Emaciated Female playing the Cymbals: A study of an ancient Hindu bronze figurine in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. Sarath Chadrajeewa

Book is an enlarged version of a research paper presented at the Vice Chancellors’ symposium held at the Central Conservatory of music Beijing, China in 2019. Book comprises of following chapters with 27 plates and 45 pages.

Abstract

• Visual reading
• Discovery of the bronze figuring
• Related history and legends
• Poetess and cymbal player
• Historical formation of Karāikkāl Ammaiyār in the temple sculptures of South India
• Several other views of emaciated body
• The cult of mother Goddess
• Aesthetic interpretation of Karāikkāl Ammaiyār sculpture from Polonnaruwa

Book is dedicated to describing one of the Hindu Bronze figurines from 11^th century Sri Lanka, now exhibiting as an artifact at the archeological museum in Polonnaruwa. Author established the idea of Karāikkāl Ammaiyār as a historical character who lived in 5^th century Karaikkal, a coastal city of South India and the bronze is a Sri Lankan style Hindu statue.

The author is a former Vice Chancellor of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts Colombo, Sri Lanka.