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: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva: Lingodbhavamurti (?). Instead of the shaft of the linga opening to reveal the figure of Shiva, the god is here depicted emerging out of its top. To the right of Shiva is a rishi with elaborately piled dreadlocks welcoming a figure accompanied by a diminutive male courtly figure wearing a conical cap. Another rishi is shown worshipping Shiva, together with a young attendant. Four rishis stand in respectful attitude on the deity’s left.The one nearest to the linga seems to be walking away.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, northern bay
Date: Late 1990s; unfinished; Artist, T. Vinoth
Description: The marriage of Minakshi and Sundareshvara. Vishnu, on the left, gives the bride away. (TP 5)
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Minakshi Sundareshvara Temple;Madurai
Positioning: Potramarai tank, north side
Date: Late 1990s incomplete; Artist, T. Vinoth
Description: Tatatakai fights against a gana; She fights against Shiva’s army; Nandi reports to Shiva; Shiva himself enters the battlefield; Tatatakai’s third breast disappears; She is defeated; Shiva tells her to return to Madurai where their wedding will be celebrated.(TP 5)
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Minakshi Sundareshvara Temple;Madurai
Positioning: Potramarai tank, north side
Date: Late 1990s, incomplete; Artist; T. Vinoth
Description: The sacred city of Madurai is built by Kulashekhara Pandya on command of Sundareshvara.(TP 3); Kulashekhara’s son, Malayattuvachan marries the Chola princess Kanchanai; Tatatakai, their daughter is born; She has three breasts; She is trained in the martial arts; She is consecrated queen of Madurai; She performs the last rites for her father. (TP 4)
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Minakshi Sundareshvara Temple;Madurai
Positioning: Potramarai tank, north side
Date: c. 1700
Description: The wedding of Minakshi and Sundareshvara, witnessed by Queen Mangammal, Vijayaranga Chokkanatha (on the right) and the dalavay (minister) Ramappaiya on the left.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Minakshi Sundareshvara Temple;Madurai
Positioning: Kilikuttu mandapa, ceiling
Date: c. 1700
Description: Top: The wedding of Minakshi and Sundareshvara. Bottom: Minakshi gives the sceptre to Queen Mangammal via an intermediary priest at the presence of attendants and courtiers.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Minakshi Sundareshvara Temple;Madurai
Positioning: Kilikuttu mandapa, ceiling
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): 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: 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: Second half of the 17th century
Description: From bottom to top: Shiva’s wedding and the birth of Kumara. 1) Manmatha shoots an arrow at Shiva; Shiva and Parvati’s dalliance; 2) Shiva’s wedding at the presence of the gods, the rishis and other celestial beings; 3) The gods interrupt Shiva’s love making; Parvati goes away; Agni collects Shiva’s semen and deposits in the Ganga. There, it becomes a beautiful baby, Kumara. He transforms himself into six babies who are nursed by the six Krittikas (the Pleiades).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Senbogavalli Amman shrine, ceiling of the open mandapa, north side
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: The wedding of Subrahmanya and Devasena seated on his left. On the right is his other consort, Valli. Standing near her are: Vishnu, Brahma, Indra, Agni.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Senbogavalli Amman shrine, ceiling of the open mandapa
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Description: Tatatakai is born from the sacrificial fire, she runs towards the queen and sits on her lap.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Kailasanathar Temple;Nattam
Positioning: Senbogavalli Amman shrine, ceiling of the open mandapa
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