Child Saint Sambandar at the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington D.C

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Sambandar was a young poet-saint of Tamil Nadu who lived around the 7th century CE. He is one of the most prominent sixty-three Nayanars, Tamil Saivabhakti saints who lived between the sixth and tenth centuries CE. Sambandar's hymns to Shiva were later collected into the first three volumes of the Tirumurai, the religious canon of Tamil Saiva Siddhanta. He was a contemporary of Appar, another Saiva saint. This sculpture at the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. features the saint dancing as a child. It was made in 12th century India during the Chola Dynasty.