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Iconography is the tangible expression of religious symbolism. As such it puts into visual form the abstract concepts and attributes associated with details. It supplies, therefore a large volume of material for the study of religious history. Successive stages in the growth of religious ideas are reflected in the icons and their attributes, produced in the corresponding periods, from which one can obtain an authentic picture of the development of various cults. Iconie represantations invariably carry the mark of the age in which they are executed and on the basis of their style the period of the evolution of the various forms of the deities may be determined. Iconography provides an important tool for the interpretation of the socio-economic changes occurring at the microlevels. While

378 study of the Hindu Iconography as a whole would present a complete picture portraying the hold of the faith on its followers through the ages at the micro levels region wise study would bring out the peculiarities of a particular area in relation to its socio religious context in greater depth and detail. Regional differences and chronological variations both in conception and execution make such a study imperative. Sources for the study of Hindu Iconography are rich and varied and fall under the usual major category. The vast mass of sacred literature in Sanskrit which may be classified as Vedic Puranic and Agamic provides a useful background to the study of Hindu Iconography. Iconography of Vaishnava Avataras as being studied now is based on any age old pattern. The same old pattern of identifying images with the help of the some certain marks and attributes is invariably being followed. It was absolutely necessary at a time and is still useful. But for making the iconographic studies more comprehensive and lively than these are, it is necessary to look at the icons from various angles. What is more needed in this respect is the application of various literary and epigraphical records which are rarely been dealt, putting face to face with iconography. For example, many times the epigraphical passages specially the invocatory verses, enlighten the student of Iconography more than so many heavily strained, pedantic and descriptions of the Silpa

379 Sutras. The reason is that the said various forms of the epigraphics of literary compositions while giving a minimum possible description of the image, speak more on its beauty and aesthetic appeal. They characterise a charm born of natural and spontaneous description which is often very suggestive and unconsciously point out the most noteworthy features of Iconographic representations. In other words the Shilpa texts very consciously enumerate each and every minute detail of an image. The various literary texts and epigraphs illuminate the same truth from a differant angle which is found more lively, suggestive and full of devotion. The Silpacaryas, the writers of these verses had not to bother about acute details of the image formation as it may already before them to see and visualise the beauty, the form and the graciou identity of the icon. These consciously made remarks of the poets of the epigraphical verses.