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Kiratarjuniyam Kiratarjuniyam: Diversity of Characters and Relevance of Nara-Narayana and Harihara in the Sculptural Depiction in Avittathoor Mahadeva Temple in Thrissur District, Kerala Kumbodharan S1. and Preeta Nayar1 1. Department of Archaeology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – 695581, India (Email: [email protected], [email protected]) Received: 30 August 2019; Revised: 28 September 2019; Accepted: 19 October 2019 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7 (2019): 266-278 Abstract: Kiratarjuniyam is a story mentioned in the Vanaparva of Mahabharata. It describes Arjuna’s penance to please Shiva in order to get the divine weapon Pashupatastra. Kiratarjuniyam is one of the favourite themes used in sculptural depiction during the medieval period. This story is one of the mostly depicted sculptural expositions in Kerala temples especially in wood. The narrations are found as wooden brackets and wooden narrative panels. Temples in Thrissur district possess a good number of representations of Kiratarjuniyam in wood. One among them, Avittathoor Mahadeva temple, has three elaborate depictions of Kiratarjuniyam, one in the namaskaramandapam and other two in the shrikovil brackets. The multiple depiction of a single anecdote in different part of the same temple is a rare occurrence. The present paper describes the narration of the story in these three depictions and discusses the diversity in the presentation of characters and the relevance of the depiction of Nara-Narayana and Harihara sculptures. Keywords: Kiratarjuniyam, Arjuna, Kirata, Nara-Narayana, Harihara, Shrikovil, Namaskaramandapam Introduction Kiratarjuniyam is an event narrated in the Vanaparva of Mahabharata (3.40.54). It describes the penance of Arjuna in the Himalaya to please Shiva and get the divine weapon pashupatastra. Shiva assumed the form of a Kirata (a forest dwelling hunter) and approached Arjuna to test his devotion for Shiva. Meanwhile, Mukasura, a demon in the form of a boar, came to attack Arjuna and Arjuna aimed his arrow at the boar; Kirata also aimed his arrow at the animal. This resulted in a dispute between Kirata and Arjuna. Arjuna ignored the claim of Kirata and both of them simultaneously shot their arrows at the animal. A fight started between them and eventually, Arjuna fell exhausted. Soon Arjuna realized that he was fighting with Shiva in disguise of a Kirata and fell at his feet. Pleased with Arjuna and finding Arjuna wise enough to use the pashupatastra, Shiva presented it to him. Kumbodharan and Nayar 2019: 266-278 Kiratarjuniyam became one of the favourite themes in sculptural depictions of India during the late medieval period. Many temples in Kerala have Kiratarjuniyam sculptures. Most of them are found in the state as wooden narrative panels or bracket figures. Avittathoor Mahadeva temple in Thrissur district has three finest depictions of Kiratarjuniyam in wood (Figure 1). It is rare that three different depictions of the same story are found in the same temple. Two of them are found as bracket figures in first and second talas (tiers) of the shrikovil (sanctum sanctorum) and the third one occurs at the namaskaramandapam (the hall in front of sanctum sanctorum). This paper assesses the similarity and diversity observed in the narration of this anecdote in the shrikovil and namaskaramandapam of Avittathoor Mahadeva temple, besides the relevance of Nara-Narayana and Harihara sculptures in the narration. Figure 1: Avittathoor Mahadeva Temple Avittathoor Mahadeva Temple Avittathoor Mahadeva temple is located in Avittathoor village of Thrissur district in Kerala. Avittathoor is believed to be one of the 36 gramams (villages) in ancient Kerala and this temple is a grama-kshetra for the villagers of Avottathoor (Sarkar, 1978: 23). It was said that the sage Agastya installed the idol of Shiva, the main deity, in the temple and thus, the temple was known as Agastyatrippadathoor which meant ‘the place sanctified by the holy feet of Agastya’. Agastyatrippadathoor later got abbreviated to Avittathoor. The temple has a vattezhuttu (a writing system emerged from the Tamil Brahmi) inscription belonging to 20th regnal year of the second Chera emperor Ko-Kotai Ravivarman dated to 903 CE. The temple has undergone subsequent additions and renovations in the later periods (Jayashankar, 2008:552-554, Sarkar, 1978: 23-24). 267 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7: 2019 Figure 2: Arjuna’s Penance Figure 3: Kirata Figure 4: Kirata and Kirati Figure 5: Kirati Figure 6: Kirata Figure 7: Kirata 268 Kumbodharan and Nayar 2019: 266-278 Figure 8: Kirati Figure 9: Kirata Figure 10: Kirati Figure 11: Kirata Figure 12: Arjuna Figure 13: Fight between Kirata aiming Mukasura aiming Mukasura and Arjuna 269 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7: 2019 Figure 14: Arjuna Figure 15: Figure 16: Arjuna prays Contemplating Arjuna Shiva Figure 17: Arjuna’s Figure 18: Figure 19: Realization Shiva Parvati 270 Kumbodharan and Nayar 2019: 266-278 Figure 20: Arjuna Figure 21: Shiva Figure 22: Parvati Figure 23: Arjuna Kiratarjuniyam in the Lower Tala of the Shrikovil The entire Kiratarjuniyam episode is presented in 22 wooden brackets in clockwise sequence in the lower tala, starting from the left side of the shrikovil (Figures 2- 23). Each sculpture is about three feet in height. The story begins with Arjuna’s penance depicted in the first bracket figure. This is followed by eight sculptures portraying the forest life of Kirata and Kirati (feminine word for Kirata). Kirata is presented with hunting weapons like long sticks, traps and bow while Kirati is shown as a huntress carrying pointed sticks, baskets and hunted animal. In one sculpture, Kirati is seen plucking a thorn from the foot of Kirata with her teeth. The 10th and 11th sculptures show Kirata and Arjuna simultaneously shooting at a boar. Next image illustrates the duel between Kirata and Arjuna. The four bracket figures, after the depiction of duel, show different actions of the puzzled Arjuna. He shows vismaya mudra. He offers a bale leaf to Lord Shiva in contemplation to get him out of this puzzle. Soon he realizes who Kirata is and submits himself before Kirata. The succeeding sculptures (17th to 22nd) depict Shiva and Parvati in their real forms. The story ends with Shiva presenting pashupatastra to Arjuna, Arjuna receiving the weapon and Parvati blessing Arjuna. Kiratarjuniyam in the Upper Tala of the Shrikovil Kiratarjuniyam in the upper tala is narrated with depictions of 16 sculptures. Sculptures are three feet in height as in the earlier depiction. The characters, their postures, attributes and weapons in the upper tala are similar as in the lower tala (Figures 24-30). Upper tala lacks the scenes showing Kirata and Kirati with different hunting tools and hunted animal, Kirata aiming at the boar and Arjuna worshipping Shiva after the duel. Added scene presents Shiva and Parvati with the anthropomorphic Nandi. 271 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7: 2019 Figure 24: Arjuna’s Figure 25: Figure 26: Figure 27: Kirata penance Kirata Kirati and Kirati Figure 28: Shiva and Parvati Figure 29: Kirati Figure 30: Nandikesha Kiratarjuniyam in Namaskaramandapam Namaskaramandapam carries this story in 15 small brackets of about one foot in height. Though small, sculptures are elaborately decorated (Figures 31-41). Narration begins with Kirati taking out a thorn from the foot of Kirata with her teeth. The depictions continue on the rest 14 bracket figures as described below. Kirati holds a long stick in her right hand and a knife in her left hand. A basket is hung on her right shoulder. Kirata is presented with a hunting dog. A bow is hung on his right shoulder. He carries a killed squirrel in his left hand. Kirata releases an arrow from his bow. The hunting dog is shown at the right side of Kirata. Arjuna is presented 272 Kumbodharan and Nayar 2019: 266-278 as a young prince doing penance in anjali mudra on one leg. Mukasura interrupts the penance of Arjuna. Arjuna loses his concentration. Standing in anjali mudra, he opens his eyes and places his uplifted leg on the ground. Next to this event, Kirata and Kirati are presented together. Kirata shoots the boar and Kirati stands behind him with an arrow in her hand. Arjuna shoots the boar and a duel is followed between Kirata and Arjuna. Arjuna surrenders his arrow to Shiva. Kirati is shown next with a mongoose in her left hand. She holds a basket to her hip with the support of the elbow of her right hand. Vishnu and Lakshmi bless Arjuna1. Arjuna holds the pashupatastra in his right hand and a bow in his left. Nara-Narayana is depicted next to this scene. The story ends with the presentation of a syncretic form of Shiva and Vishnu along with a female Goddess who can be interpreted as the consort of Shiva. The image holds mriga in his upper left hand and gada in his lower left hand. Upper right hand holds tanka and lower right hand is shown in abhaya mudra. Figure 31: Figure 32: Figure 33: Fight between Kirata and Kirati Arjuna Kirata and Arjuna Figure 34: Figure 35: Figure 36: Arjuna, Vishnu and Arjuna Kirati Lakshmi 273 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7: 2019 Figure 37: Arjuna’s Realization Figure 38: Nara-Narayana Figure 39: Figure 40: Figure 41: Harihara with Arjuna Shiva Goddess Diversity of Characters Arjuna, Shiva, Parvati, Nara-Narayana, Harihara, Mukasura and Nandi are the characters depicted in the present narrations of Kiratarjuniyam. Arjuna: Arjuna, the protagonist, appears in the following scenes: (i). Arjuna’s penance (ii). Arjuna shooting arrow at the boar (iii). the duel between Arjuna and Kirata iv). Arjuna submitting to Shiva and (v). Arjuna receiving pashupatastra.
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