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Chola Period Shiva Nataraja Bronze Auction To Fetch More Than A Million Dollars

Christie’s, one of world’s leading art business and a fine arts auction house, is auctioning a Chola Period Shiva Nataraja Bronze idol in New York on September 16, 2008 and the estimated auction price is more than one million dollars. The Nataraja statue from Tamil Nadu in South India belongs to the Chola Period – 975 AD.

In the idol, Lord Shiva as Nataraja is dancing over the dwarf Apasmara with his left leg raised, his principal right hand in abhaya mudra and his principal left hand pointed towards his raised foot, holding a damaru and flaming oil lamp in his other hands, the snake coiled about his waist and the goddess Ganga reclining on his flying tresses, surrounded by an aureole of flames.

The height of the idol is 73.7 cm. Estimated price is $1,000,000 - $1,500,00.

This idol is an early example where the flaming halo forms an arch as opposed to a circle in middle to late Chola. Only very few such idols are in private or public collections.

Apart from Shiva Nataraja Bronze idol, numerous paintings and idols of Hindu deities are going to be auctioned on the day.