FA 34a Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Suryavarman Ii, Bhima Ratha, Chola Dynasty
Document Summary
The temple was completed under several reigns of a local kingdom. The temple"s design may have been influenced by the bhima ratha and earlier precedents. It was intended to be a replica of the gods" home in the himalayas, mount kailasa. Visitors from the 16th cent. called the temple the painted palace , suggesting that the temple was once painted. The temple has a rock cut entrance gateway, similar to many other temples (having a gateway). By the 8th century, the metaphor of the temple as a mountain had been well. In the vicinity of the temple are streams where hindus would meditate; the entire area was considered sacred. Shiva nataraja means shiva lord of the dance . It was cast using the lost wax method. It is from the chola dynasty (9 10th cent. ). Shiva is stepping on a dwarf that symbolizes ignorance. The chola dynasty was a militant and violent dynasty.
