THE CULTS OF KRISHNA AND RAMA IN CHAM ART: A STUDY OF THE 10TH CENTURY ARTIFACTS OF KHUONG MY MONUMENT

Abstract

This paper proposes that perhaps the cults of Krishna and Rama were practiced in the Khuong My monument during the 10^th century, this assumption is based on the archaeological evidence by Vietnamese archaeologists in 2000 and 2007, and compared through the ancient books of Brahminism. The examined object is the iconography of the tympanum of 'Krishna raising mount Govardhana'; the monkey images around the foot of the South tower and fragments of decorative reliefs were found in the late 19th century and early 21st century. These interpretations are the basis for commenting on other brick architectures in Khuong My.