Ramanathapuram
Historical background
Ramanathapuram, formerly known as Ramnad, lies 117 km southeast of Madurai, on the road to Rameswaram Island, one of the most important pilgrimage places in the whole of India.
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This town rose to prominence in the late 17th century as the capital of the Setupatis, one of the minor polities that emerged in the latter half of the 16th century and the early 17th century following the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire.
The palace was established by Kilavan Setupati (r. 1674-1710), though little of this period survives. The Ramalinga Vilasam was constructed around 1700 to serve as the rulers’ audience hall. This two-storeyed structure has four rooms of different size –three on the ground and one on the upper floor.
The murals on the south wall of the front hall deal with the political, diplomatic, and religious activities of Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati (r. 1710-1725). Those in the second room illustrate in detail the life of Krishna as narrated in the Bhagavata Purana. The narrative concludes on the north wall of the front hall, along with depictions of the avataras of Vishnu, and of Vaishnava holy places. The walls of the audience hall, at the back of the building, are adorned with a detailed depiction of the Balakanda of the Ramayana. The undersides of the arches which spring between the hall’s sixteen columns depict religious and courtly themes.
A narrow staircase leads from the audience hall to what is commonly known as the ‘King’s bedroom’ on the first floor of the building. This room is described in the diary of George Paterson Secretary to the British Government, who visited the Ramalinga Vilasam in 1773, as: “ornamented all round with numberless paintings on the walls, all of them representing amorous combats in a variety of most voluptuous attitudes…”
The murals decorating the walls and ceilings of the Ramalinga Vilasam, generally dated to the reign of Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati, are of pivotal importance for the study of 18th century mural tradition and material culture in the extreme south of India. It is known that they have been repainted at regular intervals, as recorded by Paterson and, unfortunately, some of them have been crudely painted over at a later date.
These extraordinary murals are a celebration of the power, wealth, and piety of Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati, and convey an impressive picture of his royal status.
Date: First half of the 18th century, restored
Description: Top row: (left) Unidentified Srivaihnava divyadesham; (right) Cheluvanarayanaswamy, Melukote; Bottom row: Two unidentified Srivaishnava divyadeshams.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 1, east wall
Date: First half of the 18th century, restored
Description: Top row: Two unidentified Srivaishnava divyadeshams; Bottom row: Two unidentified Srivaishnava divyadeshams; On the wall projections: Muthu Vijayaraghava Setupati (left) and a courtier (right).
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 1, east wall
Date: First half of the 18th century, restored
Description: Rajagopalasvamy of Mannargudi and consorts. On the wall projections: Ladies.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 1, east wall
Date: First half of the 18th century, restored
Description: Rajagopalaswamy of Mannargudi and consorts. On the wall projections: Ladies.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 1, east wall
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Top row: King Parikshit listens to the Bhagavata Purana recited by the sage Shuka; The Earth seeks Brahma’s help; Bottom row: Brahma, the Earth and the gods seek Vishnu’s assistance.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, west wall
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Top row: The assembly of the gods; Bottom row: The gods descend to earth to witness the nuptials of Devaki and Vasudeva.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, west wall
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Top and bottom rows: After the wedding celebrations Vasudeva Devaki prepare to go away and Kamsa accompanies them; The departure of the newly weds.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, west wall
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Top row: Kamsa hears a voice from heaven, forecasting his death by the eighth son of the couple and tries to kill Devaki; Bottom row: Kamsa, Vasudeva and Devaki in a chariot surrounded by their retinue.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, west wall
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Row 1: Vasudeva and Devaki in their apartment; Row 2: Vasudeva hands his first born son to Kamsa; Vasudeva; Devaki and a baby; Row 3: Narada visits Kamsa; Kamsa armed with a whip threatens a group of persons; He throws Devaki and Vasudeva in prison; Row 4: Kamsa kills a baby; Kamsa is lustrated(?); Devaki hands a baby over to Kamsa.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, west wall, north corner
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Row 1: Kamsa kills Devaki’s children; Row 2: Kamsa kills further three children of Devaki and Vasudeva; Vishnu and Lakshmi seated on Shesha surrounded by devotees; Row 3: Devaki and Vasudeva; Devaki’s pregnancy; Nanda and Rohini; Rohini gives birth to Balarama; the gods worship Vishnu in Devaki’s womb; Row 4: Devaki gives birth to Krishna; the baby lies in her arms; Vishnu manifests himself to his parents; Krishna in the cradle; Devaki entrusts Krishna to Vasudeva.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, north wall, west corner
Date: First half of the 18th century
Description: Top row: Vasudeva, carries baby Krishna in his arms, escorted by Shesha; The Yamuna parts before them and they arrive at Nanda’s house in Gokul; Vasudeva enters the lying-in chamber substitutes Yashoda’s daughter with Krishna; Bottom row: Vasudeva and the baby girl return to Mathura; Vasudeva and Devaki deliver her to Kamsa and when he is on the verge of killing her she flies to the sky revealing that Krishna is alive; Kamsa releases Vasudeva and Devaki; Kamsa holds a meeting with his ministers.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, north wall
Date: First half of the 18th century
Description: Row 1: Hearing of the birth of a son, Nanda consults the Brahmins; He takes a bath and purifies himself; Row 2: Nanda and Yashoda consult the astrologers, gift cows and grains to the Brahmins; the gopas bring gifts; Row 3: Rituals for the new-born Krishna and Balarama in the arms of their mothers; Nanda and the gopas travel to Mathura to pay Kamsa’s annual tributes; Row 4: Nanda and Vasudeva(?) before Kamsa; conversation between Vasudeva and Nanda; Nanda and Yashoda.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, north wall
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Row 1: Kamsa summons Putana, and sends her to Gokul, where, eventually, Krishna sucks the life out of her; Row 2: After Putana’s death, Yashoda picks up baby Krishna, takes him to the house; Nanda, Yashoda and Rohini perform rituals for the safety of the child; Nanda finds Putana’s body; Row 3: Nanda and Yashoda worship Krishna; Nanda with Krishna on his lap and Yashoda; sleeping Krishna is put in a cradle tied to a cart; Krishna destroys the cart demon, Shakatasura, to the amazement of the cowherds; Row 4: Yashodha and Krishna; a Brahmin recites verses for Krishna’s welfare at the presence of Nanda and Yashoda; Yashoda and crawling Krishna; The demon Trinavarta sweeps the baby off the ground, but is killed by Krishna and falls to the ground at the feet of the gopas.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, east wall, north-east corner
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Bhagavata Purana narrative.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, north east corner
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Row 1: Vasudeva and Devaki talk to Garga: Garga visits Nanda and performs purificatory rites on behalf of Krishna and Balarama (seated on their mothers’ lap); Row 2: Krishna in a cradle; Yashoda bathes Krishna; the child in Yashoda’s arms while Nanda waves a lotus (?) in his raised hand; Children at play(?); Row 3: Yashoda and Rohini playing with the children, Krishna crawling; Row 4 The children play with the calves (damaged).
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, east wall, north corner
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Krishna’s childhood pranks.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, east wall
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Top row: Yashodha threatens Krishna with a rope; Krishna and Balarama persuade Yashoda and Rohini of their innocence: while Rohini (?) is sleeping, they creep in a larder and steal curds; They are caught and chastised; Bottom row: Krishna and Balarama play with the gopas; Krishna seated beneath a tree.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, east wall
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Top row: While Yashoda (?) is churning curds, Krishna distracts her and with the help of Balarama breaks the pot; Balarama in Rohini’s arms; The gopis complain to Yashoda about the behaviour of her son; Balarama churns curds under his mother’s eyes; Yashoda nurses Krishna; while she looks at a pot boiling on the fire, he steals butter/curds; Bottom row, Krishna and his companions pilfer pots of curds and butter and are discovered by a gopi; While the gopi is complaining, Yashoda takes a length of rope and both of them grab Krishna and tie him.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, east wall
Date: First half of the 18th century, damaged by splashes of withewash
Description: Top row: Krishna is tied to a mortar and drags it between two trees; the gandharvas Nalakubara and Manigriva appear, and being released from their curse they ascend to heaven in a chariot; Nanda and Yashoda witness the scene; Row 2: The gopas leave Gokul on their chariots; Row 3: They settle in Vrindavan: Nanda and his family in their house, the gopas in theirs; Krishna and Balarama go to the forest with the cattle; Krishna kills Vatsasura; Row 4: Nanda and his family in their house; Bakasura tries to swallow Krishna and his companions; Krishna, however, prises the heron’s bill open and tears him apart; The gandharvas praise him.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 1, east wall, south corner
Date: First half of the 18th century
Description: Top row: Krishna tied to the mortar releases the gandharvas Nalakubara and Manigriva; Bottom row: the gopas leave Gokul and relocate to Vrindavan.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 2, east wall, south corner
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