NDLI: Sundaramurti

Content Provider	IGNCA - Brihadiswara Temple
Description	The panel depicting certain events in the life of Saint Sundaramurti Nayanar is located on the southern side of the western wall in bay 7. The panel is to be read from bottom to top, following the sequence of events. The lower part of the panel illustrates the preparations being carried out on the occasion of Sundaramurti’s marriage. This section also shows Lordsiva in the garb of an old man trying to stall Sundaramurti’s marriage by claiming that Sundaramurti was his slave. The panel above illustrates the scene following Sundaramurti’s broken marriage. He is seen devoting himself to the service of God. The following scene illustrates Sundaramurti on the back of the white elephant; Airavata, ascending to the heavens. The scene also shows Sundaramurti’s associate Cheraman Perumal, accompanying him on horseback. They are shown moving through the clouds and being received in the heavens by Gandharvas, Vidyadharas and Apsaras. The third and the topmost panel depicts Kailasa, wheresiva and Parvati are seated; in front of whom are seated, Sundara and Cheraman. Besides being an intelligent narration, this is probably the best illustration of musicians and dancers. From the utter fright in Sundara’s face and the anxiety in the faces of the invitees upon witnessing the stalled wedding, to the festive mood in the heavens, the Cola artists have covered a range of emotions in this single panel. The lines, color, movements and emotions in characters’ face show the height to which Cola art reached.
File Format	JPG / JPEG
Language	English
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	Rajarajeswaram Chola Dynasty Shaivism Vidyadharas Kailasa Shaktism Cheraman Perumal Chola Emperor Rajaraja Saint Sundaramurti Nayanar Tamil Architecture Tamizhism Cheraman Dravidian Architecture Sundara Great Living Chola Temples Iconography Vaishnavism Lordsiva UNESCO World Heritage Site Gandharvas Airavata
Content Type	Image
Resource Type	Painting

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