Erotic sculptures on wall of Chinniyan tank 16th-17th centuries by local chieftain near Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India
The Education of the Chieftain’s Daughter
In the late 16th Century a Chieftain in India who ruled over the area known as Chinniyan decided to give his daughter a gift. But what to give a Indian Princess who has everything?
Sex, drugs and rock & roll!
Dancers musicians sculptures on wall of Chinniyan tank 16th-17th centuries by local chieftain near Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India
It seems the Chieftain’s Daughter was more interested in living the single life of a princess then settling down to the married life. So the sneaky Chieftain decided to use his present to subliminally persuade his daughter to hopefully change her mind.
A grand Bath was built for the daughter to lounge around and bath like a royal she was. A marble pool and stone steps would have dominated the spectacular bath room with art and sculptures carved right into the stone.
Chinniyan tank/Chinnayan Kulam bath house in Tiruvannamalai,Tamil Nadu, India
Knowing of his daughters wishes of celibacy, the Chieftain chose an unusual decor…
Erotic wall sculpture in the Chinniyan tank/Chinnayan Kulam bath house in Tiruvannamalai,Tamil Nadu, India
Hoping to educate his daughter on the finer points of life, erotic scenes can be found carved right into the walls, floors and even the steps of her bath house.
Erotic sculptures on wall of Chinniyan tank 16th-17th centuries by local chieftain near Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India
Continuing with the party theme the chieftain included depictions of sadhu’s or holy men smoking ganja from water pipes. Turns out even the sadhu’s pipe was special!
“it is well known that smoking of ganja and tobacco was common among Tamils in the past. Terracotta pots and pipes found in the archaeological sites at Adichanallur, Arikkamedu and Kodumanal stand testimony to it.
But we have not come across hookah jars made of glass or Chinese clay so far”
– cultural historian Madhusudhanan Kalaichelvan
Sculpture on the wall of a Sadhu or holy man smoking a glass jar hookah at Chinniyan tank near Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India 16th – 17th century
“The sculpture shows a hookah jar and pipes with perfect finishing and it belongs to the late 16th century. Paintings and sculptures largely dealt with religion, and only during the Nayak and Vijayanagar period, non-religious themes gained prominence. The art in the tank deals with many social themes and has erotic content too,”
– K.T. Gandhirajan
The Hookah used in the 16th century carving had a glass jar base, different then the terracotta and wooden bases originally thought to be the only styles present at the time. Although no specimens remain of this style of a glass hookah jar water pipe in this part of India during this time period, the carving shows they indeed existed.
Erotic sculptures on wall of Chinniyan tank 16th-17th centuries by local chieftain near Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India
I could not find if the daughter ever married or settled down, but I would like to think the Chieftain’s subliminal ploy worked to get the ‘ball rolling’ so to speak.
Erotic carving on the floor of Chinniyan tank 16th-17th centuries by local chieftain near Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India
The bath house has become a national landmark in India, forever preserving the Chieftain’s curious present to his princess daughter.
Devil’s dance? Sculpture on the wall of Chinniyan tank 16th-17th centuries by local chieftain near Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India
Ottoman Women in Ox-Drawn Carriage at Yuşa Hill, Turkey by Pascal Sebah in 1865