Kalyanasundara ‐ கல்யாணசுந்தரர்

Bronze figure from the Thanjavur Art Gallery.

Description

In this set we have a unique example of a complete group showing Vishnu giving away his sister Parvati in Wedlock to Siva. These were found as a treasure trove find, along with the other forms of Siva described earlier, unearthed in the year 1952 near Svetaranyaswamy Temple in Tiruvengadu. These pieces belong to the early Chola period of the 11th Century A.D.

The marriage of Siva and Parvati is the grand epilogue in the serial of the story of Daksha yaga (Vedic sacrifice) in which the Gods of the Vedic pantheon combined together and plotted to belittle the supremacy of Siva. It was in this legend that one of the five heads of Brahma, the chief officiating priest, was plucked off by Virabadra, the agent of Siva.

The transition from the old polity of the Vedas to the worship of the One Supreme Brahman, Uma’s Lord, is therefore emphasised and illustrated in the puranic story of Daksha’s sacrifice and thereafter in the final reconciliation of the gods and the celebration of the marriage of Siva and Parvati (Haimavati).

Origina’ly Dakshayani, daughter of Daksha, was married to Siva to placate him. But, as Daksha, his father Brahma and other Vedic gods failed in their attempts to subdue Siva, Daksha yaga was specially performed to humiliate Siva by excluding Him from it. Dakshayani, therefore, disappeared in the sacrificial fire. Dakshayani signifies the spirit of sacrifice. And, so long as this spirit of sacrifice was devoted to the One Supreme Brahman, Siva, it was beneficial.

But when this Vedic sacrifice, with Brahma officiating as the chief priest and other gods taking part in it, was divorced from the worship of the One Supreme Brahman represented in the person of Siva (as Daksha, Brahma and other gods tried to do by excluding Siva from it), this sacrifice was of no avail.

When the spirit of sacrifice was thus divorced from the world, Dakshayani died. She was reborn as Uma-Haimavati – the bearer of brahma-gnana, and was reunited to Siva. This re-union, or re-birth is what is celebrated in every temple in the festival of “Tirukkalyanam,” the holy marriage of Siva.

Together, the entire group consisting of the images of Siva, Parvati Lakshmi and Vishnu, is known as Kalyana-sundaramurti. Unfortunately, the figure of Lakshmi (A.G Br. No. 91) was cleaned on discovery. It has therefore lost the fine green patina of the rest of the group. Siva and Parvati, the groom and the bride, stand on one base.

The lower combined bhadrapitham for Siva, Parvati and Lakshmi which would have been provided for this set, and a separate one for Vishnu, are now missing. They were not available in the treasure finds.

The married couple hold each other’s right hands, and are further joined at two other points behind, hidden from view. Altogether, the four points where the two separately cast figures of Siva and Parvati have been welded together are:

1. A point below the right elbow of Siva and the left forearm of Parvati,
2. Between upper right forearm of Siva and left shoulder of Parvati,
3. The base plate, and
4. The united hands of the couple, which must have been separately moulded and cast, and then afterwards welded into their position.

So subtly have these joints been conceived and effected, that they are almost invisible from the front. Similarly, the figure of Lakshmi has a distinct grove in its base-plate for insertion into the base-plate of Siva and Parvati to keep it in its proper position as intended by the sculptor.

The figures of the set are shown in proportions to one another that are strictly governed by their status. So, in this Siva group, Siva dominates and Patvati, though a woman, slightly tops Vishnu. Smallest of the four but in to way less lovely, is the figure of Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu.

This complete set of Siva and Parvati with Vishnu and Lakshmi is not found in other collections except in temples. The subject is the happy ceremony of the wedding of Siva. The sculptor exactly captures the spirit of the occasion. Vishnu is sombre, after giving His sister in marriage to Siva.

The gift is symbolised by the pouring of water over the joined palms of the bride and the groom, and is known as kanyadana. The traditional South Indian version, in which Vishnu as Parvati’s brother giving the bride away, may be compared with the representations found in North India (as at Elephanta), where the bride is given in marriage by Himavan, the Lord of mountains, and his wife Mena.

Other interesting early Chola Kalyanasundara bronze images may be seen in the Adipuriswara Temple, Tiruvotriyur, and in the temples at Tiruvelvikkudi and Vadakkalathur.

Taking in his own right hand the right hand of the bashful Parvati, Siva, the Sundarar (the ‘beautiful one’), advances to the left with the swaggering gait of a bridegroom and all the grace of a God. Parvati, overcome by shyness and modesty has to be encouraged by Lakshmi to grasp Siva’s hand.

At the side, Lakshmi urges the bride forward, with gestures full of tenderness and affection. Vishnu stands apart from the main group on his own flat base. As the brother of the bride he has just poured the ceremonial libation that completes the marriage, his hands in position to hold the ritual water pot.

The entire movement of all the lower hands of the group and their design centres over the clasped hands of Siva and Parvati. In the full clasp of Siva and the squeezed-out fingers of Parvati, the gentle but virile strength of the groom and the tenderness of the bride are subtly represented. The meaning and symbolism of taking a wife by panigraha have been brilliantly and sensitively shown. From this sacred moment on wards, Parvati will be one with Siva.

Parvati and Lakshmi stand exactly alike, but note the difference which the sculptor has brought out between them. Parvati is shrinking, overcome by shyness at her Lord’s firm grasp for the first time. A high karanda-makuta with three makara chudamanis on the sides and front recalling Pallava decorations, makara-kundalas in the ears, three necklaces and a string of tali around the neck, a three-stranded yajnopavita, baji-bandha, jewelled angadas and bracelets of patli variety undergarment with schematic folds pleated at the left thigh and between the legs, held in position by a plain unlooped sash and waist belt of makara-clasp with a single-jewelled chain at the right, padasara’s, and rings of metallic jewellery finish for the fingers and toes, are the decorative features.

SUNDARAR, the bridegroom (Plate XLIII) fulfills all the requirements of aesthetic appreciation (rasikala). He stands in abhanga, bent slightly. A high jata-makuta crowns the head with some of the jatas falling down below siraschakra. Superbly sculptured makara-kundala’s in the ears.

Bahulamala’s run down each shoulder, with an additional chain-streamlet prominent on the right. Three necklaces including a rudrakshamala with tiger-claw pendant, a yajnopavita of two main strands (one broad with a brahma-bandha knot), and an ornamental udara-bandha adorn the torso.

Three bangles for each wrist, baji-bandha and angada with design of jewelled makaras decorate the arms. A small undergarment with schematic folds covers the loins and is fastened by a waist belt, displaying a kiriti-mukha with flanking makaras. Folds of the loincloth hang from the waist belt between the thighs, add grace to the figures.

Broad padasaras set with gems on the feet and toe rings complete the decorative features of this enchanting portrayal of Siva, the bridegroom.

Siva’s beaming face is clearly marked with the third eye. The fillet is magnificient and typical of early Chola sculpture. The chainstreamlet on his right shoulder, which is actually the decorated cord of the necklace, is repeated on the shoulders of Parvati, Lakshmi and Vishnu.

The forms of Vishnu and Siva have been endowed with all the usual distinquishing marks. Siva stands four armed, carrying the antelope and the axe in the back hands. The arms are separately modelled almost from the shoulder itself, giving the dual impression of the human and the divine.

The front left hand is in kataka to take a flower, while the right hand grasps the hand of Parvati.

VISHNU (vide plates XLVI and XLVII) has the full complement of dress, drapery, decoration and jewellery. Standing slightly bent in abhanga, he wears above his handsome face a high kirita-makuta with siraschakra. Clearly depicted are the makara-kundala’s of becoming size, bahulamalas on the shoulders, three necklaces of gold and gems, a three-stranded yajnopavita, from which a smaller thread passes through the under garment and extends to the right ankle, an udara-bandha of fine jewellery work, hanging pearl pendants in front, a long undergarment (pitambaram) of elaborate drapery with details of schematic folds, side tassels with swallow-tail ends, a wide medium loop and waist belt with the yalimukha clasp, baji-bandha and angadas of chased and filigree jewels on the arms, three bangles on each hand and padasara’s on the feet complete the decorative feature of this facinating God.

On the right breast of the deity, a triangular Lakshmi (Srivatsa) mark of gem stone set round with inlaid gold is shown. At the left breast the yajnopavita displays the elaborate knot of brahma-bandha. Care has been taken to work out details even at the back. Flowing locks of hair of the God at the back side are especially beautiful.

Vishnu is fully identified by His usual characteristics. In the pair of upper arms can be seen chakra and conch (sankha) with projecting flames. The two remaining hands are suggestive of holding the ceremonial water vessel by the giver. The extra pair of hands of both Vishnu and Siva serve no purpose in the marriage scene.

The sculptor could have very well dispensed with them, if his purpose were just to delineate any marriage scene. Not so! His intention was to depict by means of loftiest sculptural language and expression the epic glory of the marriage of Parvati, the sister of Vishnu, with no less a person than the Almighty Siva.

To this end, the divine participants of the group are given their identification marks in full and also the required extra arms.

LAKSHMI stands in a sympathetic abhanga, her face deliberately turned away from the married couple as if she does not want to intrude. A high karanda-makuta, thin patra-kundala’s in her ears, siraschakra behind, flower streamers on the nape of the neck, three necklaces the last with a chhannavira attached at the middle, a kucha-bandha, angada of a coiled variety, baji-bandha, heavy patlis on the wrists, undergarment of schematic folds with a long median fold and pleat on the right thigh, waist girdle with a clasp of makaras back to back, padasaras and finger rings are her decorative features.

The forehead is circled by a fillet of flowers and crowned by a karanda-makuta with a large makara-chudamani in front, reminiscent of Pallava tiaras.

In keeping with the naturalistic depiction of the scene, the symbols the antelope, the axe, the wheel and the conch have been sculptured with utmost realism. No trace of conventionality has been allowed to impede the sculptor’s imagination and skill.

This set is perhaps the most dramatic masterpiece of the Tiruvengadu school of sculpture. The subtlety of its depiction of all the emotions of marriage, its portrayal of dignity, bashfulness and exaltation can hardly be matched in world art.

Kambar’s picture of the wedding of Sita may be secalled here:

நோக்கிய நோக்கெனும் நுதிகொள் வேலினை, வீக்கிய மதுகையான் தோளில் ஆழ்ந்தன

“Looking lovingly at her Lord, the sharp arrows from the forehead of the bride pierced the strong shoulders of the bridegroom.”

We have considered the purely lyrical beauty of the Rishabavahana Devar the cowherd, the philosophical depth of the Bhikshatana the drama of the Bhairava and the imaginative range of the marriage between Siva and Parvati of the art school of Tiruvengadu. Now we must look at the Chandrasekara from the same school of a somewhat earlier period.¹

Sketch of details (Sundara hold the hand of Parvati)

Informations

Acc. No.: 91, 90, 89, 88 (from left to right, as shown in the photo)

Century: 11th CE

Place of discovery: Thiruvenkadu

Taluk: Sirkazhi (erstwhile Mayiladuthurai)

District: Mayiladuthurai (erstwhile Nagapattinam)

State: Tamil Nadu

Country: India

Exhibition Location: Thanjavur Art Gallery

Height: Lakshmi: 63.5 cm without pedestal (The bridesmaid); Parvati: 81 cm without pedestal (The bride); Kalyanasundara: 96.5 cm without pedestal (The bride groom); Vishnu: 79 cm without pedestal (The giver)

Breadth: no information about the breadth

Weight: no information about the weight

Pictures

Kalyanasundara

Map