The layout is a replica of the Brihadishvara Temple in Thanjavur, the capital of the once-powerful Chola state (IX-XI centuries) in South India. The temple was built during the reign of king Raja Raja Chola I (985-1014). The king dedicated it to the God Shiva. The Brihadishvara Temple was built in just seven years. The Temple became the main arena for Imperial ceremonies. It also served as a centre for cultural events, particularly for cult dances. High above the sanctum is the vimana, a pyramid-shaped temple tower topped by a solid stone weighing seventy tons – one of India's architectural masterpieces. The layout of the temple is made of a white reed core. The layout is glued to a black wooden stand. It is covered with a clear organic glass case.
Model of the Brihadishvara Temple in Thanjavur
India ,
July 1966
МЗСБ КП 9405 П 160
model: 15.2 x 26.6 x 7.4 cm; in case: 21.9 x 30.1 x 9.5 cm
bulrush, wood, plexiglass, carving, sawing, gluing, assembly
A gift from Kumaraswami Kamaraj, the Chairman of the Indian National Congress, who visited Stalingrad in July 1966.
See also
Scroll with a picture of a horse
China ,
May 1954
Scroll with a picture of a horse
A gift from the delegation of Chinese cultural workers who visited Stalingrad in May 1954. The paper is transferred to fabric. Despite the lack of detailed tracing, the image is dynamic and the horse is depicted in motion. Its head is turned to the right. The mane and tail flutter playfully. On the right side there is a vertical inscription in hieroglyphs. The fabric base with the pattern is wound on a wooden roller for rigidity and shape preservation. The roller is made of dark wood and covered with varnish.
The sword in the scabbard. A gift from King George VI to the citizens of Stalingrad
The United Kingdom ,
1943
The sword in the scabbard. A gift from King George VI to the citizens of Stalingrad
The inscription on the double-edged sword is made in two languages – English and Russian - and reads: “To the steel-hearted citizens of Stalingrad • the gift of king George vi • in token of the homage of the British people”. The sword was presented to I.V. Stalin in 1943 at the Tehran Conference.