Chola-era bronze alloy idols of Lord Nataraja, Goddess Sivakami unearthed in Nagapattinam
A recent excavation in Nagapattinam has brought to light two striking bronze sculptures from the Chola era, offering fresh insight into the region’s medieval religious art.
The larger figure, Lord Nataraja, stands in the iconic Ananda Tandava dance, four‑armed and measuring about 110 cm tall and 100 cm wide. Beside it, Goddess Sivagami appears in a graceful Tribhanga pose, two arms, 82 cm high and 23 cm wide. Both rest on intricately carved pedestals.
Based on iconography, ornamentation and the metalwork technique, scholars place the pieces in the 12th‑century Chola period, a time when bronze casting reached its zenith in South India. Their discovery at a depth of one metre underscores the continuity of temple traditions in the coastal town.
The find has been hailed as a tangible link to the cultural and devotional practices of the era, reinforcing the historical depth of Tamil heritage.