The Colas c36.51

c36.51

Fig. 42. Ardhanārīśvara, in a niche in the Nāgēśvara temple, Kumbakonam. Similar in conception to the Koḍumbāḷūr figure; but here the execution is marvellous and unsurpassed. Perhaps 9th-10th centuries A.D. in South India witnessed the arts reaching their zenith of development. This is the finest of all the figures in this temple. The great mastery of the Cōḷa sculptor is evident in each limb of the figure. Its style of workmanship is apparently of local origin and quite distinct from the styles that were in vogue at Koḍumbāḷūr and other places. Here the pilasters are not interesting.