Topography
Historical background
Particularly interesting are the schematic renderings of many temples. The deities are shown in their own shrines along with the typical natural features of the site, enabling thus the viewer to identify them.
Date: Late 16th or early 17th century
Description: Bottom row, left: A council scene: Rama discusses the strategy with Hanuman, Vibhishana and Jambavan; On the extreme right: Lakshmana on Hanuman’s shoulders fights against Indrajit (?); Central row: Disappeared; Top row: The wounded and dying vanaras.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Venugopala Parthasarathi Temple;Chengam
Positioning: Open mandapa, ceiling
Date: 17th century
Description: Bottom row: The sages of the Naimisha forest listen to the Koyil Puranam; Top row: sage Madhyandina teaches the Vedas to his son, Vyaghrapada. The youth wants to know which is the best kind of tapas (penance).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, northernmost bay (E)
Date: 17th century
Description: Bottom row: Madhyandina and his son, Vyaghrapada, worship the Mulasthanam (the original linga shrine in the Chidambaram Temple complex); On the left is the temple tank and smaller shrines along it; Top row: The young sage wanders in the Tillai forest and worships a linga; He bathes in the tank; He builds a temple in which he worships a linga. The last vignette on the left shows Vyaghrapada in front of a heap of flowers with bees on top.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, northernmost bay (E)
Date: 17th century
Description: Vyaghrapada in meditation before the empty Chit Sabha (Hall of Consciousness) waiting for Nataraja to appear in Chidambaram. To the left of the empty hall is the Mulasthanam (the original linga shrine in the Chidambaram temple complex).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, northernmost bay (E)
Date: 17th century
Description: Top row; Shiva and Parvati on Mount Kailasa receive Vishnu (right); on the extreme left, Narada and Tumburu; Bottom row: Shiva and Vishnu accompanied by their retinue walk towards a pavilion where they have a conversation.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, second bay from the north (E)
Date: 17th century
Description: Top row: Shiva as Bhikshatana and Vishnu as Mohini accompanied by their retinue, prepare to go to the Daruka forest; Bottom row: Shiva seduces the wives of the rishis, whose garments slip from their bodies. To the extreme right, fully dressed, is Arundhati.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa,second bay from the north (E)
Date: 17th century
Description: Top row; Arundhati alone near the yajnashala (sacrificial hall); The rishis infatuated by Mohini rush towards her; Bottom row: The incensed rishis sit on either side of the yajnashala; One of them inside the hall, tends the sacred flame from which emerge all kinds of fearful creatures: a tiger, a snake, the dwarfish Apasmara, and a bee (symbolising the mantras).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, second bay from the north (E)
Date: 17th century
Description: Top row: Shesha in the form of Patanjali arrives at Chidambaram; He joins Vyaghrapada in worshipping the Mulasthanam, Anantishvara and Pulishvara;
Bottom row: The sages join the worship of Shiva.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, second bay from the north (E)
Date: 17th century
Description: The Chit Sabha (Hall of Consiousness) and the Kanaka Sabha (Golden Hall); Shiva has arrived to perform the ananda tandava (dance of bliss); The devotees have gathered to watch the dance.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, second bay from the north (E)
Date: 17th century
Description: Bottom row: (from right to left) King Lokeshavikrama has a son, Simhavarman who is a leper; Feeling unfit to succeed his father on the throne, he decides to devote himself to asceticism, hoping to find a cure. Second row: The youth wanders through many countries worshipping the linga. Third row: A Kirata (hunter) guides him to the Tillai forest where he worships the linga; Vyaghrapada sits on a hillock steeped in meditation.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, second bay from the north (W)
Date: 17th century
Description: Bottom row: The Kirata (hunter) accompanies the youth to meet Vyaghrapada; The youth
pays homage to the sage who takes him to Chidambaram; Top row (right): Patanjali and Vyaghrapada; (left) The dance of Shiva is witnessed by Patanjali, Vyaghrapada, Simhavarman and a further figure.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, second bay from the north (W)
Date: 17th century
Description: Bottom row (left): Vyaghrapada and other sages tell the youth to bathe in the Shivaganga tank; He emerges with a golden skin, hence, from then on, his name is Hiranyavarman; (right); Hiranyavarman, Vyaghrapada and Patanjali worship Nataraja. Top row: Vyaghrapada and Hiranyavarman worship Shiva at various holy sites.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, second bay from the north (W)
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