Page 4 - Jul-Sep 2017

tiMeLeSS SCULPtUreS Rules of Sculpture
Silpasastra:
Sculpture making had to follow
The tradition of Indian sculpture making is one of the oldest in the world, certain rules and regulations
dating back to the Indus Valley Civilization. Ever since then, Indian sculpture prescribed by the Silpasastras
has become more refined and established itself as one of the finest in the world. including elements of proportion,
Indian sculptures have always been inspired from mythology and religion but measurement, attitude, iconography
and adornment especially if the
also boast of animals, birds and human figures. sculpture is made for a
Janani, VIIB, Mani Higher Secondary School, Coimbatore religious purpose.

THE LION CAPITAL, SARNATH LEPAkSHI NANDI
location: sarnath Museum, uttar Pradesh location: anantapur District, andhra Pradesh
Period: 250 bCe Period: 16th Century
This pillar was carved out of The Nandi bull is made of a single
Chunar sandstone. The pillar granite stone. it is 4.5m high and
has two parts-- a capital and Crowning 8.23m long. The big granite bull is
a shaft. The capital is further animal on the main road, about 200 metres Illustration by: S.Devi,
divided into crowning animal, abacus Capital from the lepakshi Temple. it has Dharshana, VIIIB, Angappa
abacus and an inverted lotus. been positioned such that it faces the Sr. Sec. CBSE School,
Coimbatore
below the four lions is a inverted shivalinga shielded by a huge serpent
lotus
round abacus carved with inside the temple. it is the second largest monolith in
a lion, a galloping horse, an india, after gommateshwara of Karnataka.
elephant and a bull separated K.Harini, VII, Little Scholars Matriculation Higher Secondary School,
from each other by a wheel. shaft Thanjavur
These animals represent the
four points of the compass:
the lion (north), the horse CHATURMUkHI
(south), the elephant (east)
and the bull (west). sarnath lion Capital now serves as location: National gallery of Modern art, New Delhi
the emblem of the republic of india. Period: 20th Century
Miruthula Bhashini, VII, Trinity Academy Senior Secondary School, a famous sculpture by aekka Yada giri rao, depicts four
Thiruvarur
different and inevitable facets of a woman’s life. This
sculpture is made of sandstone which is at a height of
13 ft. it is based on a square platform. it is very symbolic in
GOMMATESHWARA STATUE nature and expression, denoting a complete circle of life.

location: shravanbelagola, hassan District, Karnataka This is placed in the lawn of National gallery of Modern
Period: 981 Ce art, New Delhi.
The monolithic statue of
gommateshwara, also known as ACTIVITY: CAN YOU NAME THEM?
Bahubali, at shravanabelagola, identify these common sculptures which were a part of
is a 60 ft. tall statue. Carved out most temples.
of a single block of granite, it
is so large that it can be seen
even from a distance of 30 kms.
gommateshwara was a Jain saint, who according to a
legend was the first human in his half time cycle to attain
liberation. The monolith was built by Chamundaraya, a
minister of the ganga Dynasty.
a b c d

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