Tamil Nadu - Thanjavur   

Rare sculpture of Durga identified

Ancient: Goddess Durga’s idol in the form of ‘Kotravai’ in a temple at Thirukkolampudur, Tiruvarur district

THANJAVUR: A rare sculpture of Durga called ‘Kotravai’ belonging to ninth to tenth century A.D. is identified by the art historian Kudavayil Balasubramanian in the Vilva Aranyeswara Temple at Thirukkolampudur in Tiruvarur district. The sculpture bears the art style of Rashtra Kuta period. According to Kudavayil Balasubramanian the Tamil kings who invaded foreign countries had the practice of bringing artefacts from those countries and exhibited them as monuments of triumph. This tradition continued for the last 2000 years.

The sculpture identified at present is a stone structure of three ft height.

It is Mahishasuramardini with four hands defeating Mahisha the buffalo is bearing the conch and the disc. She pushes the back of the buffalo by her left leg. The head of the Asura is pressed by her Trishul.

In the Tamil tradition, the mahisha appearing with Durga bears the human body and buffalo head. Elango, the author of epic Silapathikaram exhaustively describes this form.

In the Nulampadi and Rashtrakutha countries (countries inclusive of North Karnataka, Andhra and Maharashtra) the mahisha is exhibited in the full form of buffalo.

This tradition can be witnessed in the sculptures of Gangaikondacholapuram and Tirunelveli temples.

These sculptures would have been brought by the Chola chieftain Nulampadirajan during the period of Kulothungachola third, says Kudavayil Balasubramanian.

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