Image title: Sculpture of Manikkavacakar (12th century)

Manikkavacakar
Late Chola, 12th Century CE South India 
Ht. 50.2 cm., Wd. 21.8 cm., Dep. 20.8 cm. 
Bronze, Acc. No. 57.16/3

This is the image of the Shaiva saint Manikkavachakar. The raised right hand is in china-mudra [=cinmudra] (the index finger and thumb are joined); while in the left he holds the Tiruvachkam manuscript bearing a mutilated inscription. The hair is short and he is dressed like a monk with ringlets falling over the forehead.

Transcription (not proofread):

मणिक्कवाचकर
परवर्ती चोल, 12वीं शताब्दी दक्षिण भारत 
ऊं. 50.2 से.मी., चौ. 21.8 से.मी., गह. 20.8 से.मी. 
कांसा, अवाप्ति सं. 57.16/3
यह शैव संत मणिक्कवाचकर की प्रतिमा है। इनका उठा हुआ दाहिना हाथ चिन मुद्रा में है जबकि बायें हाथ में कटे-फटे लेख से युक्त तिरुवाचकम पांडुलिपि है। इनके छोटे केश हैं। मणिक्कवाचकर के वस्त्र किसी भिक्षु जैसे हैं।

maṇikkavācakara
paravartī cola, 12vīṃ śatābdī dakṣiṇa bhārata 
ūṃ. 50.2 se.mī., cau. 21.8 se.mī., gaha. 20.8 se.mī. 
kāṃsā, avāpti saṃ. 57.16/3
yaha śaiva saṃta maṇikkavācakara kī pratimā hai| inakā uṭhā huā dāhinā hātha cina mudrā [=cinmudrā] meṃ hai jabaki bāyeṃ hātha meṃ kaṭe-phaṭe lekha se yukta tiruvācakama pāṃḍulipi hai| inake choṭe keśa haiṃ| maṇikkavācakara ke vastra kisī bhikṣu jaise haiṃ|

Gallery information:

These photographs are from the section “Bronze images” (kamsya) within the National Museum of New Delhi (India). Bronze images, small for domestic shrines or larger and hollow, are made using the lost wax process (madhuchista-vidhana). Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. The oldest group of bronze sculptures from the Indian subcontinent date back to the 3rd millennium B.C.E.