SDARF Plans

Immediate Plan

Adi Sankara (Sankara) was one of the greatest Philosopher Saints of India. Not much is known about Sankara--the individual since his biographies are late (16th-19th century) and well removed from his time. No archaeological surveys or excavations regarding Sankara were even contemplated / conducted, until SDARF entered the picture recently. Over the past 150 years, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has surveyed and excavated the Early Buddhist tradition of the great Gautama Buddha. They have had success, aided partly by the large Stupas, Chaityas, Viharas, pillar and rock edicts pioneered by Emperor Ashoka and renovated / expanded by successive dynasties. We wish to take a leaf out of the ASI’s efforts and adopt the same approach in the case of Adi Sankara. It is not expected that there will be grand edifices to Sankara, but inscriptions, images, foundations of his family homes, and their temples should still be there, which we intend to excavate. It is also planned to survey extensively in the South Deccan and in the important places connected with Sankara in the rest of the country. The excavated artefacts and photographs from the excavations and surveys are planned to be displayed in the National Adi Sankara Museum. We hope that the Government of India and the State Government of Kerala will participate in the excavations regarding Sankara and also take the responsibility of building the Museum.

Thus, the immediate plan is to commence the National Adi Sankara Mission (NASM) and complete it. It is estimated that it will take about seven (7) years and cost approximately INR. 6 crores to successfully bring the NASM project to closure. This project has Pan-India touch points and would yield rich information about the past, not only regarding the South Deccan but the rest of the country as well.

In parallel, a smaller investigation regarding the original form of the Nataraja of Chidambaram will be conducted. This might to a degree help us understand the evolution of the Nataraja form between the 2nd century BCE and the 6th century CE, and also help us gain a bit of insight into the ancient past of Chidambaram, which remains a mystery to date. This mini-project too has a North-South connect, due to Patanjali who moved from Pataliputra to the South.

Mid-Term Plan

A more detailed study of the Nataraja issue is required to understand the ancient history of Chidambaram and the evolution of Nataraja from the early period to the 6th century CE. The Nataraja form and its popularity have a lot to do with dance forms noticed in the Sangam literature. Siva was the Kadavul of the Sangam age, and the puranic themes about him are noticed in the literature. Nataraja is also Sabhapati, who is alluded to in the Taitiriya Samhita of the Krishna Yajur Veda. Nataraja also signifies Sanskrit grammar as its Sutras and commentary are said to have evolved from the kettle drum and tinkling anklets of Nataraja, as he danced. The anklet itself is a symbolism for Patanjali, and this is noticed in several ancient Tamil texts. Thus, Nataraja is a harmonious blend of Tamil culture and the Vedic culture.

Patanjali Maharishi seems to have enshrined a form of Siva which instantly would have resonated with persons of the Tamil country. In addition, this form has the sanction of the Vedas, and the raised left foot cautions the students of Sanskrit grammar, to be cognizant of Lord Siva Nataraja and the metaphysical origin of the commentary from the anklet on his foot. The above hypothesis is supported by the Saiva Canon and several other texts from the Tamil country. However, the actual early form of Nataraja needs to be understood through surveys in and around Chidambaram, through the study of Sunga iconography of the North (of the 2nd century BCE), and additional texts of Chidambaram. This is a rather detailed project and is intended to be taken up after completion of NASM, resources permitting, of course. The preliminary study mentioned above regarding the early Nataraja evolution will be taken up in parallel with the NASM. This project cuts across the provinces of India and will reveal some details about the past of the nation. Dr. Sivaramamurti has sketched how he envisioned Nataraja during the time of Patanjali, and this sketch is given alongside, with due credit to the Master iconographer of this Nation. This sketch represents his mind’s eye view, based on his knowledge and imagination. What is required is to determine the early form and its evolution based on hard evidence. This project might take a year or two to complete and would require field studies coupled with a review of iconographic texts and the Chidambaram manuscripts.

Sketch of Nataraja from the time of Maharishi Patanjali as envisioned by Dr. C. Sivaramamurti. Sketch from “Nataraja in Art, Thought and Literature”, Published by National Museum, New Delhi, 1974.

Another project that is envisioned is to find authentic information about the form, attributes, and dimensions of the Chidambaram Nataraja Image [CNI]. We wish to evaluate whether there are Shilpa Sastra texts or Chidambaram manuscripts that will aid us in establishing all the attributes, the form and measurements of CNI. People might question the need for this project. The CNI is anointed with water and unguents six times a year and moved around in palanquins, chariots, etc. It has experienced wear and tear and some damage, and it is not known if some of the attributes, such as Ganga / sake, were ever present in the image. When images get damaged beyond repair, they are ritually replaced. Even if one assumes that the CNI will continue to obviate the need for replacement, the information to create it needs to be gathered and prototypes made and presented to the National Museum and the Chidambaram Nataraja temple. To that end, resources permitting, detailed research on this topic is planned. Continuous visual observations by artists, sculptors & students of the CNI iconography will be made. Iconographers and sculptors will be asked to make estimates of dimensions and sketched and make drawings through observations. The above information will be provided to Computer Aided Design (CAD) experts to create drawings on computers and render them in solid form. Computer Aided Machining (CAM) experts, ateliers, and sculptors would work to create drawings required for casting, machining, and brazing. In parallel, the texts of Chidambaram would be consulted and inputs of the Tillai priests sought to understand the issue of missing attributes and including them in the CAD-CAM drawings. Alloy experts would be consulted to cast small bricks, and the color and sheen would be matched against the CNI and finalized. These bricks of appropriate dimensions would be subject to lifecycle testing. Subsequently, prototypes will be made, and two of them will be finalized after comparing them physically against the CNI. One of these images will be presented to the Nataraja temple, Chidambaram and the other to the National Museum, New Delhi. The basis of finalizing the attributes, the measurements, the sketches, drawings, the alloy composition, CAD/CAM drawings, the casting / machining process details together with electronic files, videos, and digitized manuscript copies will be handed over to the Tillai Dikshitas (priests of the Chidambaram temple), couple of agencies such as the ASI, and also stored at SDARF for future use.

Long-Term Plan

The abovementioned projects combine field surveys, excavations, iconography, epigraphy, and the study of both vernacular and Sanskrit manuscripts. In addition, scientific dating of important artefacts using methods such as radiocarbon and optically & thermally stimulated luminescence (OSL & TSL) will be used. Once NASM is completed, the team at SDARF will be highly experienced in Indological, archaeological & scientific techniques. Several interns from different universities would have participated in the NASM, gaining valuable experience. Possibly, some students will go on to do their Master's and Doctoral theses on topics related to SDARF’s project. SDARF would thus have contributed to the education / training of future archaeologists. The Nataraja project would expand the horizons of SDARF to include, archaeometallurgy, chemistry, bronze casting, brazing, fabrication, and machining techniques. In addition, sketching, drawing, collaboration with sculptors, ateliers, and the use of engineering methods like CAD and CAM would have been utilized. SDARF would thus have transformed into an archaeological research institute that employs fairly high technology methods and would be ready to take on tough challenges related to the historical past of the South Deccan.

SDARF has been incorporated with multiple objectives:

Serve as a vehicle to conduct the National Adi Sankara Mission (NASM)
Trace the evolution of the Chidambaram Nataraja from the earliest periods through field surveys & minor excavations
Develop the iconometric and iconographic rules to recreate the Chidambaram Nataraja Icon (CNI)
Create two bronze prototypes of the CNI for Chidambaram temple and the National Museum, New Delhi
Take up challenging projects that help us understand the history of the South Deccan (300 BCE to 17th century CE)
Act as a training ground for archaeologists, emphasizing integrated inter-disciplinary research
Serve as an institute that employs the top graduating archaeology students (who have Historical Period interest)
Point attention to the State, Central Governments and the Nation at large about the state of archaeology today in India