Three views of Parvati, the left and right images are front and back of the same statue.

The standing image is a triumph of Chola art from the Nangapattinam District of Tamil Nadu. it stands over a foot high and dates from the 10th Century. This statue is over one thousand years old. When you think of the state of European art in 900 AD this is quite humbling. This predates everything in the British National Gallery and all of Gothic Europe. In England, the only contemporary art of this quality would be the Celtic manuscripts. The seated figure is lower but bigger and dates from about the 14th Century, from the Tiruvarun District.

Parvati is the consort of Siva, one of the three great Hindu gods. She is really just the feminine of Siva and actually fuses with him in some images. She is also Durga, Kali and a host of others. Its all terribly confusing. Her home is Annapurna in the Himalayas and she is also known by that name.

There are still bronze statues being worshipped in temples in Tamil Nadu. These museum pieces were usually found buried, often in very small villages. It is assumed they were hidden during times of war by what turned out to be the losing party, and stayed hidden. They are still being discovered.