{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O62622"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O62622/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BC2008/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BC2008/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BC2008","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LY0777","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O62622/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O62622","accessionNumber":"IM.14-1938","objectType":"Figure","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This elephant would probably have been made to carry a figure of the Hindu god Aiyanar or Ayannar, such as the V&A example, Museum no. IM.15-1939. Aiyanar is one of the most popular folk-deities of rural south India where he serves as the principal protective deity of village communities, especially from the malevolent forces that abound at night. His shrines are found in the countryside, they are usually located outside the boundaries of a village or town. They are readily identified by the painted terracotta horses found around the site, which have been offered to him by his devotees. \r\n\r\nAiyanar is generally worshipped as the son of Shiva, though his origins undoubtedly stem from a local hero (<i>vira</i>) cult deity. Legend attributes his birth to a sexual union between Shiva and Vishnu. As Vishnu is said to have seduced Shiva by assuming the female form of Mohini, a beautiful woman. Due to his parentage, Aiyanar is revered by both followers of Shiva and Vishnu. He is also referred to  as Harahariputa, literally, the son of Hara (Shiva) and Hari (Vishnu). This reinforces the manner in which he bridges the two principle sects of Hinduism.\r\n\r\nAiyanar is exceptional because he is a village guardian deity, who has been elevated and absorbed into the Hindu pantheon. Processional bronze images of Aiyanar have been commissioned. He is seen here, seated in a relaxed posture (<i>sukhasana</i>) and is holding an elephant goad (<i>ankusa</i>). His radiating hair mimicks that of Shiva in his ascetic–yogic forms, and within the coils of his hair a cobra and crescent moon can be seen. These two emblems emphasise his close affiliation with Shiva. The elephant on which Aiyanar rides wears bell-garlands, and a small <i>howdah</i> upon which he sits. Behind him, holding on precariously is a smaller figure, presumably this is the elephant-keeper (<i>mahout</i>). A similar sculpture is held by the Government Museum in Chennai.","physicalDescription":"An elephant wearing a double collar of bells and other ornaments. On his back is a seat upon which a figure would have been mounted, the latter is missing, however it is presumed the figure would have been that of the deity Aiyanar. The elephant has been displayed with another Aiyanar figure, IM.15-1939. Seated at the back of the elephant is the small figure of his rider or <i>mahout</i>. \r\nA similar elephant complete with the deity Aiyanar is preserved at the Chennai Museum.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Copper alloy","id":"AAT10942"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Copper alloy","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Hinduism","id":"THES48941"},{"text":"Animals and Wildlife","id":"THES250852"}],"styles":[{"text":"Chola","id":"AAT18913"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006BC2008","2019LY0777"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES404219"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Sculpture","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Tamil Nadu","id":"x29843"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"12th century","earliest":"1100-01-01","latest":"1200-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs D. M. Kay. Presented from the collection of the late Kenneth Kay, Madras. ","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"27.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"30.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Figure of an elephant and mahout, bronze, Tamil Nadu, 12th to 13th Century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John: 'Indian Temple Sculpture', London, V & A Publication, 2007, p.173, pl.195.\r\nISBN 9781851775095.\r\nGuy, John (ed.). ‘L’Escultura en els Temples Indis: L’Art de la Devocio’, Barcelona : Fundacio La Caixa, 2007. p.210. cat. 169-170.\r\nISBN 9788476649466"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Pal, P. Indian Sculpture : A Catalogue of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Collection. Vol. 2, 700-1800. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles) and University of California Press (Berkeley, Los Angeles, London), 1988. 320 p. ill. ISBN 0-87587-148-18. Cat. 149, pp. 281-2."},{"reference":{"text":"Haworth-Booth, Mark; Indian Sculpture: A Travelling Exhibition, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 1971","id":"AUTH348838"},"details":"No. 70","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Creange, S., Slaczka A., Southworth W. and Wang, C. <i>Asian Bronze: 4000 Years of Beauty</i>, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, 2024.","id":"AUTH411635"},"details":"pp. 178-179, Fig. 122","free":""}],"production":"Tamil Nadu, south India\n\nAttribution note: Hollow cast","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"elephant","id":"x30316"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Hinduism","id":"AAT73727"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"7. Elephant\r\n1100–1200\r\nChola period\r\nAlthough this elephant and the figure of Aiyanar did not\r\noriginally belong together, the elephant was made to carry\r\njust such an image and was cast with a seat on his back for\r\nthe god. Seated further back is a smaller figure, perhaps the\r\nmahout or elephant driver. The richly caparisoned elephant\r\ngrasps a piece of foliage in his trunk.\r\nCopper alloy\r\nSouthern India (Tamil Nadu)\r\nGiven by Mrs D.M. Kay\r\nMuseum no. IM.14-1938","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}}],"partNumbers":["IM.14-1938"],"accessionNumberNum":"14","accessionNumberPrefix":"IM","accessionYear":1938,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN6025","2019LR0793","2019LP3295","2019LT4798","2019LU8580","2019LV3269","2019LW9214","2020MP1916","2020MP1937"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-03","recordCreationDate":"2001-09-20","availableToBook":false}}