Rare Siva Sculpture Found At Darasuram

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THANJAVUR, INDIA, March 2, 2003: A rare sculpture of Lord Siva with a flute in his hands has been found at the Irawadeeswara temple at Darasuram, near Kumbakonam, by Kudavayil Balasubramaniyan, researcher of the Saraswathi Mahal Library, Thanjavur. It has been found on a pillar at the Rajakampeeran Thirumantapam of the temple, built by Rajaraja-II, Chola King. “There is no equivalent sculpture available anywhere in Tamil Nadu,” claims Dr. Balasubramaniyan. The tradition is to sculpt Vishnu as Krishna with a flute in his hands. But the image at the Darasuram temple bears a deer and an ax in the hands above and a flute in the two hands below. The temple, under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India, is an architectural marvel and mini-form of the Thanjavur Big Temple.