By Quang Binh Tourism Department
The Museum of Cham Sculpture in Da Nang, Da Nang City Department of Tourism
Tra Kieu Gallery - Relics from the home of the Champa culture
Comparing the archaeological data and the historical archives, some researchers identified that Trà Kiệu had ever been a capital citadel of Champa Kingdom, corresponding to the name Simhapura in some inscriptions. The sculptures of Trà Kiệu bear the tender and flexible characteristics and the patterns of clothing, ornaments, and gestures of the personages are so diversified.
Trà Kiệu PedestalQuang Binh Tourism Department
According to the Cham people, the pedestal is a sacred symbol that connects deities with their temples and the earth to the heavens. Pedestals such as this would have been placed at the center of the main temple. On a pedestal, there would usually have been a Linga-Yoni or one of the primary Hindu deities.
The Trà Kiệu Pedestal consists of a set of Linga-Yoni sitting atop a square base. Each of the four sides of the square base features relief panels depicting active scenes of people, separated by stylized lions lifting with their legs and appearing to support the entire structure.
Trà Kiệu Pedestal/ Side AQuang Binh Tourism Department
In terms of the theme of the relief panels at the base, the Trà Kiệu Pedestal has been the source of considerable debate amongst art historians.
In Trần Kỳ Phương’s interpretation, side A depicts Rama and his journey to the kingdom of Videha for an archery contest. Having divine power, Rama bent the holy bow in the presence of Sita’s father, King Janak. As the winner of the contest, he was allowed to marry Sita.
Trà Kiệu Pedestal/ Side BQuang Binh Tourism Department
Side B shows the ambassadors informing Rama’s father, King Dasaratha, of the news of the impending marriage, and then the king traveling to Videha to attend his son’s wedding.
Trà Kiệu Pedestal/ Side CQuang Binh Tourism Department
Side C is about the preparation for the wedding of Rama.
Trà Kiệu Pedestal/ Side DQuang Binh Tourism Department
Finally, side D depicts the Apsaras dancing to congratulate the newly-wedded couple.
VisnuQuang Binh Tourism Department
One of the traditions involving Vishnu is that he is the God of the Sun, who strides through the universe in three giant steps. These three giant steps can be understood as the three positions of the sun: sunrise, noon and sunset. As part of the Great Trinity, Vishnu is the Preserver.
This sculpture depicts Vishnu seated cross-legged on the coils of the snake Ananta. Behind Vishnu, the thirteen heads of the snake rise up and form a hood. His four hands hold four attributes: the lower right-hand holds a mace symbolizing knowledge;
the upper right-hand holds the solar wheel representing the sun with its light, the power of creation and destruction; the upper left-hand holds a conch shell, symbolizing the origin of life; the lower left-hand was probably depicted holding a lotus or a gem (now missing). These four objects also symbolize the four fundamental elements of the universe: earth, water, wind, and fire. The attributes are iconographical features typical of Vishnu and help to identify him in sculptural art.
LingaQuang Binh Tourism Department
A typical linga has three parts that are associated with the Hindu Trinity. The bottom and the middle represents Brahma and Vishnu respectively while the top stands for Shiva. A flame or Shiva’s chignon is carved on the top, and the linga is thus called Jatalinga.
Linga and YoniQuang Binh Tourism Department
This linga is being displayed with a yoni as an altar. The linga, or liṅga in Sanskrit, translates as “mark” or“sign”. It is an ancient and sacred phallic symbol representing Shiva's powers of destruction, transformation, and regeneration. Yoni, also a Sanskrit word, basically means “womb”. Together the linga and the yoni show the union of the male and female energies, or Shiva and Shakti. They also symbolize fertility and plenty, hence underlying the origin of life and the universe.
Apsara Tra KieuQuang Binh Tourism Department
A masterpiece of Cham art, this work depicts two celestial dancers, known as Apsaras, in the graceful three-bends posture (tribhaṅga). The dancers wear thin skirts, recognizable by the central flaps between their legs and the knots at the lower back. Their faces display a serene beauty with slightly arched eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes without pupils. Their neck, arms and waist are elaborately decorated with rows of beads. Next to the dancers are the musicians or Gandharvas playing a string instrument called a ṭuila (or bar-zither).
The Museum of Cham Sculpture in Da Nang
http://chammuseum.vn/
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