Art of south and southeast asia before 1200 - Assignment Example

Download file to see previous pages There are many sculptures that represent Hinduism but there is none which is more representative of Hinduism than the statues of Shiva Nataraja or Shiva as the lord of Dance. This was a form of perfected sculpture under the royal patronage of the south Indian Chola dynasty during the late 10th to 11th centuries. Queen Sembiyan Mahadevi was the architect behind the Chola version of the Dancing Shiva. The royal families were known not to associate themselves with some aspect of a deity, and the efforts of Mahadevi were vital in ensuring a bond between Chola state and Shiva Nataraja. Generally, the Dance of Shiva was regarded a dance of cosmic proportions that signified the universe’s cycle of death and rebirth. This in turn signified the liberation of the believer through Shiva’s compassion. Iconography is a very vital aspect of art and this sculpture showed Shiva with four arms dancing on the prostrate body of Apasmara. The right and the left arms signifies abhaya “have no faar” and promise of liberation respectively.
Kandariya Mahadeva temple at Khajurabo was a typical style of the southern temple. The southern temples had a longitudinal axis and greatly expanded dimensions. Specifically, their superstructures were characterized by four-sided hollow pyramid. The front of Rajarajeshwara had a flat roof as opposed to the pyramidal roofs of the northern style. Each story of the southern temple was articulated by a large cornice while the exterior walls were ornamented with niches each holding a single statue. The northern temples were characterized by complex pillars with some having over 144 marble pillars. These pillars were all carved in. example include the golden temple of India.
The Ananda Temple is an architectural wonder in a fusion of Mon and adopted Indian style of architecture. The building of this temple is regarded as a height ...Download file to see next pagesRead More