Early Chola-period sculptures, inscriptions found on river bed

Early Chola sculptures and inscriptions documenting temple donations discovered on the Cauvery riverbed near Musiri, Tiruchi district.

The sculpture of Dakshinamurthy found on the Cauvery river bed near Musiri in Tiruchi district. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Researchers from Dr. M. Rajamanikkanar Centre for Historical Research, Tiruchi, deciphering the inscriptions found on a stone slab in the Cauvery river bed near Musiri in Tiruchi. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

A couple of early Chola period sculptures of Dakshinamurthy and Vinadhara Shiva and inscriptions recording donations of money and a piece of land to a temple have been found on the Cauvery river bed near Musiri in Tiruchi district.

Researchers from Dr. M. Rajamanikkanar Centre for Historical Research, Tiruchi, led by its Director M. Kalaikkovan, inspected the sculptures and deciphered the inscription based on information from villagers that some ruined parts of a temple, sculptures, and an inscription could be seen on the bed of the river. The team included M. Nalini, Chief Epigraphist of the centre, and R. Akila, Professor of History, Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Musiri.

According to Dr. Kalaikkovan, slightly damaged sculptures, found in the middle of a thorny bush on the river bed about 200 metres from its bund, could have been part of a temple which had existed in the vicinity.

“The Dakshinamurthi might have been in the south niche of the ruined temple and the sculpture Vinadhara Siva [depicting Shiva holding the veena] might have been in the upper storey of the same temple. Both are meticulously carved and are comparable with the sculptures of Kuranganathar temple at Srinivasanallur, a nearby village,” he said.