Worlds most unique sculpture .... the sculpture at Tala is a more than two meters high figure in red sandstone called Rudra Shiva. This is a unique piece of sculpture that is not found anywhere else in archeological history. This one of its kind piece that to me looked more like a Yaksha figure but for the Raudra or Ugr (aggressive) expression that it carries, it has been named Rudra Shiva. Another potential reason why it might have been inferred as Shiva is because Shiva is known as Pasupatinath or the Lord of the animals and this figures portrays that aspect of him through various animal figures sculpted as body parts of this image. I think this can be the signature sculpture of Chhattisgarh.
Body parts made of animal and human faces make this a unique figure. Look at the picture attentively and you will see the following:
The headgear is made of coils of snake
Nose is a Chameleon with endings like Scorpio
Eyebrows made with Frog
Eyeballs as eggs
Ears as Peacocks
Chin with Crab
Moustache made of fishes
Shoulders are the mouth of Crocodile
Arms like elephant trunk
Fingers like mouth of snake – some say Panchmukhi Nag or five faced Snake
Human figures on the breasts – may represent twins
A round pot like human figure as stomach – may denotes Kumbha
Vidyadhar figures on the thighs - may be Matsyakanya or mermaids – also similar to a balance or Tula
Gandharva figures on the sides of the thighs – may be Matsyakanya too
Lion faces on the knees - Leo
Feet like elephants
Two snakes as Rakshaks on both shoulders
Another snake wrapped from behind near the lower legs
As you can see some of these animals are associated with various astrological signs – like Twins with Geminis, Kumbha with Aquarius, Lions with Leos, Balance with Libra, Crocodile for Caprocorn, Virgins for Virgo, Scorpios and Cancer etc, some locals say that this figure contains all the 12 rashis or astrological signs, though there is no further explanation that I could get of this. Surprisingly, though some parts of the image are broken, it is still worshipped. ASI has put it in a small enclosure that is kept locked and people worship it through a metal door.
The Devrani Jethani temple complex where this statue is currently housed is placed during the Gupta period but there is no clue about the date of this particular statue. From the style also it is so unique that it is difficult to map it to a certain period. Going by the bulkiness it could belong to an ancient period or it could be a later folk art.
I sincerely suspect it is the sculpture of a Devoted Village Chieftan who was vassal to the king of 36 Forts and was known for his virility.
Is it really a standalone piece or we are yet to discover its peers? The fact that someone called it Shiva and today it is being worshipped as Shiva, tells us how the faith propagates, and how it the faith that makes a piece of stone God.
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