Rituals
Historical background
Weddings and festivals provide the artists with a scope to explore religious rituals and at the same time courtly etiquette, dress, and ornaments in great detail.

Date: Late 16th or early 17th century
Description: Bottom row: Hanuman, Sita and Vibhishana before Rama; Lakshmana lights up the fire for Sita’s ordeal: Central row: Sita’s fire ordeal witnessed by all the deities; Top row: Rama, Sita and the allies fly back to Ayodhya on the pushpaka vimana.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Venugopala Parthasarathi;Chengam
Positioning: Open mandapa, ceiling

Date: Late 16th or early 17th century
Description: Bottom row: Sita is taken in a palanquin preceded by Vibhishana and musicians to meet Rama and his allies; Central row: Brahma, Shiva, other celestials and the dikpalas witness Sita’s fire ordeal; Top row: Rama, Sita and the allies, on their journey to Ayodhya on the pushpaka vimana pay homage to the navagrahas temple at Navapashana.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Venugopala Parthasarathi Temple;Chengam
Positioning: Open mandapa, ceiling

Date: Late 16th or early 17th century
Description: Bottom row: Hanuman informs Sita that she is to meet Rama; she is bathed, and carried in a palanquin. Vibhishana and musicians precede her; Central row: Celestials and dikpalas witness Sita’s fire ordeal. On the extreme right, Agni carries Sita in his
arms and restores her unscathed to Rama; A gandharva, floating on a cloud, throws flowers on her; Top row: On their way back to Ayodhya, Rama, Sita and their allies worship at the navagrahas shrine at Navapashana. On the right: monkeys.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Venugopala Parthasarathi;Chengam
Positioning: Open mandapa, ceiling

Date: Late 16th or early 17th century
Description: Bottom row: Rama receives Vibhishana, carrying a basket of fruit, who prostrates at his feet; Central row: Hanuman, Angada and their followers, disrupt Ravana’s patala-homa (sacrifice to ensure victory against the enemy); Top row: Battle scenes.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Venugopala Parthasarathi;Chengam
Positioning: Open mandapa, ceiling

Date: Late 16th or early 17th century
Description: Ramapattabhisheka (Rama’s consecration); Rama and Sita enthroned flanked by Lakshmana and the rishis, on the left; Bharata holding the ceremonial umbrella, on the right. In the foreground are the allies, Hanuman kneels before Rama supporting his right foot; Sugriva distributes the presents (jewellery) to all the participants in the Lanka expedition.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Venugopala Parthasarathi Temple;Chengam
Positioning: Open mandapa, ceiling

Date: Late 16th or early 17th century
Description: Ramapattabhisheka (Rama’s consecration); Rama and Sita enthroned flanked by Lakshmana and the rishis, on the left; Bharata holding the ceremonial umbrella, Shatrughna waving a fly-whisk, Vibhishana and others on the right. In the foreground are the allies, Hanuman kneels before Rama supporting his right foot; Sugriva distributes the presents (jewellery) to all the participants in the Lanka expedition.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Venugopala Parthasarathi Temple;Chengam
Positioning: Open mandapa, ceiling

Date: Late 16th or early 17th century
Description: Ramapattabhisheka (Rama’s consecration); Rama and Sita enthroned flanked by Lakshmana and the rishis, on the left; Bharata holding the ceremonial umbrella, Shatrughna waving a fly-whisk, Vibhishana and others on the right. In the foreground are the allies, Hanuman kneels before Rama supporting his right foot; Sugriva distributes the presents (jewellery) to all the participants in the Lanka expedition.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Venugopala Parthasarathi Temple;Chengam
Positioning: Open mandapa, ceiling

Description: Bottom row: Hanuman, Sita and Vibhishana before Rama; Lakshmana lights up the fire for Sita’s ordeal: Central row: Sita’s fire ordeal witnessed by all the deities; Top row: Rama, Sita and the allies fly back to Ayodhya on the pushpaka vimana.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Venugopala Parthasarathi Temple;Chengam
Positioning: Open mandapa, ceiling

Date: Late 16th or early 17th century
Description: Bottom row: Sita is taken in a palanquin preceded by Vibhishana and musicians to meet Rama and his allies; Central row: Brahma, Shiva, other celestials and the dikpalas witness Sita’s fire ordeal; Top row: Rama, Sita and the allies, on their journey to Ayodhya on board of the pushpaka vimana. pay homage to the navagrahas temple at Navapashana.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Venugopala Parthasarathi Temple;Chengam
Positioning: Open mandapa,ceiling

Date: Late 16th or early 17th century
Description: Bottom row: Hanuman informs Sita that she is to meet Rama; she is bathed, and carried in a palanquin. Vibhishana and musicians precede her; Central row: Celestials and dikpalas witness Sita’s fire ordeal. On the extreme right, Agni carries Sita in his
arms and restores her unscathed to Rama; A gandharva, floating on a cloud, throws flowers on the protagonists; Top row: On their way back to Ayodhya, Rama, Sita and their allies worship at the navagrahas shrine at Navapashana. On the right: monkeys.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Venugopala Parthasarathi Temple;Chengam
Positioning: Open mandapa, ceiling

Date: Late 16th or early 17th century
Description: Bottom row: Hanuman informs Sita that she is to meet Rama; she is bathed, and carried in a palanquin; Central row, on the extreme right: Agni carries Sita in his arms to restore her to Rama; Top row: The navagrahas shrines at Navapashana, and fragments of figures. On the right, monkeys.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Venugopala Parhasarathi Temple;Chengam
Positioning: Open mandapa, ceiling

Date: 17th century
Description: Bottom row: Madhyandina and his son, Vyaghrapada, worship the Mulasthanam (the original linga shrine in the Chidambaram Temple complex); On the left is the temple tank and smaller shrines along it; Top row: The young sage wanders in the Tillai forest and worships a linga; He bathes in the tank; He builds a temple in which he worships a linga. The last vignette on the left shows Vyaghrapada in front of a heap of flowers with bees on top.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Nataraja Temple complex;Chidambaram
Positioning: Shivakamasundari shrine; open mandapa, northernmost bay (E)
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