During the writing of the introduction to this work the devastating tsunami struck South-East Asia. The affected areas of Sri Lanka, the east coast of India, the coasts of Burma, Thailand and Sumatra to the Maldives were, in the twelfth century, under the cultural influence of the Chola dynasty, whose workers of bronze were among the most creative of
the Indian subcontinent. We dedicate this book to all the victims of the tidal wave.
Jan Van Alphen, 27 December 2004