Vishnu with Sri Devi and Bhu Devi

     Peruntottam, Shiyali Taluk, Tanjore District.  Height of Vishnu 85 cm. of devis 64 cm. About 10th Century AD.

    The simple dignified treatment and light draperies of these images suggest the possibility that they may date from an unusually early period. Sri Devi is seen without a breastband. The conch is in sinistral form.The conch resembles that with Jouveau-Dubreuil finds to be characteristics of stone images of the later Chola and Vijayanagar periods though its basal flame is rendered particularly conspicuous by being bent over and extended. The discus has the oblique position, which he considers characteristic of the former, and the ornamentation, which he considers characteristic of the later, of these two periods. Vishnu's head-dress also has the form characteristic of these periods, but with greater affinity to the simpler Pallava than to the more elaborate modern form.

    Other noteworthy features are the realistic, though much flattened, full blown lotus flower borne on Vishnu's right lower hand, as though held by its stalk between the first two fingers, the elegant looped knot of the sacred threads of Vishnu and Bhu Devi, the head-dresses and elbow ornaments of the two Devis and the necklaces of all three figures.

Vishnu

     Sermadevi, Tirunelveli District. Height 50 cm. About 13th Century AD.

     The seated Vishnu, from Sermadevi is an interesting specimen of this school. Its special features are the hand poses which are similar to those of the Siva from Kilaiyur, the presence of a looped string on both the shoulders which is different from that of the same Siva from Kilaiyur where it is present on the left shoulder only. The thick garment with sets of triple-lines running parallel to one another with small flower designs in between two of them and the prominent double-ring anklets resembling those of the Siva of the Somaskanda group from Kunnandarakovil. But the modelling and expression are beautiful. On the above grounds, this bronze may be dated to the middle of the 13th Century AD.

Vishnu with Consorts

     Komal, Mayavaram Taluk, Thanjavur District. Height 32 cm. About 13th Century AD.

     This is a rare and unique bronze. Rarely is Vishnu portrayed with a single pair of hands with the sankha and chakra embedded on the palms. A prominent "vanamala", a rare feature in South Indian Bronzes can be seen. Vishnu is seated on a larger pedestal with hands in abhaya and varada mudras, while Sri Devi and Bhu Devi to his right and left are on smaller pedestal. The tiruvasi with carvings is highly ornamental.