Goddess Saraswati without veena: Sculptures of Pallava, Chola era reveal an earlier iconography

An unusual sculpture of Goddess Saraswati without her traditional veena has been found at the Gangaikondacholapuram Temple, identified as a war trophy from the Pala dynasty. Another veena-less depiction of Saraswati from the Chola era at the same temple suggests the instrument became a standard attribute later in iconographic evolution. This challenges conventional understanding of the deity's iconography.