Ancient Chola Era Nandi And Vishnu Stone Sculptures Unearthed In Chitrakudi, Thanjavur District

In a significant archaeological discovery, researchers in Chitrakudi, Thanjavur district, have unearthed ancient sculptures believed to date back to the 9th or 10th century. Among the artifacts found are a Nandi sculpture and a Vishnu sculpture, the latter of which is missing its head but is made of stone.

The idols were discovered by a team led by Mani Maran, a  Tamil scholar at Saraswati Mahal Library, Thanjavur, after being alerted by S. Sathya, Assistant Professor in Tamil at Bon Secours College for Women. Thillai Govindarajan, headmaster of Government Elementary School, Ponthiyakulam, and G. Jayalakshmi, a government schoolteacher, were also part of the team.

According to Mr. Maran, based on the style and features of the sculptures, both idols belonged to the Chola period. The Nandi, with half of its body buried, was found in an agricultural land at Lingathadimedu in Chithirakudi. The well-sculpted idol features a “manimalai” around the neck of the Nandi. Mr. Maran pointed out that the hump of the Nandi is well sculpted and similar to those found in local bulls.

The idol of Vishnu was discovered about 100 meters away, on the Ananda Cauvery, an irrigation canal that irrigates the village. “The idol, with its head and a hand broken, was found close to the south bank of the canal. The idol, about three feet tall, was buried below the hip. There could have been a big Sivan temple that had fallen into ruin in the area,” Mr. Maran added.

The Nandi sculpture, which is intact, is believed to be a representation of the sacred bull that serves as the mount of the Hindu god Shiva. The Vishnu sculpture, despite missing its head, is an important find, shedding light on the religious and cultural practices of the time.

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