10 CHAPTER-V SCULPTURE Like many Vijayanagara temples of South India, Lepakshi temple is also a treasure house of numerous sculptures. During Vijayanagara period the size of Hindu temple increased enormously by way of adding several huge gopuras, large mandapas and vast court­ yards, This gave a vast working space to Vijayanagara sculptor, who could successfully adorn the various parts of the monument by introducing n\amerous sculptures of different themes that were borrowed not only from the Hindu mythology, great epics and puranas, but from legends and traditions, social and religious customs and beliefs and even the flora and fauna of contemporary times. In addition, he was very much fascinated in carving huge monolithic sculptures, wherever it was possible. The great bull and large Naga-Sivalinga at Lepakshi, Yoga-Lakshminarasimha and Ganesa at Hampi are some such figures. In fact, portraiture was a special talent of the Vijayanagara sculptor who could create exquisite examples both in metal and stonej available at many of their sites like Tirupati, Chidam­ baram, etc. During Vijayanagara period, mainly granite, which is locally available, was used for their r ... iii \ structural activities. This made the art historian Percy Brown to describe the Vijayanagara monuments as ’’the monuments of boulders'.’ Though, it is very difficult to work on this hard material, the Vijayanagara artist could produce noteworthy examples which have attracted the attention of many art historians. As elsewhere, at Lepakshi also the sculpture is in the round or in high relief as also in low or bas-relief. At some places, the high relief sculpture is made in cut-out and cut-in fashion. Generally the high relief figures are larger in size, mainly gods and goddesses, mostly depicted on the multifaceted, complex, pillars of enormous size that are usually found in the central halls of many mandapas. The low relief figures are usually carved on the wall surfaces, various facets of linear-pillars, adhishthanas, door­ frames and other components of the edifice. Such figures include story-telling sculptures, demi-gods, flora and fauna, symbols and other decorative motifs. Inspite of hardness of the material, the Vijayanagara artist could succeed in infusing the charm and grace in some of his creations, such as Rambha, Urvasi, Gandharva, other gods and goddesses. He could also skilfully carve the miniature details of ornamentation and floral designs. He succeeded in showing the quality of mobility in the sculpture, while carving the story-telling scenes. At the same time he has CA) SAIVA DEITIES (B) VAISHNAVA DEITIES (C) OTHER GODS AND (D) DEMI-GODS A) SAIVA DEITIES 1) SIVA / Siva is one of the popular deities of the Hindu Trinity. As at many places, in this temple he is represented in many of his various forms like standing (sthanaka), seated (asana), riding (yanaka), dancing (nrtta) and also in his special (pratyeka) and destructive (samhara) aspects. On one of the pillars of Panchanga mandapa, he is shovm seated (asana) with four-hands, of which the upper ones hold a deer (mriga) and a trident (trisula) and the lovrer are mutilated. He is having a jatamakuta head-gear further embellished with a human skull in its front. He is decorated with various ornaments like Naga-kundalas, udarabandha, yajnopavita, necklaces with pearl-studded pendants and Naga-manjiras. He is wearing an ardhoruka held upto the waist with a katisutra, which has hanging tassels. There is a long hara of bells and skulls passing upto the knees. His other forms available at the site include : a) SADlSIVA In this aspect, he is shown with five faces both IUj in standing and seated postures. The five faces of / the god suggest the five-fold aspect of Siva* The Saiva agamas consider this aspect as the highest and supreme. The five faces of the god represent Tatpurusha, Aghora, Vamadeva, Sadyojata and Isana and are collectively known as Pancha-Brahmas^ The saivites regard these heads as symbolising the a soul, material world, buddhi, ahamkara and the mind'^. The earliest represen- / • g tation of this form is the famous Sivalinga from Bhita of 2nd cent. B.C. In the present temple there are two such figures carved, one each in the Natya mandapa and the Kalyana mandapa. The former is carved on one of the pillars in the central hall. He is in standing posture in samapada, having five heads, all of which are decorated with Kiritamakutas and each having a third eye. He is having four hands of which the upper hold a daroaru and a trident, while the lower ones play on a mridanga. He is decked with various ornaments on the neck, ear, shoulders, arms, wrists, waist and ankles and also wearing an yajnopavlta and chest-band. The faces are shown with different expressions. The Q local people call him as Panchamukha Brahma. The other figure is carved on one of the pillars of the Kalyana mandapa. He is standing in samapada- sthanaka attitude inside a trefoiled simhalalata arch. He is also having five faces, all decorated with lU G Kirita-makutas. The other ornaments include ratna and makara kundalas on the ears, various kanthabbaranas, mekhalas, udarabandha, katisutra and a long hara extended belov/ his knees. He is having ten hands, of which the upper two are in abhaya and varada pose; of / the remaining, the left ones hold sankha, dhanush, trisula and sakti, while the right ones hold chakra, bana, ankusa and damaru. He wears a purnoruka. The same god with the same details is depicted in the painting on the ceiling of the Natya mandapa. At two more places, i.e., on the lintel of — « / / Papanasesvara shrine and northern entrance to the Natya mandapa, the panchatatva aspect of Siva”^^ is / carved in a different manner, where Siva is shown seated in padmasana having a single head with Kirita- makuta, having six hands holding five pots. The five pots, i .e ., two in two upper hands, two in the middle ones and one in his lower two hands may personify the five tatvi-s as referred to above. His face is serene. The same aspect is graphically painted on the ceiling of the southern varandah of the maha mandapa, vrhere he is shown being worshipped by rishis, who are wearing both Salva and Vaishnava marks on their foreheads* b) DAKSHINIMITRTI OR PHARMA VYlKHYlNAMilRTl / -11 It is one of the twenty-five forms of Siva. He is engaged in yoga or philosophic contemplation 1U7 ■under a banyan tree in the forest, after destroying Daksha’ s sacrifice. This aspect of Siva is carved on one of the pillars of the maha mandapa (central hall) facing south. He is seated in Lalitasana pose. He is having four hands, the upper ones holding a deer (mriga) and a snake, while the lower left is in vyakhyana mudra and the right touching the knee. The hair is in jata- bhara style. Similar figure is painted on the ceiling of the same mandapa with the same details. c) NATARIj A (Prince of dancers) / It is a well known form of Siva often found in almost all the Saiva temples. In this temple also, this form is carved on two pillars of the Natya mandapa. He is in dancing pose’ trampling an apasmara (F I.I, B-3 ) 12 a demon of darkness, who is holding a sword and a shield in his hands. The god is wearing a jata-makuta decked with the diadem of a human-skull while the matted hair (jatas) are stretching out at the sides. He wears makara and ratna kundalas on his ears and various other ornaments around the neck including a long kapala-mala. He is having four hands of which the upper two carry the kettle-dnim (damaru) and fire (agni), while the lower are in abhaya and varada. Interestingly, the Sun and the Moon are carved on either side of his Kirita- makuta. The aspect of dance is described as Snanda- Tandava which implies whirling quickly round on one leg which is placed on the back of apasmara]^ 108 d) BHIKSfllTMAMUHTI It is one of the special (pratyekamurti)forms / of Siva so assumed to get rid of the sin of cutting one of the heads of Brahma , It is often found in every south Indian temple. In this temple also there are two such figures of which one is carved in bas-relief on a granite boulder at the back of the Sivalinga — — / / inside the garbhagriha of Papanasesvara shrine and the other carved in half-relief on one of the pillars in the central hall of the Natya m.andapa. In panelling, both are same in execution of details, but the latter is grand and superb, really a masterpiece of Vijayanagara art tradition (Pl. V I, A). He is carved inside a makara- torana frame in moving pose having four-hands, of which the upper ones carry a kettle-drum (damaru) and a trident Ctrisula) which is kept resting across the shoulder, while the lower right hand of the image touches the mouth of an antelope, while the left holds a kapala (skull**^). He is wearing a high jatamakuta. The long jatas coming out of the head-gear are extended upto the knees. He is wearing a beaded kanthamala and two kanthabharanas including a long kapalamala extended beyond his knees. The other ornaments include a channaveera-vaikakshaka, mekhala, anklets, wristlets, keyuras and makara kundala on the left ear and ratna kundala on the right. On either side of his head Surya loy and Chandra are carTed. The right leg is slightly bent (Kunchita) and the left is firmly placed in the attitude of walking.