Surya, god of the sun, is among the most ancient of Indian deities. Recognizable by his two raised palms holding the stems of lotuses, his booted feet, and the team of horses arrayed beneath him, Surya's identity is made abundantly clear. While representations of Shiva, Vishnu, and various Buddhist deities may take multiple forms in Pala India, figures of Surya achieve a remarkable range of artistic flourishes despite their consistent iconography. Here, the artist has clearly indicated that the deity rides in the chariot that ushers the sun across the sky by placing two diminutive charioteers directly between Surya's feet.
