The Colas c35.s2.11

c35.s2.11

There is a second circumambulatory over the one in which the Cōḷa paintings have been discovered. The inner walls of this circumambulatory contain traces of old Cōḷa plaster and painting showing that it was also painted as the one below. Running round the inner wall at almost eye-level are bas-relief sculptures depicting the *tāṇḍava* poses of Śiva. Though there is provision for 108 sculptured panels, only 82 have been completed and the rest are blank. These rather crude sculptures were perhaps covered by painted stucco and illustrate the poses described by Bharata, The lines of the figures are drawn in light red or brown and deepened by forcible blacks and reddish browns. The other colours used for flesh and drapery are defined by delicate brush work in different colours. There is a conscious attempt at modelling here. Though there is not much diversity in the poses of figures, yet they are far from being stereotyped. The celestial beings, *apsaras* and *gandharvas* 'have a certain bend of the body as if they had floated into shapes on waves of an invisible sea.' The lines of the seated figures of women have more grace and charm than the standing ones. The dancing forms are full of action and expression. The faces are drawn in three quarters front and profile visible and square in outline with pronounced chin. The hair is done into elaborate coiffures of different patterns with small ringlets falling in front on the face, and decked with flowers, buds, and ornaments shaped like crescent and star. The eye brows are set low in human forms and high in celestial beings; the eyes themselves are linear and pisciform and the eyelids are not pronounced, but none the less expressive of emotion. The noses are long, straight, and sensitive, very rarely curved, the nostrils wide and mobile. The variety of ornaments worn by women is a study by itself. The drapery consists of a *sārī* of diaphanous muslin worn round the waist and covering down to the ankles and thrown into graceful folds decorated by floral patterns or horizontal lines, and held in position round the waist by sashes of different colours, their ends hanging in folds. The bust is generally bare except for a piece of cloth worn over the left shoulder and passing between the ample bosoms under the right arm. The men are of strong build, with beard, moustache and knots of hair on the head.