South Indian Bronzes: A Historical Survey of South Indian Sculpture with Iconographical Notes Based on Original Sources c9.83.2

c9.83.2

Although various Buddhist text books for sculptors have been found in Ceylon, none of the South Indian manuscripts of the *silpasastras* have been discovered there.¹ Besides the influence of Saivaism never spread among the Ceylonese who are always referred to as " *Sivadrohis* " or the 'enemies of Siva' in the Chola inscriptions. The remnants of the Siva temple at Polonnaruwa seem to represent the only centre of a non Buddhistic cult in Ceylon and it is in fact the only Saivaite colony there. That Saivaism never obtained a permanent footing in Ceylon will appear from the nature of the political relationship between the chief of Ceylon and the Saivaite princes of the Chola dynasty. The first Chola king who conquered Ceylon was Parantaka I (circ. 906 946) and from such conquest assumed the title of " a veritable Rāma in battle." His conquest does not seem to have acquired much influence and it was Raja-Raja I who brought about the complete subjugation of the whole island of Ceylon about the year 1005, the twentieth year of his reign. He ruled Ceylon through governors appointed by him and is said to have presented the revenue of a village in Ceylon to the Tanjore temple (*Tanjore District Gazetteer*, p. 31). This supremacy continued up to the time of Kulottunga I (1073) when a rising took place and the Cholas were completely driven out from Ceylon. Of the Tamil records found in Polonnaruwa, those of Rajendra Chola I and of Adhirajendra (circ.