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: Paintings 17th century
Description: Fragments of a narrative.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa, panels imediately on the east of the sculpturalfrieze
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: Tatatakai is born from the sacrificial fire, she runs towards the queen and sits on her lap.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Senbogavalli Amman shrine, ceiling of the open mandapa
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: The dalliance of Shiva and Parvati atop Mount Kailasa.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Senbogavalli Amman shrine, ceiling of the open mandapa, north side
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: Two Vaishnava holy sites are shown here. 1) On the left: Alagar Koyil. At the centre of the tableau is Kallalagar flanked by his consorts. On the left of the main shrine is Karuppaswamy, and on the right are Yoga Narasimha and the Nupura Ganga. The river gushes forth from the bull-shaped mountain.This refers to an incident narrated in the Tiruvilayadal Puranam (TP 29).
On the right, 2) Tirupati: Ventaketshvara and Alarmelumangai. On the top left is the Bhu Varaha temple. The large tank on the right, may represnt the Swamy Pushkarini.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Ceiling of the open mandapa, south section
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: From left: 1) Ramanathaswamy Temple at Rameswaram. The linga is flanked by Parvatavarthini Amman. In the foreground the ocean. 2) The temple at Avinankudi, Palani, dedicated to Subrahmanya in his aspect as Kulandai. Velayudaswamy – a child riding on a peacock. In the foreground is the chassis of a ceremonial chariot.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Ceiling of the open mandapa, south section
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: Minakshi Sundareshvara Temple, Madurai. On the left, Minakshi Amman, flanked by Ganapati and Subrahmanya, both in their own shrines. On the right, Chokkanatha enshrined. Near the shrine sits the siddha (Shiva in disguise) feeding sugarcane to the stone elephants sculpted on the wall of the temple. This refers to an incident narrated in the Tiruvilayadal Puranam (TP 21). In the foreground, Shiva dances on his right leg in the Velliambalam in Madurai, flanked by Parvati (TP 24). In between the two shrines is the image of Mukkuruni Vinayaka.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Ceiling of the open mandapa, south section
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: Two of the ‘six abodes’ of Subrahmanya. 1) On the left: View of the Subrahmanyaswamy Temple, Tirupparankundram. On the top row are the main images: Subrahmanya flanked by Devasena and Narada. On the bottom row are: Durga (at the centre) flanked by Vishnu and Ganesha, and yet another deity (disappeared).
2) On the right: View of the Dandayudhapani Temple, Palani. The main image, is flanked by a smaller one of six-headed Murugan and consorts. Beneath the main image are, from left: Itumban carrying two hills: Shivagiri and Shaktigiri; Subrahmanya brandishing a spear; a linga and a devotee, identified as Ramachandra Sadashiva, in anjali mudra.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Ceiling of the open mandapa, south section
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: View of the Sri Ranganatha Temple on Srirangam Island. In the actual temple, the deity reclines on his right side on the serpent Shesha. Here, however Sri Ranganatha is shown reclining on his left side. At his feet is Vibhishana strewing flowers. In the foreground are the processional images of Alagiyamanavala and his consorts. In the top left corner is the Ranganayaki shrine and in the right the Chandra Pushkarini. The image of Paravasudeva is clearly depicted on the dome of the shrine.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Ceiling of the open mandapa, south side
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: The fragments on the right, depicted one of the ‘six abodes’ of Murugan: Tiruchendur, on the Bay of Bengal.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Ceiling of the open mandapa, south side
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: Celestials, ascetics and saints pay homage to the five-headed Shiva and Parvati enthroned on Mount Kailasa. In the foreground is the three-legged Bhringi.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Ceiling of the open mandapa, central section
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: From left: 1) Tiruvayaru, View of the AyyarappanTemple (aka Panchanadishvara Temple) with the linga and the goddess Amravalarta Nayaki shrines. 2) Tiruvanaikkaval temple (aka Sri Jambukeshvara), on Srirangam Island. At the centre of the tableau is the jambu tree which grew from the body of an ascetic who worshipped Shiva at this place. On the left, is the shrine of Akhilandeshvari. On the right is the Appu linga, the water-linga, one of the five elemental lingas worshipped in South India. Barely visible is the spider’s web extending from the wall of the shrine to the branch of the jambu tree. Beneath it, an elephant holds a conch in its trunk preparing to worship the linga.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Ceiling of the open mandapa, north section
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: From left: 1) View of the Sarangapani Temple at Kumbakonam. Vishnu, from whose navel emerges a lotus on which sits Brahma, reclines on the serpent Shesha. In his raised left hand, the deity carries a bow. His consorts sit at this feet. In the foreground are the processional images. 2) View of
the Vriddhagirishvara Temple at Vriddhachalam. On the left, Vriddhagirishvara; on the right, his consort, Periyanayaki (Parvati).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Ceiling of the open mandapa, north section
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