Karaikkal Ammaiyar
Historical background
‘The lady from Karaikkal’ (6th cent.). One of the great figures or early Tamil literature and one of the three female saints among the 63 nayanmars. She is the author of forceful poems, often filled with gruesome imagery.
Date: First half of the 18th century
Description: Top: Damaged; Bottom: Shiva Nataraja; on the left Minakshi Amman, Bhringi, Vyaghrapada and Patanjali; On the right: Brahma; Vishnu and Adhikaranandi. At Shiva’s foot, on the right, Karaikkal Ammaiyar playing the cymbals; On the wall projection on the right: Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati in worshipful attitude.
Location: Tamil Nadu Palace;Ramanathapuram
Positioning: Room 1, south wall
Date: Paintings: late 19th, early 20th century
Description: From left; The story of Kurumba nayanmar; The story of Karaikkal Ammaiyar.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Atmanatha Temple;Avudaiyarkoyil
Positioning: Sivananda Manikkavachakar shrine, prakara, south wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Shiva Nataraja flanked by Shivakami, ganas and rishis; On the right, near the prabhavali kneels Karaikkal Ammaiyar playing the cymbals. On the left: Vyaghrapada and Patanjali in reverent attitude. Further ascetics and ganas making music are shown beneath the main scene.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, second tier, transept, north west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Shiva Nataraja flanked by Shivakami, ganas and rishis; On the right, near the prabhavali kneels Karaikkal Ammaiyar playing the cymbals. Further ascetics and ganas making music are shown beneath the main scene.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, second tier, transept, north west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Shiva Nataraja flanked by Shivakami, ganas and rishis; On the right, near the prabhavali kneels Karaikkal Ammaiyar playing the cymbals. On the left Vyaghrapada and Patantjali stand in respectful attitude. Further ascetics and ganas making music are shown beneath the main scene.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, second tier, transept, north west wall