Ponniyin Selvan Varalaatru Peravai

With the advent of laptops, Internet and Iphones – rarely we get an occasion to sign with our hand. This is the age of digital signature, biometric identity. We rarely understand the significance of Signature.
Signature wasn’t even a topic worth thinking till I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York city.

One my close friends school mate Sriram was walking with me. We visited the Chola Bronze section. Chola Bronze was introduced to me by Mr.Vijaykumar of Poetry in stone blog. It would be apt if I say Mr.Vijaykumar has been a friend, philosopher, guide with regards to my blog.
When I first entered the Chola Bronze block , I was really excited. The thought of possessing some knowledge about a piece in Museum and a chance to explain it to a person next to you was really an amazing feeling. I explained the bronze figure of Thirugyanasambandar and his raised finger to my friend(of course from Poetry in Stone). And for the first time saw precision of the Chola bronzes. They had every detail in it the ring , metti, crown,saree/dhoti designs,finger nails. I got a chance to inspect each of the bronze which was not caged. I could examine them as close I wanted and I realised this is the closest ever I can go near a Chola Bronze.
In another section as show piece, they had Chola Bronze of Hanuman. His hands having a mudra. The lighting effect there made the shadow of the mudra look like a deer. It was really a sight to watch.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZnxUd_0tZZ4/TI2ij93E5PI/AAAAAAAAD-c/zcbIC_q23_c/s1600/Sep_12_MoMA.jpg

Then we walked to other sections and while discussing with Sriram, I realised something. I told him something like this ” If only the Chola bronze/stone artist got a chance to sign his name below his creations- there would be many universities now researching about the artist’s work; world would have celebrated a great artist as they are doing with the likes of Leonardo da Vinci. He didn’t have freedom to sign his name,hence we attribute these art to one dynasty. Just because he couldn’t sign , he is lost…..”
Now I understand the value of a signature.

11th Century

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/StandingHanumanCholaDynasty11thCentury.jpg

http://www.poetryinstone.in

“*Here the language of stone surpasses the language of man*” – Nobel
laureate, Rabindranath Tagore

On Thu, Sep 16, 2010 at 10:55 AM, sankaranarayanan k.s <

Excellent mail dear Vairam Palaniappan.

You have communicated two things ::

One – rightfully deserving appreciation to Vijay – for his blog POETRY IN STONE – which is a Super Hit among Heitage conservationists.

Your Karka.Nirka blog is another Super Hit among Literature – particularly those who love Sangam Literature very much .

Two – Signature of the Creator !! and you compared Great Artists like da Vinci.

” .. If only the Chola bronze/stone artist got a chance to sign his name below his creations- there would be many universities now researching about the artist’s work; world would have celebrated a great artist as they are doing with the likes of Leonardo da Vinci… ”

GOT a Chance .. !!

I am sure such Artist would have GOT A CHANCE..

Especially when even smaller grants were scribed, I am sure these names would have been permitted.

Like we know of Thennavan Moovenda Velalan who created the Bronzes..

Then they are NOT BRONZES.. They are GODLY IMAGES.. put in worship.

And an Artist’s name in an object of WORSHIP …

He himself would have deferred that idea.. that should have been a practice from the time such Creators got opportunities of Godly images.

WE have seen some inscriptions of such Creators in the outer mantap pillars etc.

When So many Thalichery pendir’s name figured in the big temple, i am sure so many names of the Creators also should have figured some where… if not in all the temples, atleast in the big temple.

we have lost several inscriptions.. may be we will recover some of these names too some day.

But your thought is mind awakening.. and thanks for sharing.

warm regards. sps

hi

there are no stapthi names inscribed in any of mallai monuments. the ref to
artist who repaired the broken hand of sthala sayana perumal of the shore
temple shrine is there in dandin’s play – but not in inscriptions. so we
cant be sure if its a fact.

second, there is an inscription not in mallai but in poonjeri – which is
dated to rajasimha period. ref from Dr Gift’s website below

http://www.cmi.ac.in/gift/Archeaology/arch_southindianart.htm

A few personal names of the artists of Tamil Nadu have come down to us from
the Pallava period. In the work of Dandin called *Dasakumara Charitram*,
there is an introductory reference to a silpi called Lalithaalaya who
cleverly repairs the broken arm of the reclining Vishnu image in the Shore
Temple complex. The name may be real or fictitious, but the story belongs to
the period when the Vishnu shrine alone existed for Dandin describes how the
waves washed the feet of the Vishnu image. The Siva shrines built on either
side of the Vishnu shrine belong to the later period around 700 A.D. when
king Rajasimha was the ruling Pallava monarch.

At a village called *Poonje$ri*, on the outskirts of Mahabalipuram, there is
an inscription of the Rajasimha period giving a list of the names of
artisans, including a * perunthachchan* a master sculptor and architect.

http://www.poetryinstone.in

“*Here the language of stone surpasses the language of man*” – Nobel
laureate, Rabindranath Tagore

On Fri, Sep 17, 2010 at 10:43 AM, Manohar Kumarswamy <

Would you not take ” / perunthachchan/ ” as a karanapeyar, meaning a
descriptor-name? In other words, we do not quite know his real name.

The name “Lalithaalaya ” sounds like a personal name. But is not
inscribed near the art itself? His name appears in another written work.

I would be interested to know if any of pre-13th century art had
sculptor’s name on the art itself.