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Ancient Indian Temple Sculptures

Intricate stone carvings from various temples in India, depicting Hindu deities and religious iconography in historical contexts.

Pashtunath Jain temple sculpture, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India, Asia
Pashtunath Jain temple sculpture, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India, Asia
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Pashtunath Jain temple sculpture, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India, AsiaCave temples of Badami Chalukyan king Mangalesa 593-610 A.D, Karnataka, India Heritage Copyright: xAnilxDave/DinodiaxPhotoxImage of Suria, Sun Temple, Konarak, Orissa, IndiaHindu deity, Phallus, Kathmandu, Himalaya region, Nepal, AsiaVishnu Rani ki vav step well stone carving Patan Gujarat India Copyright: xHemantxPatil/DinodiaxPhotoxBorobudur, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, AsiaKailasanatha Temple Kanchipuram Tamil Nadu, IndiaLadkhan temple built in 7th century Aihole Karnataka India Copyright: xMxAmirtham/DinodiaxPhotoxCambodia, Angkor, terrace of the Leper KingGod krishna with snake carved on hoysaleswara temple Halebid Halebidu Hassan Karnataka India Copyright: xSatishxParashar/DinodiaxPhotoxStatue carved on Sas Bahu temple, Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan, India Copyright: xDinodiaxPhotoxSculpture of Couple, Khajuraho Close-up of sculpture of couple at Parshvanath Jain Temple at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India, Asia Copyright: xZoonar.com/MahanteshxCxMorabadx 16835066Carving Sculpture of Lord Vishnu on the Sri Malgatti Shiva Gudi, Badami, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India. Carving Sculpture of Lord Vishnu on the Sri Malgatti Shiva Gudi, Badami, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India. Copyright: xZoonar.com/RealityImagesx 21704293Anuradhapura is one of Sri Lanka's ancient capitals and famous for its well-preserved ruins. From the 4th century BCE until the beginning of the 11th century CE it was the capital. During this period it remained one of the most stable and durable centers of political power and urban life in South Asia. The ancient city, considered sacred to the Buddhist world, is today surrounded by monasteries covering an area of over sixteen square miles (40 km). Six armed Avalokitesvara, from 10th century found in Nalanda, Bihar now exposed in the Indian Museum in KolkataCarved Sculpture of Mahishasurmardini on the Durga Temple, Aihole, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India. Carved Sculpture of Mahishasurmardini on the Durga Temple, Aihole, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India. Copyright: xZoonar.com/RealityImagesx 21704239Guardstone. Ruwanweliseya Dagoba, Anuradhapura, Sri LankaShiva and Parvati sculpture. Orissa, India, 13th century AD. Stone sculpture shows the powerful Hindu deity Shiva, with his consort Parvati, the daugter of the mountain, seated on his knee. British Museum. London. England. United Kingdom.Statue carved on pillar at Krishna temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India Copyright: xHxSatish/DinodiaxPhotoxEllora Caves, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India Copyright: xHemantxPatil/DinodiaxPhotoxWood carving, Durbar Square of Patan, Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Nepal, AsiaStatue in heritage Buddha excavated site, Ratnagiri, Orissa, India Copyright: xAnilxDave/DinodiaxPhotoxStatue of a woman Statue of a woman. Angkor Wat Copyright: xZoonar.com/PavelxSytilinx 21973101lord vishnu sculpture khajuraho madhya pradesh India Asia Copyright: xArunxMishra/DinodiaxPhotoxKuber Shankanidhi Rani ki vav step well stone carving Patan Gujarat India Copyright: xHemantxPatil/DinodiaxPhotoxCarved Sculpture of Lord Vishwakarma on the Sun Temple of Jhalarapatan, Rajasthan, India. Carved Sculpture of Lord Vishwakarma on the Sun Temple of Jhalarapatan, Rajasthan, India. Copyright: xZoonar.com/RealityImagesx 21290271Bas reliefes in Hindu temple. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), Tamil Nadu, IndiaApsaras Apsaras halb menschliche, halb göttliche Frauen des Hinduismus und Buddhismus in Angkor Wat in Kambodscha Copyright: xZoonar.com/AndreasxEdelmannx 21579180White Tara, from 10th century found in Lalitagiri in Bihar now exposed in the Indian Museum in KolkataStatue at Hoysaleshwara temple, Halebidu, Karnataka, India Copyright: xDebasishxBanerjee/DinodiaxPhotoxIndia, Karnataka. Belur, Chennakesava Temple. Three women in ritual dancing poses.Siem Reap, Cambodia. Stone reliefs depicting a Devata, a female spirit guardian of Hindu and Buddhist mythology on the walls of the Bayon Temple in Angkor ThomStatue of Lord Shiva at Badami, Chalukya Cave 1575 A.D. - 585 A.D., UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India Copyright: xMadhusudanxTawde/DinodiaxPhotoxPatron goddess, Taleju, detail of Golden Gate, Sun Dhoka, the Royal Palace Lu Dhawka, Durbar Square, Bhaktapur, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kathmandu ...Siem Reap, Cambodia, stone reliefs depicting a Devata, a female spirit guardian of Hindu and Buddhist mythology on the walls of the Banyon Temple in Angkor ThomHarihara, from 10th century found in Surajkund, Nalanda, Bihar now exposed in the Indian Museum in KolkataMukteshwara temple, rowing statue, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India Copyright: xRxModi/DinodiaxPhotoxCambodia - Niche with a Devata (deity, divinity) at the Ta Prohm temple in Angkor. The temple complexes of Angkor ('city') were the heart of the Khmer empire which flourished from the 9th to the 13th century and today are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Siem Reap province, northwest Cambodia.Lord Shiva Pichadanar, 17th century wooden carvings in Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple Chariot at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, South India, India, AsiaCorridor statue in Durga temple 7th century, Aihole, Karnataka, India Heritage Copyright: xAnilxDave/DinodiaxPhotoxCarved idols outside Jagdish Temple, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India, Asia Copyright: xNitinxKelvalkar/DinodiaxPhotoxStanding Brahma 10th-11th century India (South India). Standing Brahma 38416Stone Sculpture of Buddha, Ellore Bas relief sculpture of Buddha in serene pose on wall of Kalash Cave Temple, Ellora, Maharashtra, India, Asia Copyright: xZoonar.com/MahanteshxCxMorabadx 16837458The Tempel Ruin of Banteay Srei about 32 Km north of the Temple City of Angkor near the City of Siem Riep in the west of Cambodia.. ASIA CAMBODIA ANGKOR BANTEAY SREIMahishasurmardini Rani ki vav step well stone carving Patan Gujarat India Copyright: xHemantxPatil/DinodiaxPhotoxkubera on the wall of vamana temple Khajuraho madhya pradesh india Copyright: xSatishxParashar/DinodiaxPhotoxStatue from the Buddhist center of Dong Duong, Cham Museum, Da Nang, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, AsiaApsara relief at the sanctuary of the mountain temple Wat Phu, Champasak Province, Laos, AsiaMahakoota Bagalkot Badami Karnataka India Asia Oct 2010 Copyright: xPhotochromy/DinodiaxPhotoxAlto-relievo of temples of Khajuraho Khajuraho Copyright: xZoonar.com/Yrax 13540613Isan, Thailand; Carving of BuddhaA stone carving of an apsara dancing in a stone niche at the Bayon in Angkor Thom. The carving in the soft rock has been eroded over centuries so that the features are starting to become indistinct.The Samudra Manthana explains the origin of the elixir of eternal life, amrita. Angkor Thom. Cambodia. Paris. France.Carved figurines carrying lamps, Carving on the pillars, Near Nataksala Hall of performance, solid granite pillars Padmanabhapuram Wood Palace, Tamil Nadu, India Copyright: xAngeloxD Silva/DinodiaxPhotoxTEMPLO-DET PANEL-ALTORELIEVE DE LA DIVINIDAD VISHNU EN MEDITACION. Location: TEMPLOS DE PRAMBANAN. Java. VISNU DIOS HINDU-VISHNU.The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara seated on Mt. Potala (circa 1000AD) in the Victoria and Albert Museum in central London in the United Kingdom.Stone statue of Vishnu, the God of Protection, Preservation of Good, Karma restoration, Moksha.Kailasnath Siva Temple; Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, IndiaBanteay Srei Temple, Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia, AsiaThe Konark Sun Temple is the culmination of Orissan temple architecture, and one of the most stunning monuments of religious architecture in the world. Built by the King Narasimhadeva in the thirteenth century, the entire temple was designed in the shape of a colossal chariot with seven horses and twenty-four wheels, carrying the sun god, Surya, across the heavens. Surya has been a popular deity in India since the Vedic period. The temple is a World Heritage Site and one of the seven wonders of India. Konark, Puri, Orissa, India.Arthanareeswarar on the exterior wall, Brihadisvara Brihadeeswara Big Temple (10th century) Thanjavur Tanjore, Tamil Nadu, South India, India, Asia. UNESCO World Heritage Site, AsiaKrishna playing flute bas relief in Hindu temple, Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple also called Thiruvarangam is an example of Dravidian Architecture, Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India, AsiaRuined Sculpture at Bhuleshvar Temple, Yawat, Maharashtra, India Ruined Sculpture at Bhuleshvar Temple, Yawat, Maharashtra, India Copyright: xZoonar.com/YogeshxMorex 7526563Yogini Rani ki vav step well stone carving Patan Gujarat India Copyright: xHemantxPatil/DinodiaxPhotoxTa Prohm temple, Angkor Wat, Cambodia, AsiaDancer statue on Sun temple of Konarak World Heritage monument, Konarak, Orissa, India Copyright: xDebasishxBanerjee/DinodiaxPhotoxMyanmar (Burma), Mandalay State, Mandalay, the Shwe Nan Daw temple, nice sample of teak traditional architecture covered with sculpted wooden panels recounting previous lifes of BuddhaTerrakotta-Skulptur antiker Frauen in traditioneller Kleidung im Sri Raghunath-Tempel, Ghurisha, Birbhum, Westbengalen, Indien. Terracotta sculpture of ancient women depicted in traditional attire on Sri Raghunath Temple, Ghurisha , Birbhum, West Bengal, India. Copyright: xZoonar.com/RealityImagesx 22625159Cambodia, Angkor, terrace of the Leper KingSri Lanka, Uva Province, Wellawaya, Buddha statues at Buduruvagala templeAnanthapadmanabha vishnu on serpent wooden carving statues in old temple chariot at Madurai Tamil Nadu India Copyright: xMxAmirtham/DinodiaxPhotoxDancing Siva in Badami Cave, Karnataka, South India, India, AsiaStatue of Buddha in heritage Buddha excavated site, Ratnagiri, Orissa, India Copyright: xAnilxDave/DinodiaxPhotoxSculpture of Hindu God on Ranmal Choki, Idar Fort, Sabarkantha, Gujarat, India. Sculpture of Hindu God on Ranmal Choki, Idar Fort, Sabarkantha, Gujarat, India. Copyright: xZoonar.com/RealityImagesx 21841389Brahma with three faces, Chola period, 11th cent. AD. INDIA.Hindu god Vishnu stone bas relief in Hindu temple, Arunachaleswar Temple, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India. Hindu god Vishnu bas relief in Hindu temple in IndiaShiva as BhairavaMahishasuramardhini in Kailasanatha temple in Kanchipuram kancheepuram Tamil Nadu India Copyright: xMxAmirtham/DinodiaxPhotoxVatadage is a type of Buddhist structure found in Sri Lanka. It also known as dage, thupagara, and cetiyagara. Vatadages were built around small stupas for their protection, which often enshrined a relic or were built on hallowed ground. Polonnaruwa, the second most ancient of Sri Lanka's kingdoms, was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 CE to reunite the country under a national leader. Dancing gana, South India, 17th century AD. Wooden festival chariots carrying images of the gods often bear panels of figured sculpture.Sculpture at Jain Temple, Khajuraho Stone sculpture of divine couple at Parshwanath Jain Temple in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India, Asia Copyright: xZoonar.com/MahanteshxCxMorabadx 16841202Ancient Bayon Temple At Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, CambodiaElephant god Ganesha or Ganesh, sculpture at the Khajuraho Group of Monuments, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Madhya Pradesh, India, AsiaCarving of Yamuna on the Entrance of Bhima Kichak Temple, Malhar, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India. Carving of Yamuna on the Entrance of Bhima Kichak Temple, Malhar, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India. Copyright: xZoonar.com/RealityImagesx 21295899Ellora caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Maharashtra, India. Relief detail : Shiva killing the demon Andhaka at the entrance to the Kailasa (Kailash) temple complexCambodia, Siem Reap, Angkor, Banteay Srei Temple, Relief CarvingDevatas, Ta Prohm temple, Angkor, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Siem Reap, Cambodia, Southeast Asia, Asia'Renunciation of Prince Siddharta' bas relief (Cambodian terracotta), Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, Chinatown, SingaporeMyanmar (Burma), Mandalay State, Bagan (Pagan), Old Bagan, Nanpaya Temple (Pahto Nanpaya, 11th), rock sculptures of the Hindu God Brahma, the temple counts 8 of themHindu goddess Durga (Mahisaurmardini) image. Brihadishwara Temple, Tanjore (Thanjavur), Tamil Nadu, India - the Greatest of Great Living Chola Temples - UNESCO World Heritage SiteStatue at Hoysaleshwara temple, Halebidu, Karnataka, India Copyright: xDebasishxBanerjee/DinodiaxPhotoxWoodcarvings have been an integral part of houses and temples in Nepal since the 12th century and the art reached its peak during the 15th and 16th centuries CE. Wood being an abundant raw material, woodcarvings were simply everywhere: wooden doors, windows, cornices, pillars, struts or beams in Newar houses were all adorned with complex ornamental patterns. Temples, too, received a generous share of attention, but here, naturally, religious motifs were dominant. The woods of various trees were employed, including sisu, champa, deodar, haldu and teak; but the most favoured wood was that of the sal tree. The sal tree (Shorea robusta), formerly found in abundance in the Tarai and the valleys of the higher mountain ranges, provided the most hardy of Nepalese woods, reputed to last a thousand years, whether exposed to air or water, or for that matter, termites. Growing to a majestic height of 30-40 metres, a single tree would provide the carvers with an enormous amount of raw materiVishnu (preserver God). 19th century AD, South India. Stone sculptureCarvings of Dwarapala on the Bhima Kichak Temple, Malhar, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India. Carvings of Dwarapala on the Bhima Kichak Temple, Malhar, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India. Copyright: xZoonar.com/RealityImagesx 21295936Vishnu Seated on Adisesha cave 3, Badami, Karnataka, South India, India, AsiaApsara Apsara halb menschliche, halb göttliche Frauen des Hinduismus und Buddhismus in Angkor Wat in Kambodscha Copyright: xZoonar.com/AndreasxEdelmannx 21579241Sculpture of goddess gauri sitting on shrew on the wall of panchasara parasvanath jain temple Patan Gujarat India Copyright: xSatishxParashar/DinodiaxPhotoxBhairava a destructive manifestation of Siva the Hindu God. This Hindu deity was adopted by Tantric Buddhism in Tibet and is known as Vajrabhairava. 13th century, Hoysala dynasty (1050-1300 AD) chlorite schist sculpture from Karnatakain IndiaUma mahesh on wall of jagadambi temple Khajuraho madhya pradesh india Copyright: xSatishxParashar/DinodiaxPhotoxGoddess Durga statue in monolith rock carving temples, Mahabalipuram, District Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India UNESCO World Heritage Site Copyright: xMadhusudanxTawde/DinodiaxPhotox