Nattam, Kailasanathar Temple
Historical background
Sited in Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu, Nattam (Nattam Kovilpatti) is a small town some 40 km north of Madurai. Its main attraction is the west-facing Shaiva Kailasanathar temple, with its sub-shrine, dedicated to Senbogavalli Amman.
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The core of the Kailasanathar temple is believed to date of the Pandya era, between the 13th and the 14th centuries. During the late 16th and 17th centuries, the Nayakas were responsible for substantially enlarging the temple. Dating of this period and particularly interesting is the pillared hall immediately before the entrance to the second enclosure of the temple. Its six engaged columns are embellished by sculptures, possibly portraits of donors. On its ceiling, is a unique set of iconic and topographic paintings. The central part of the ceiling, consisting of three registers, shows both deities as well as portraits, whereas twenty six views of temples, arranged into four and three registers occupy respectively the north and south portions of the ceiling.
All the temples depicted, but one, the Kashi Vishvanatha, are either in Tamil Nadu or in modern day Andhra Pradesh. The particular form of the deity worshipped at each site is carefully rendered. Typical features of the landscape, such as the hills at Alagar Koyil, Tirupati, Palani and Tirupparankundram or the ocean at Rameswaram are emphasised. Elements which play a pivotal role in the lore of individual temples are clearly rendered e.g. the sacred tree, at both Tiruvanaikkaval and Tiruvidaimarudur. Last but not least, animal and human devotees such as is the case at Srikalahasti, are prominently depicted. All the vignettes are provided with bilingual inscriptions in Telugu and Tamil.
From the surviving inscriptions identifying the portraits, it appears that members of the merchant community were the main patrons of the paintings.
The paintings on the ceiling of the porch of the Senbogavalli Amman shrine depict the events leading to the miraculous the birth of Kumara, and the equally miraculous birth of the goddess Minakshi, the patron goddess of the nearby city of Madurai. Unfortunately, a large portion of the ceiling is in a sad state of disrepair, so it is difficult to make out the subject matter of the paintings.
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: Top row: possibly Nattam, Kailasanathar temple.
Bottom (from left): A courtier and a pujari; Arumurugan (six-headed Murugan); Portrait of a devotee.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Celing 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
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: From left: 1)Tyagarajaswamy Temple, Tiruvarur. The image of Valmikinatha in the main shrine has disappeared. However, the Kamalambikai shrine and the large lotus tank have survived. In the background is the temple chariot. 2) View of the Adi Kumbeshvara Temple at Kumbakonam A large Ganesha is shown immediately above the tank in between the shrine of Adi Kumbeshvara and that of his consort, Mangalambikai.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Ceiling of the open mandapa, north section
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: Pulli…vanur. A linga shrine on the left, at the centre: Subrahmanya flanked by his consorts: Devasena on his right and Valli on his left. On the extreme right, fragment depicting a goddess.
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 Sattainathar Temple, at Sirkali. On the extreme left, Bhairava’s shrine (which is on the top floor of the three-tiered sanctuary). At the centre, the Brahmapurishvara linga, which is on the ground floor, and on the right, the shrine of the goddess consort. 2) The Mahalingeshvara Temple at Tiruvidaimarudur, recognizable from the maruda tree growing between the linga shrine and that of the consort goddess.
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) Varadarajaswamy of Kanchipuram and consorts. 2) From the surviving fragments it is possible to make out that the tableau showed the main images in the Nataraja Temple, at Chidambaram. The Mulasthana (on the left) and the now disappeared Nataraja flanked by Shivakami (on the right).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Ceiling of the open mandapa, north section
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