Kanappa Nayanmar
Historical background
‘He who gave his eyes’ (to Shiva). One of the 63 nayanmars, a hunter by caste, who lived in Srikalahasti (Andhra Pradesh).
Date: Paintings: late 19th, early 20th century
Description: From left to right: The stories of Eripatta nayanmar; Yenati nayanmar and Kannappa nayanmar.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Atmanatha Temple;Avudaiyarkoyil
Positioning: Sivananda Manikkavachakar shrine, prakara east wall
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: From left to right: Kannappa worships the linga; the linga’s eyes bleed; Kannappa gouges first one of his eyes to replace the linga’s bleeding one; then the second eye of the linga starts bleeding. He prepares to give the linga his other eye. However, before doing so, he places his foot on the spot where his eye should be placed. In the moment Kannappa is on the verge of gouging his eye, when the hand of Shiva emerges from the linga, preventing him from doing so. Then, Shiva and Parvati appear and restore Kannappa’s sight.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Mahamandapa, third bay from the east
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: From left to right: Kannappa worships the linga; the linga’s eyes bleed; Kannappa gouges first one of his eyes to replace the linga’s bleeding one; Then the second eye of the linga starts bleeding. He prepares to give the linga his other eye. However, before doing so, he places his foot on the spot where his eye should be placed. Kannappa is on the verge of gouging his eye when the hand of Shiva emerges from the linga, preventing him from doing so.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;lepakshi
Positioning: Mahamandapa, third bay from the east
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: From left: 1) View of the Arunachaleshvara Temple at Tiruvannamalai, where one of the five elemental lingas of South India, the linga of fire, is worshipped. 2) View of the Kalahastishvara Temple at Srikalahasti, seat of yet another of the five elemental lingas, the Vayu-linga (linga of air). In the foreground are three characters intimately connected with this place: The hunter Kannappa, one of the 63 nayanmars, and the animal devotees, who worshipped the linga: an elephant, a snake, and a spider.The latter has disappeared. On the right is the shrine of the goddess Gnanaprasunambika.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Ceiling of the open mandapa, north section