Local Puranas (Sthalapuranas)
Historical background
Literary genre narrating the foundation myth of a temple. A mahatmya (glorification) may be composed in honour of the site, e.g. Chidambaramahatmya, as well as of a deity, such as the Devi Mahatmya.
Date: 17th century
Description: Unidentified narrative. Top row (from left); an ascetic is visited by two sages (?); six ascetics pay homage to Shiva and Parvati. Bottom row: Suta and
Madhyandina visit Vyaghrapada and Patanjali; Upamanyu’s mother carries her baby to a Shiva temple and places it before a linga. From it emerges Shiva’s hand instructing Parvati to feed the child milk of the divine cow. Upamanyu receives instruction from his guru.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, second bay from the south
Description: Top row: From right to left: Upamanyu (?) worships the linga. An old Brahmin on his way to Chidambaram is robbed by a hunter. A devotee pays homage to Shiva and Parvati seated atop Mt Kailasa. Second row; Unidentified scenes., probably the continuation of the story of the pilgrim robbed by the hunter.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, second bay from the south
Date: 17th century
Description: A ruler bestows gifts of food, clothes, vessels, houses, upon the dikshitars (priests).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, second bay from the south
Description: Top row; Devotees before Nataraja; Bottom row mostly disappeared but for a fragment depicting a dancer and a cymbal player. The sequence ends with
the depiction of people bathing in a tank.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, second bay from the south
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Top row: Shiva enthroned on Mt Kailasa whose slopes are populated by yogis and celestials. On right, at the foot of the mountain is Narada. Bottom row: Shiva creates the Ganga water tank, Surya bathes in it and worships Shiva – the rays of light fall over the god’s image.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa, ceiling, west end
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Top row: Shiva enthroned on Mt Kailasa whose slopes are populated by yogis and celestials. On right, at the foot of the mountain is Narada. Second row: Shiva creates the Ganga water tank, Surya bathes in it and worships Shiva – the rays of light fall over the god’s image. Bottom row: The Shiva linga among five trees created by the rays of the sun. Surya is depicted paying homage to the linga; Devi worships the linga; the Ganga temple tank.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, west end
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Rows: 1) and 2) Surya worships Shiva at Matavarvalakam. Row 3): The story of Durvasa. The ascetic Durvasa requests the boon of peace, Shiva tells him to descend to earth and to worship him. From right to left: Durvasa worships Shiva and Shivakami. He then performs penance for a very long time. The sage prostrated before the Shiva-linga and Shivakami (left); Row 4) Durvasa bathes in the temple tank; the next scene is damaged; Durvasa bathes in the temple tank and worships the Shiva linga.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, west end
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Rows 1) and 2): Durvasas worships Shiva at Matavarvalakam; Row 3): At Chidambaram, Shiva speaks to Vyaghrapada and Patanjali, telling them to woship him at Matavarvalakam.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, west end
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Top row (right): Vyaghrapada and Patanjali worshipping the linga; (left) Plan of the Chidambaram temple (?) Bottom row (left): Vyaghrapada and Patanjali worship Shiva at Matavarvalakam; (right): Shiva, dancing, standing on his left leg, appears before Vyaghrapada, Patanjali, Karaikkal
Ammaiyar and three other ascetics.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, west end
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Top: plan of the Chidambaram (?) temple. Bottom: Ascetics worship the linga and bathe in the temple tank.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, west end
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Ascetics worship the linga and bathe in the temple tank.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, panel flanking the flag staff
Date: mid-17th century
Description: An ascetic, Karuvur Siddha, and two gandharvas in a hilly landscape.
Location: Tamil NaduTemple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, third tier, north chamber, west wall
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