(This monthly column speaks of the history behind many fascinating art and architectural pieces across the State. This one is on the stunning stone relief of Lord Siva, found at Parankundram)
Though we get to see the dancing form of Siva in some early caves, notably in Seeyamangalam or in Thirumalapuram, it is rare to see the classical Nataraja Thandava form cut in relief in a cave. That is why this panel from the Parakundram cave is special.
The classical Nataraja has been sculpted with a circular flaming areole complete with two makara forms at the base, the wavy tresses of the Lord, the Damaru and flame held in his stretched hands, Muyalagan, the dwarf demon underneath, four-headed Brahma on the tabla below and saint Karaikkal Ammaiyar on the side. The Lord’s Consort Sivakami looks on as specified in the canons.
The sculptor’s mastery over the medium is evident in the way he has removed the material to position the left foot almost entirely out of the wall, giving the entire body the classic three bends – the Tribanga. Sadly, both the sculptures have been badly mutilated. It is interesting to note that on both sides of the dancing form are the reliefs of Ganesha, as the five-headed Heramba Ganapathy seated on a lion and Muruga with six heads and 12 hands, seated on the peacock.
Such sophistication of iconographic evolution place this as post 12th C CE work while the general cave suggests an 8th C CE date. The popular theory is that this could have been a Jain cave, which was later converted with the addition of these reliefs. Leading this line of thought are the reliefs on the outer walls of the cave.
Similar to Jain reliefs
To the right of the cave face, there are a series of niches - a Ganesha, two seated figures and to its left a small saint, the Saivite trio as a group and then a deeply recessed Bhairavar with the dog in the background. The shapes of these niches resemble the many free-standing Jain reliefs of this region.
The earliest reference of the Saivite trio is a 945 CE inscription of Parantaka Chola in Thiruvidaimaruthur, which talks of the installation of metal images of them in the shrine. The earliest inclusion of Appar and Sambandar in stone reliefs in temple sculpture could be during the period of Queen Sembianmadevi at the Karandai temple, which is during the second half of the 10th C CE. Thus the presence of the trio on the outer wall of the cave should belong to the post 10th C CE date.
The most debated sculpture of them is the Bairavar, which many believe is a converted Jaina Tirtankara. The reasons being that the dog is in a low relief and could be a later addition, Bairavar is seen with unusually two hands and without the garland of skulls.
This is indeed a tough question as there is the presence of curls of hair and even a crown on the head. Closer inspection shows some sort of ornamentation on the chest, the hands are not seemingly kept alongside the legs but though mutilated and they seem to emerge outward. And lastly, the lack of the Chamara or umbrella characteristic of Jain panels in the region.
(The writer is a sculpture enthusiast and blogs about temple art at >www.poetryinstone.in )
