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Home , Bhagavati, Putana, Yashoda

Putanavadha in Stone and Wooden Art of , : An Assessment

Preeta Nayar1

1. Department of Archaeology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Thiruvananthapuram ‐ 695 581, Kerala, India (Email: [email protected])

Received: 17 September 2018; Revised: 06 October 2018; Accepted: 31 October 2018 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 6 (2018): 712‐719

Abstract: Putanavadha is one of the important anecdotes of Krishnaleela. was a demoness sent by , the ruler of Vrishni Kingdom, to Gokula to kill infant . She gave him her poisonous breast but Krishna sucked her life instead of milk. Putanavadha sculptures in stone and wood are observed in India from 6th to 18th centuries CE. In Kerala, they are found from 14th to 18th centuries CE. While the wooden sculptures dominate in number over the stone sculptures in Kerala, the stone sculptures are found more in number in other parts of India. This paper describes in detail the Putanavadha sculptures of Kerala and assesses the characteristic features of Putana, Krishna and the style of their depiction in comparison with those reported from the rest of India.

Keywords: Krishnaleela, Putanavadha, Krishna, Kamsa, Stone and Wooden Sculptures, Kerala Temples, India

Introduction Kamsa, a tyrant king, ruled the Vrishni Kingdom with Madhura as its capital. On the day when his sister Devaky was married to , Kamsa heard a prophecy from the sky (akashavani) which stated that the eighth child of his sister would be the cause of his death. Terrified upon hearing this prophecy, Kamsa imprisoned Vasudeva and Devaky. Vasudeva promised that when Devaky gave birth to their children, he would hand over them to Kamsa. Kamsa killed their six children and the embryo of the seventh was transferred through Yogamaya from Devaky’s womb to that of , the first wife of Vasudeva. When the eighth child, Krishna, was born, Vasudeva, as per the advice of the divine powers, carried the baby to Gokula, the cowherd’s encampment, where , the wife of Nandagopa, had just given birth to a baby girl and secretly exchanged him with her. When Kamsa came to know that Krishna was living at Gokula as the son of Yashoda, he started sending his demoniac associates like Putana, Bhagasura, Shakatasura, Trinavarta, Arishtasura, Dhenuka and in disguise to kill infant Krishna. Krishna destroyed all of them through his juvenile exploits and these exploits, among many others, are generally known as Krishnaleela. Putanavadha narrates the story of how infant Krishna killed Putana. Nayar 2018: 712‐719

Putana was a demoness. She, as instructed by Kamsa, went to Gokula with the intention of killing infant Krishna. She transformed herself into a beautiful woman and entered into the house of Yashoda. She stealthily approached Krishna and started fondling and enticing him. She gave him her poisonous breast to suck in the pretext of motherly love. But the infant sucked her life instead of milk. Depiction of Putanavadha is one of the vibrant and mostly represented juvenile exploits of Krishna in sculptural art.

Putanavadha Sculptures Putanavadha sculptures are observed in Ellora caves (8th century). Outer wall of Harihara temple I at Osian and Nilakanda Mahadeva temple at Kenkinda in Rajasthan (Agrawala 1954: 346, 348) (8th century), Lakshmana temple in Khajuraho (Banerjee 1994: 118) (10th century), city wall of Wadhwar at Saurashtra and Shamlaji temple in Gujarat (Banerjee 1994: 159, 161) (11th century) and Krishnachandra temple in West Bengal (Banerjee 1994: Fig. 34) (18th century) are other known places where important stone depictions of Putanavadha occur in northern India.

Putanavadha sculptures are observed more frequently in southern India than in the north, especially in Karnataka compared to and Andhra Pradesh. Cave 2 and 3 at Badami (6th century), Chennakeshava temple at Belur, Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebid, Amriteshvara temple in Amirtapur (12th Century), Mallikarjuna temple at Basral, Keshava temple at Somanathpur, Narasimha temple at Nuggehalli, Chennakeshava temple at Aralaguppe (13th century) and Vittala temple at Hampi (15th century) are the main places in Karnataka where these sculptures are found. Putanavadha scenes are present on the panels of temple at Punjai and Pullamangai (Champakalakshmi 1981: 136) (11th century) in Tamil Nadu, Shrikurmanatha temple at Shrikurmam (11th century), temples at Tirumala (Raman 1993: 93) (16th century) and Tadipatri Sri Chintala Venkata Ramanaswamy temple (16th century) in Andhra Pradesh (Sree Padma 1993: 249).

There is a sculpture of Putanavadha in wood showing Putana with healthy body and hair combed backwards and held in position by lalatapatta, housed in Art Museum of Chicago belonging to 17th century and another in wood showing her skeletal body probably giving expression to the last phase of her life, housed in Brooklyn Museum belonging to 18th century. Though both these wooden sculptures are from India, their original locations could not be ascertained.

Putanavadha Sculptures in Kerala The earliest sculpture depicting Putanavadha in Kerala is, perhaps, the one in Tiruvalla Shrivallabha temple located in Pathanamthitta district (Fig.1). It is found on one of the pillars of Nalambalam. This 13th century sculpture in stone shows Putana with her matted hairs standing on their ends and death writ on her face. She sits with her both hands planted behind as if she is in the act of freeing herself from Krishna who sucks her life along with the breast milk. Krishna is shown standing with one leg on Putana,

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pulling one of her breasts with his left hand and sucking the other. A 14th century wooden image present in one of the wooden panels around the Shrikovil wall of Shasthamkulangara Narasimha temple in shows Putana in demonic form with matted long hairs and projected canine teeth (Fig. 2). Krishna is depicted standing on his knees and sucking her breast while Putana is trying to get up and escape from the grip of Krishna. She is shown wearing thick hara, kundala and lalatapatta.

Figure 1: Putanavadha in Stone, Tiruvalla Figure 2: Putanavadha in Wood, Shrivallabha Temple Shasthamkulangara Narasimha Temple

There is a peculiar sculpture of Putanavadha in stone in Sucheendrum Sthanunathaswami temple in Kanyakumari district (Erstwhile Travancore) depicting Putana seated in partial profile with legs crossed and Krishna sitting on her knee sucking her breast (Fig. 3). She is shown very thin with shrunken stomach and prominently registered veins on her skin and spine. The sculpture represents Putana as if her body was getting drained off her life and blood. It is present on one of the pillars of the cloistered hall of the temple belonging to 16th century CE.

A 17th century wooden sculpture on the Kuttambalam ceiling belt of Tiruvarppu Krishna temple in Kottayam district shows Putana with demonic features sitting on a boulder with the right hand kept on the flexed right knee and the left kept stretched out (Fig. 4). Krishna stands in front of Putana keeping his right hand on her right breast and sucking her left breast. The face of Krishna is pictured in profile. Another wooden sculpture of the same period seen on a Shrikovil wall panel in Vazhappally Shiva temple in Kottayam district shows Putana sitting with folded legs kept backwards and keeping right hand on her right foot and left hand on her head (Fig. 5). She is shown as if she is shouting in pain. Putana is represented as a beautiful woman wearing

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Figure 3: Putanavadha in Stone, Figure 4: Putanavadha in Wood, Sucheendrum Sthanunathaswami Temple Tiruvarppu KrishnaTemple

Figure 5: Putanavadha in Wood, Figure 6: Putanavadha in Wood, Vazhappally Shiva Temple Kaviyur Shiva Temple ornaments like lalatapatta and hair tied and kept to one side. Krishna sits and sucks her left breast holding it with his both hands. Krishna is presented as a small and plump boy wearing kundala, hara, keyura, kankana, belled girdle and padvalay. A 17th century sculpture of Putanavadha present in a wooden panel on the Shrikovil wall of

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Kaviyur Shiva temple in Pathanamthitta district depicts the story in two parts (Fig. 6). The left side of the panel shows Krishna in the cradle and Putana as a beautiful woman sitting below the cradle. The right side shows Krishna sucking Putanaʹs breast. She is depicted in the same posture as described in the previous sculpture. A 17/18th century wooden sculpture in the Balikkal mandapam bracket of Vettikulangara Bhagavati temple in Alappuzha district shows Putana sitting with both hands thrown high up in pain (Fig. 7). The kneeling Krishna sucks her breast holding it with his right hand.

Figure 7: Putanavadha in Wood, Figure 8: Putanavadha in Wood, Vettikulangara Bhagavati Temple Tricchambaram Shrikrishna Temple

Tricchambaram Shrikrishna temple in Kannur district has a peculiar representation of Putanavadha as bracket figure in wood (Fig. 8) on the Shrikovil wall. Putana stands with head hung to the right and hands held down in helplessness. Krishna is shown as a small figure hanging on her body and sucking her breast. Unlike in other sculptures, this depicts Putana wearing a full and decorated lower garment. This sculpture belongs to 17/18th century CE. An 18th century Putanavadha sculpture in wood in the Kuttambalam ceiling belt of Harippad Subrahmanya temple in Alappuzha district depicts Putana falling backwards in agony while Krishna vigorously sucking her breast (Fig. 9). She is presented with long disheveled and matted hairs. Veins are seen prominently registered on the skin of her breast. Krishna, as in other sculptures, is shown naked, but wearing ornaments including big belled girdle.

Discussion The anecdote of Putanavadha is narrated in texts like (10.6), Purana (5.5) and Harivamsha Purana (6.22). does not mention anything about the appearance of Putana but says that she came by night and when Krishna was

716 Nayar 2018: 712‐719 asleep, she gave him her breast. Harivamsha Purana speaks of a bird called Putana who possessed breasts. She came in the middle of night flapping her wings in anger and perched on the axle of the cart where infant Krishna was lying. While everybody else was asleep, it is said, she gave him her breast full of milk. Balacharita is the first text which referred to Putana as a woman called Danavi. It says that the woman approached the child in disguise of Yashoda (Preciado‐Solis 1984: 56).

Figure 9: Putanavadha in Wood, Harippad Subrahmanya Temple

Putana is referred to as a demoness. She is described as the daughter of the demoness Kaitavi, a maid to consort of Kamsa. Putana is considered as a vampire trained in using a variety of poisons for destructive purposes. As a bird, she is described possessing breasts and with the ability of flight in darkness.

Anecdotes of Krishnaleela could be observed in sculptural depictions before 6th century CE, though Putanavadha was not part of these representations. The name ‘Putana’ was earlier associated with a bird presented in the episode of Sakatabhanaga during the Gupta period (Krishna 1987: 396). Since 6th century CE, Putana has been depicted as a woman and Putanavadha became one of the integral anecdotes of Krishnaleela. The earliest Putanavadha sculptures were reportedly found in Cave 2 and 3 at Badami in Karnataka and since then its significant sculptural representations have occurred from 6th to 16th centuries CE in southern India and from 8th to 18th centuries CE in northern India. They are mainly in stone. Sculptures of Putanavadha are observed in Kerala from 14th to 18th centuries CE. They are predominantly in wood (Nayar 2000: 194).

In Putanavadha sculptures, Putana and Krishna are presented in the following combinations: (i) Putana sitting on a pedestal in pralambapadasana or with legs apart and Krishna standing nearby (ii) Putana sitting in vajrasana with Krishna kneeling in

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front of her (iii) Putana sitting on a pedestal in pralambapadasana and Krishna kneeling in front of her (iv) Putana sitting on a pedestal with legs apart and Krishna lying on her lap (v) Putana sitting on a peedha in lalitasana with Krishna sitting on her thigh (vi) Putana with her body in slanting position supported by her hand and Krishna sitting on her lap (vii) Putana sitting in alidhasana with Krishna kneeling in front of her (viii) Putana sitting cross legged and Krishna sitting on her knee and (ix) Putana standing and Krishna hanging himself sucking her breast. Out of the nine combinations mentioned above, six are observed in Putanavadha sculptures located in Kerala and the last two are found only in Kerala.

Putana is sculptured as a normal woman having (i) short hairs combed backwards or long hairs tied in a bun behind or at sides (ii) ornaments like circular kundala, griva, hara, katisutra, kankana and padvalay (iii) simple and long lower garments (iv) lower garment with two tired fan like pleats (v) well‐built body with full breasts and (vi) tilaka on the forehead, and as demoness with (i) short hairs combed backwards or erect hairs (ii) thick and matted locks of hairs held in position by lalatpatta (iii) Disheveled hairs or opened matted hairs falling back (iv) bulged eyes or eyes in sunken sockets (v) wide nostrils (vi) protruding canines (v) sagging conical breasts (vii) round and full breasts with prominent nipples (viii) skinny body having prominently expressed ribs and veins (ix) vritta kundala, griva, hara, bhujavali, keyura, kankana, padvalay and padjhalak and (x) lower garments reaching below the knees. All these features found in Putanavadha sculptures reported in different parts of India are also observed in the depiction of Putana in Putanavadha sculptures occurring in Kerala.

Krishna is presented as (i) a naked infant with long hairs tied up as top knot or kept falling at the back or with short hairs combed backwards (ii) wearing or not wearing ornaments and (iii) wearing belled girdle, kundalas, haras, kankanas and padvalay. Infant Krishna is shown sucking the breasts of Putana (i) holding one of them with both hands and sucking it vigorously (ii) pulling one with one hand and sucking the other forcefully and (iii) Hanging down with the support of other. The third peculiar way of presentation is observed only in Tricchambaram Shrikrishna temple in Kannur district of Kerala.

The agony of life leaving the body of Putana is expressed depicting her (i) as skinny with projected bones and veins (ii) with sunken belly (iii) twisted body (iv) wide opened mouth (v) one palm kept on her forehead (vi) throwing her both hands upwards (vii) falling backwards and (viii) head hung to one side.

No striking differences have been observed in Putanavadha sculptures of Kerala in portraying Putana and Krishna from those depicted in other parts of India. This also holds true as regards to the presentation of Krishna sucking the breasts of Putana or Putana displaying the agony of death. The only factor which makes these Kerala sculptures distinct is that they are dominated in number by those which are exquisitely carved in wood.

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Acknowledgement The permission granted by the authorities of Travancore Devaswam Board, Cochin Devaswam Board and Hindu Religious and Endowment Commission (now Malabar Devaswam Board) to study the sculptures located in the temples of Kerala state is gratefully acknowledged.

Notes Putanavadha in terracotta medium is not considered under this article.

Nalambalam is a cloister around the ambulatory.

Shrikovil is the principal shrine, the sanctum sanctorum.

Kuttambalam is the edifice within the temple complex where dance, music or other recitals are performed.

Balikkal mandapam is the pillared hall raised above the principal balipitha in front of the main entrance of the temple.

References Agrawala, R.C. 1954. Krsna and in Rajasthan and Epigraphs. Indian Historical Quarterly 30(4): 339‐353. Banerjee, P. 1994 (Reprinted). The life of Krishna in Indian Art. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. Champakalakshmi, R. 1981. Vaishnava Iconography in the Tamil Country. Orient Longman Limited, New Delhi. Krishna Deva. 1987. Are there Regional Variations in the Plastic Representations of Krishnalila?. In Parimoo, R.(ed.) Vaisnaviam in Indian Arts and Culture: 395‐ 400. Books and Books. New Delhi. Nayar, Preeta. 2000. Vaishnava Iconography of Kerala. Un published Ph.D. Thesis. M S University of Baroda. Vadodara. Preciado‐Solis, B. 1984. The Krishna cycle in the . Motilal Banarasidas. Delhi. Raman, K.V. 1993. Sculptural Art of Tirumala Tirupati Temple. Thirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Tirupati. Sree Padma, B. 1993.Krishna in Medieval Art‐ A study in Eastern Ganga Temples of Andhra Pradesh. In Kamalakar, G.(ed.) Vishnu in Art, Thought and Literature: 245‐253. Birla Archaeological and Cultural Research Institute, Hyderabad.

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