But as you have pointed out …amazing miniature sculpture. Kudos to Satheesh and you.

how come rivers are always depicted vertically in Indian sculpture.. does it change down the ages?

Dont remember seeing, but the correct version should be walking on the river and not the river aprting. as below

Appanacharya, his favorite disciple, lived in a village across the river,
very close to Mantralaya. When Appanacharya heard the news that his guru
was about to enter the brindavana, he immediately
rushed towards Mantralaya. He was so overcome by devotion and sorrow that
he did not notice that the river was in spate. His heart full of devotion
for his beloved guru, he composed a stotra in his
honor. This is the famous stotra which starts “Sri Poornabodha..”. By
guruji’s grace he was able to walk across the river in full spate, but
could not make it in time. Just as he entered the location, the final
stone was lowered over the Brindavana. He was overcome with emotion and
broke down, unable to complete the stotra. Then, from the Brindavana,
Raghavendra Swamy uttered the words “Sakshi
Haya stotraHi” and completed the stotra composed by Appancharya.

rgds
vj

அன்புடன்
தமிழ்த்தேனீ

தேவ்

மூன்று நாளாய் முயன்றும், இன்று தான் திறக்க முடிந்தது. நன்றி.