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Temple Bell / Bell Clapper, Bronze, Tamil Nadu, Southern India, ca.1820–1840.

REGISTERED ANTIQUITY – NON-EXPORTABLE ITEM.

 

Object Detail

 

It is a South Indian ritual bell (in Sanskrit, a ghanta or ghanti), made of bronze, used in Hindu devotional and temple practice. The bell is crowned by a sculptural representation of Nandi, the sacred bull and vahana of Lord Shiva, in a peaceful reclining pose. The shaft below the finial is adorned with guardian figures in a  vertical composition. The lower bell body is smooth and relatively polished, keeping its acoustic function.

 

These ritual bells come from South India’s heritage of bronze casting, where sacred metal objects are not simply functional tools but are recognized as manifestations of divine presence.

 

This bell traditionally were made using the lost-wax casting technique (cire perdue), flourished during the Chola period and practised by hereditary bronze-casting communities. The bell is divided into three parts, the resonating chamber, the sculptural shaft and the Nandi finial. The body produces sound with an internal bell clapper while the guardian figures on the shaft transform the handle into a sacred sculptural zone. Nandi at the top is a symbol of devotion, guardianship and mediation between devotee and Shiva.

 

Bells are rung in Hindu ritual during worship and aarti to purify space, to invoke divine attention, and to focus the devotee’s mind. Their sound is related to nada (cosmic vibration) and the sacred syllable AUM (OM). The stylistic features of the bell date it to c. 1820–1840 CE. In terms of style, the heavy ornamentation and tight modelling point to a later devotional tradition of South India.

 

Provenance

 

From a Private Collection in Mumbai, India.

 

Condition

 

Good condition with minor wear.

 

Dimension

 

 

Literature Comparison

 

1.Stella Kramrisch. Exploring India’s Sacred Art: Selected Writings of Stella Kramrisch. Edited and with a biographical essay by Barbara Stoler Miller. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1983.

 

2.Nagaswamy. Masterpieces of Early South Indian Bronzes. New Delhi: National Museum, 1983.

 

3.Dwivedi, Manish Kumar, and K. Singh. “Scientific Analysis of AUM Mantra in Knowing Self.”ResearchGate. Accessed May 5, 2026. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312153393

 

4.The Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Object 505111.” Accessed May 5, 2026. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/505111

 

5.Victoria and Albert Museum. “Bell Clapper.” Accessed May 2, 2026. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O451109/bell-clapper/

 

6.Victoria and Albert Museum. “Bell.” Accessed May 5, 2026. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O474532/bell/

 

7.Cleveland Museum of Art. “Temple Bell.” Accessed May 6, 2026. https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2016.38.

 

8.Asian Art Museum. “Ritual Bell with Bull Handle.” Accessed May 5, 2026. https://searchcollection.asianart.org/objects/12301/ritual-bell-with-bull-handle.

 

9.The Buddha Gallery. “Temple Bell.” Accessed May 6, 2026. https://thebuddhagallery.com/10132.html.

 

10.Christie’s. “Bronze Bell with Garuda.” Accessed May 5, 2026. https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/arts-asia-online/bronze-bell-garuda-67/213948.

 

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