War in Ancient India c6.s6.t2.13

c6.s6.t2.13

Perhaps the most vivid and lively representations of Vijayanagar art are those in the two temples at Tādpatri, Anantapur District—the Rāmeśvaram temple dedicated to Śiva, and the Cintatrāya temple to Viṣṇu. On the northern side of the Rāmeśvaram temple on the banks of the Pinākinī river, the Gopura is left unfinished from the middle. Here in the bas-relief on both sides of the two walls are seen demon soldiers, besides others wearing altogether different costumes. About a hundred varieties of dress are noticed here. In the other temple a furlong to the south, there is a remarkable representation of the whole story of the *Rāmāyaṇa* and also certain portions of the *Bhāgavata* finely sculptured. The reliefs are full of life and movement and exhibit fire and passion throughout. Except one or two figures the rest, several hundreds, are beautiful and present a freshness all their own. Chariots, war-horses, elephants, soldiers in battle array, actual operations in the field, all these afford remarkable subjects for study.