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They have scanned many out-of-copyright books from the 1920s. Look for "The Tawny Traveller" or "Indian Sculpture" – these contain early halftone photographs of Dakshinamurthy idols.
First, a necessary clarification: In Sanatana Dharma, Murtis (idols) are consecrated, not "designed." Therefore, a true "original photo" cannot exist in the sense of a selfie or a modern painting. Instead, the term refers to:
| Element | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Posture | Seated under a banyan tree (vata vriksha) on a deer throne, facing South (Dakshina) |
| Hasta Mudras | Jnana Mudra (right hand — thumb & index touching, knowledge flow)
Varada Mudra (left hand — boon granting)
Abhaya Mudra (assurance)
Pustaka & Akshamala (book & rosary) in rear hands |
| Attendants | Four sages (Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatkumara, Sanatsujata) seated below |
| Vehicle | Sometimes accompanied by a dwarf figure (Apasmara) — ignorance crushed underfoot |
| Unique Mark | Moon crescent on matted locks, river Ganga, skull bead (Bhairava aspect) | dakshinamurthy original photo
The Chola bronzes are the gold standard. A photograph of a Chola-period Dakshinamurthy bronze (currently housed in museums like the Musée Guimet in Paris or the Government Museum, Chennai) is arguably the closest you can get to an "original blueprint." These statues feature a slender waist, sharp features, and an almost smile that suggests internal bliss.
Since photography was invented in the 19th century, the concept of an "original photo" must be categorized into three distinct historical layers: They have scanned many out-of-copyright books from the 1920s
In the late 19th century, the Indian painter Raja Ravi Varma created the visual standard for Hindu gods that is used today in calendars and photos.
Raja Ravi Varma was commissioned to produce accurate, oil-painted representations of deities. His 1896 print of Dakshinamurthy became the blueprint. In this image: The Chola bronzes are the gold standard
Is it "Original"? Technically, it is a print (multiple copies exist). However, because Varma consulted priests and Sanskrit scholars, his version is widely accepted as the archetypal original. The "original photo" searched for today is almost always a scanned and digitally cleaned version of this 130-year-old lithograph.