C. Sivaramamurti

Padma Bhushan Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society Jawaharlal Nehru Fellow Archaeological Survey of India National Museum of India Nataraja in Art, Thought, and Literature Amaravati Sculptures In The Madras Government Museum South Indian Paintings South Indian Bronzes Citrasūtra of the

Vicitracitta Calambur Sivaramamurti FRAS (1909–1983) was an Indian museologist, art historian and epigraphist who is primarily known for his work as curator in the Government Museum, Chennai.

Dr.C.Sivaramamurti was the first fellow of the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fundwhen it was instituted, as he was specially chosen by the Trustees of this Fund in an endeavour to set a standard to Indian scholarship.

The dance of Nataraja has always been synonymously viewed with truth and beauty, force and rhythm, movement and change, realisation and dissolution.

Nataraja has been visualised in variety of forms by seers, poets and artists; it has been chiselled, painted, described and sung about in many parts of India and countries.

Dr. Sivaramamurti has been responsible for popularising epigraphy and numismatics, sculpture and paintings from an approach through literature giving literary parallels.

They had two sons Sundararamamurti and Krishnamurti Dr. Sivaramamurti died in 1983 of a heart attack during a lecture on the specific features of a rare Nataraja icon.

Sri Sankaracharya the great Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha conferred on him the title of Vichitrachitta- meaning 'the curious minded one'.

The great Pallava ruler of the 8th century from south India, Mahendravarman, held this epithet 'vichitrachitta', as described by him in his inscription in the rock-cut temple of the Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and easwara (siva) at Kudumiamalai.