
4. Extensive Detailing
5. Flexed posture
Sembiyan Mahadevi:
• Wife of Gandharadity Chola successor of
Parantaka I
• Widowed at early age
• Devoted her life to rebuilding temples
• Patronizing Great Artists especially bronzes

13. Rajraja Chola I (c. 985 CE)
• Great Temple of Tanjore was his achievement.
• Great Shiva devotee
• He was great patron of music and dance
• He appointed 400 dancing girls to the temple
• Also over 100 musicians and dramatists
• Established center of learning
• Donated bronze idols to Tanjore’s great
Brihideshwar temple

14. The Later Chola period
(c.1075-1275 CE)
In this school idols were
1. Prominent nose,
2. Wear three string yagyopavit,
3. Traditional dresses (draper).
4. Become more ethereal appearance.
5. Exaggerate the length of the body
6. Limbs in proportion to head.

15. Centers
1. Tanjore (Aaditya School 875-975 CE)
2. Kumbakonam
3. Kanchipuram
4. Chidambaram
5. Pudukkottai region

16. Subject
Shiv Vaishnav Devi Buddha Jain Saints Royal
Portraits
Shiv in
various form
Vishnu Avtaras Kali Standing
and seated
Buddha
Tirthanka
ras
Bramhadhira
yar
Chola Kings
Natraja Krishna Durga Maitreya Saints Karrekal Rajraj
Ganesha Ram Mahakali Avalokiteshw
ara
Ammeyar Queen
Ardhnarish
war
Krishn-
Rukmini
Bhadrak
ali
Monks Lokmahadevi
Bhikshatan, Satyabhama Parvati Miniature
Stupas
Kalyansudar Ram-sita Votive article
Tripurantak Subramanyam
Gajsanhar

18. • First image of
Shiva as a
“Natraja” was
introduced in
the time of
Paranatak I.
• Earliest Chola
Bronze
Shivkami is
also found from
his period.

19. Representations of Shiva and his family. In this image Shiva is
seated side by side with his wife Parvati. The space between Shiva
and Parvati would once have been filled by a small image of their
son Skanda, who is worshipped as both a divine child and the god
of war.
• Images of
Pallavaneshwar
Temple, Tanjore are
fine example of Aditya
School.
• Shiva-Parvati and
skanda as a
Somaskanda family
group is elegant
example of this group.

20. Centers
Kumbakonam Kanchipuram Chidambaram Pudukkotti
Region
Kongu
Country
Vishvahana
Shiva
Great Center
of Art
Eminent center
of Art
Number of
fine bronzes
Also known as
Kongu Art
Uma Chatur
Tandav Kail
Natraja (best
idols)
Chatur
Tandav Shiva
3 bronzes
Nandi Dance with
Shiva
Parvati Natraja
Natraja Ram,
Lakshman
and Sita
Manikavachak
a (shiva
devotee)
Tripurantaka
Shivkami Kaliya
Krishna
Tripursundari
Subramanya 10th c. CE
10th c. CE

21. • Right leg and suppressing the
apasmara, the demon of
ignorance.
• At the same time he raises his
left leg in bhujangatrasita stance,
which represents tirobhava, that
is kicking away the veil of maya
or illusion from the devotee’s
mind.
• His four arms are outstretched
and the main right hand is posed
in abhaya hasta.
• The upper right holds the
damaru.
• The upper left hand carries a
flame
• While the main left hand is held
in dola hasta and connects with
the abhaya hasta of the right
hand.
• His hair locks fly on both the
sides touching the circular jvala
mala or the garland of flames
which surrounds the entire
dancing figuration.

22. Buddha Idols
• As a sign of Mahapurusha Buddha
shown with palm marks.
• Seated buddha showed under people
tree with attendance
• The flame-shaped ushnisha (a symbol of
the Buddha's expanded knowledge) atop
the Buddha's head is a distinctive south
Indian feature that spread from India to
Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), and
Thailand.
• Buddhist images from the Chola period
are much scarcer than their Hindu
counterparts.
• Sculptures such as this one, however,
illustrate the continuation of Buddhism
in south India after the rise of
Hinduism.
• Nagapattinam was a great center of
Buddhisam.

23. Jain Bronzes

31. Naṭaraja,
Br̥ihadīśvara Temple,
Thanjavur