Image title: Plate 10: Shiva blessing Manunitikonda

[Full title: Shiva blessing Manunitikonda, Chola, Vijayanagara, Lepakshi, 16th century]

This plate depicts the narration of the story of the calf run over by the car of the Chola prince and the cow claiming and getting justice meted out to her by the ruler whose name itself proclaims the ideals of justice, Manunītikoṇḍa. The story has a special importance at Tiruvālur, in the Tañjāvur district, where a monolithic car and the calf below it represent the scene. This, and the story of Arjuna’s penance, as very popular themes, are repeated in sculptural panels of the Śiva temple at Penukoṇḍa.

Gallery information:

This plate is contained in the book “Vijayanagara Paintings”, a valuable aid to the understanding of Indian iconography (also known as śilpaśāstra). The Vijayanagara empire was established in 1335 by Harihara, Harihara, Kaṃpa and Bukka (sons of Saṅgama) and grew to be a dominant power in the South. Painting has been considered in the Citrasūtra of the Viṣṇudharmottara, the early standard text on painting, as the premier art.