chap16
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Art and Culture of Tamilnadu
R. Nagaswamy
16. MELAPPERUMPALLAM BRONZES
Melapperumbalam is a small, but impressive, village near Kāvëripaṭṭiṉam. An old Śiva temple in this village is interesting for its metal image and inscriptions. The temple is a kaṟṟaḷi, i.e., a stone structure with beautiful pilasters. Though small, it is impressive. The devakoṣṭas are adorned with image of deities like Durgā, Ganeśa and Dakṣiṇāmūrti, usually noticed in the temples of this period. On the southern wall of the sanctum, on the outer side, is carved a figure of Śivaliṅga and two devotees are shown one on either side in añjali pose. By the side of it is an inscription which records that the stone temple was built by a certain Tiruvīti Tiruvalampura Nambi or Kaḷumalamuḍaiyān Āḷudaiyān Piḷḷaiyashvan, evidently the person to the right of the Liṅga is the builder. The main deity is referred to as Tiruvalampuramuḍaiār in inscriptions.
There are many inscriptions engraved on the walls of the temple, the earliest of which is recorded in the fifth regnal year of the Chöḻa king Vikrama Chöḻa. It records a sale of land of eight persons to the temple of Tiruvalampuriuḍaiyār in Talachchangāḍu in Akkurnāḍu, a sub-division of Jayamkoṇḍachöḻa Vaḷanāḍu, by a certain Kavakasi Kalaiyan Kumaran or Tambiran Töḻan. There are many inscriptions dated in the reign of Vikrama Chöḻa recording sale of lands to the temple. Evidently the temple was built in the time of Vikrama Chöḻa early in his reign.
An inscription in the sixth year of Vikrama Chöḻa (kartigai, suklapakṣa, dvādasi, Wednesday, Sadaiyam) registers a gift by purchase of about 2.5 veli of land by a certain Velan Gaṇḍarādittan of Ālaṅguḍi in Veḷanāḍu, a sub-division of Kullottuṅga Chöḻa Vaḷanāḍu, for the worship of the images of Kūttāḍumdevar and his consort Tiruppalliyaraippirattiar?, set up by him in the temple. He also got the taxes on the land remitted by a cash payment of seventy kācu to the assembly, Mūlapparushai?, which held its sittings in the Mummuḍicchöḻa poṟṟambalam. Another inscription, also of the same reign, records a sale of land made tax free by some private individuals of Maraccëri in Akkūrnāḍu to the temple to provide for worship and offerings to the images of Kūttāḍumdevar and Tadanganninachchiar? set up in the temple by Vëlan Gaṇḍarādittar. Evidently both the records refer to the same deities set up by Gaṇḍarādittan.
That Kūttāḍumdeva refers to Nataraja is well-known. This probably refers to the beautiful Nataraja image now in worship in the same temple. It is interesting to note that an image of Nataraja and his consort were unearthed in the same village as treasure trove finds some years back and they are now in the Government Museum Madras. They are also ascribed to the period of Vikrama Chöḻa.
Another inscription of Rājakeśari Varman a Tribhuvanachakravarti (Rājādhirāja II) dated in his twelfth year records a tax free gift by the mūlaparuṣai of some lands to the temple for worship and offerings to the images of certain deities set up in the eighth year by a native of Memalaipaḻaiyanūr in Jayangoṇḍachöḻamaṇḍalam. This probably refers to Kirāṭamūrti and Bhikṣāṭana now in the temple.
There is also a beautiful image of Sūrya in stone in this temple. An image called Dakṣiṇarāja, together with his consort, is now in the temple. The image is two armed, standing in the ālīdha? pose over a lotus pedestal on a bhadrapīṭha. On both the legs the image wears sandals. The lower garment is short with sharp protruding edges. The left arm is raised in the pose of holding a bow and the right is in the kaṭaka pose to hold an arrow. The arm band is made of beads and is particularly interesting. An elbow ornament made of beads is also noticed. The pronouced belly has a depression at the navel. Instead of an upavīta, a chhannavīra adorns the body. The face is shown with beard and moustache. Big patrakuṇḍalas adorn the earlobes. The forehead is short and the hair is tied in the rustic fashion.
The accompanying figure of the goddess is a charming one with a lovely face and with its hairdo in the dammilla fashion. The earlobes are elongated, but are devoid of ornamentation. The right arm is in the lolahasta pose, and the left in the kaṭaka. The armband is well-treated. The well-rounded breasts and the narrow Waist are adorned by a chhannavīra. The tight fitting lower garment extending below the knees is heldup at the waist with a well-worked lion-headed clasp.
Though the image is locally called Dakṣiṇarāja, it represents Śiva as Kirāṭamūrti with his consort Umā, on a comparison with the kirāṭārjunīya panel in the gopura of the Tañjāvūr temple. This tower was built by Rājarāja's general, Kṛṣṇan Rāman or Mummudi Chöḻa Brahmamārāyan, during the reign of Rājarāja himself and was called Rājan Rājan Tiruvācal, the sacred entrance of Rājarāja. The sculptures are evidently the work of Rājarāja's artists, though the panels have been reset during recent renovations. The panel consists of Śiva entering the forest as a kirāṭa with his consort, Arjuna’s penance, the wild animals including the boar, the fight between the Kirāṭa and Arjuna and the finale, Śiva seated in Kailāśa with Pārvati and presenting the pāśupatāstra in the form of a gaṇa to Arjuna who stands in an attitude of devotion. Thus this panel represents the complete episode. The central panel depicting the fight of the kirāṭa with Arjuna is particularly interesting since the stature of the kirāṭa is almost identical with that of present metal image. Both the hunters have the hair tied in rustic style, the pronounced belly, the short lower garment and do not have upavīta. The metal image has a chhannavīra and is bearded. Otherwise they are identical. Thus it is probable that the present metal image is a representation of the Kirāṭa and his consort Umā. In general portraits kings and queens are depicted in an attitude of devotion and not as is in this figure. To bearded Kirāṭa is not uncommon. The murals depicting this scene at Lepakṣi, the Kirāṭa is shown with a beard.
That Kirāṭa images were made in copper and consecrated in temples is well attested by the inscriptions at the Great Temple of Tañjāvūr itself. An inscription dated in the sixth regnal year of Rājendra Chöḻa I (A.D. 1022-1044), the son of Rājarāja I, records that the Minister, Udaya Divakaram Tillaiyaliyar? or Rājarāja Muvënda Vëlar, a native of Kāñci vāyil?, deposited thirteen kācu for the sacred food and other requirements of the image Kirāṭārjunīya devar which he had set up. In another inscription dated in the 10th regnal year of the same king the deity is mentioned as Kirāṭārjunīya devar.
Notable examples of Kirāṭa in metal are the ones from Tiruvetkalam, Rādha Narasimhapuram and other places. But in none of these examples is Śiva shown with beard. This is the only example noticed so far where Śiva is shown with a beard and with all the attributes of a Kirāṭa.
The dating of the image is made comparatively easy by the study of the temple in which it is now under worship. The temple is an all stone structure (kaṟṟaḷi), built by Tiruvīti Tiruvalampuranambi or Kaḻumalamuḍaiyān Āḷuḍaiyān Piḷḷaiyaṣvan?. A portrait of the builder is on a wall of the temple. The earliest inscription in the temple is dated in the fifth regnal year of the Chöḻa king, Vikrama (1118-1135). Evidently the temple was built around that time. Another inscription in the sixth year of the same king records a gift of land by a certain Vëlan Gaṇḍarādittan of Ālaṅguḍi for the worship of the images of Kūttāḍumdevar and his consort, Tiruppaḷḷiyarai pirāṭṭiār set up by him in the temple. That the term Kūttāḍumdevar refers to Nataraja image is well-known.
There is one beautiful image of Nataraja now under worship in the same temple which may be ascribed to the beginning of the 12th century (the period of the construction of the temple) on stylistic grounds. Another image of Nataraja with his consort was unearthed in the same village and is now in the Madras Government Museum. This group is also dated to the same period on stylistic grounds. The Nataraja set up by Vëlan Gaṇḍarāttittan may be either of the two; in all probability the one under worship in the temple. On a comparision with these figures, the image of Kirāṭamūrti may also be assigned to the same period.
There is also an excellent Bhikṣāḍanamūrti, standing in tribhaṅga with a lovely deer jumping up to his extended right arm, and a short and stout bhūtagaṇa carrying a plate on his head standing to the left of the image. The upper left arm probably held a triśūla across the back. The other two arms are in the pose of holding and playing upon the vīṇā, which makes the image the most charming and unique figure of Bhikṣāḍanamūrti noticied so far in south India. The charming face, gracefully bent to the left, suggests that the beautiful Lord is completely engrossed in Vīṇā nāda. No other Bhikṣāḍana image is so far noticed playing upon the vīṇa. Another rare feature of this image is that it is clothed at the waist, while most of the images of Bhikṣāḍana are shown naked. There are a few Chöḻa examples where similar representations are shown clothed. The left leg of the present deity is placed firmly on the ground and the right is slightly bent, suggestive of moving round.
An inscription of Rājakeśarivarman Rājādhirāja II, dated in his 12th year (A.D. 1178) records a gift of land for offerings, etc. to the images of deities set up in the eighth year by a native of Mënmalaipaḻaiyanūr?. The image is referred to in the inscription as Vaṭṭanaigaḷ pāda naṭanta nāyakar. The designation of a deity by they above name is unique, not met with in āgama and śilpa texts and could not be identified. It was in the hymns of Saint Appar that I could get a reference to this term. What is more, the hymn is addressed to the presiding deity of Melapperumpallam? itself. The village was then known as Tiruvalampuram. Appar in the seventh century has given a graphic description of Lord Śiva with a captivating smile on His face, carrying a vīṇā in his arm and moving around as Bhikṣāḍana.
The verses of Appar have almost been taken as the dhyānaśloka for making this image of Viṇādhara Bhikṣāḍana. The term Vaṭṭaṇikaḷ paṭa nāṭantu is significant. It helps us in identifying this image with the image referred to in the inscription as Vaṭṭaṇaikaḷ paṭa naṭantanāyakar. Thus this image is the one set up in the twelfth year of Rājādhirāja II. It joins the list of the few dated bronzes of south India.
பட்டு உடுத்து பவளம் போல் மேனி எல்லாம்;
பசுஞ்சாந்தம் கொண்டு அணிந்து, பாதம் நோவ
இட்டு எடுத்து நடம் ஆடி, இங்கே வந்தார்க்கு
"எவ் ஊரீர், எம்பெருமான்?" என்றேன்; ஆவி,
விட்டிடும் ஆறு அது செய்து, விரைந்து நோக்கி
வேறு ஓர் பதி புகப் போவார் போல
வட்டணைகல் பட நடந்து, மாயம் பேசி
வலம்புரமே புக்கு, அங்கே மன்னினாரே
திருமுறை 6.58.7
paṭṭu uṭuttu pavaḷam pōl mēṉi ellām;
pacuñcāntam koṇṭu aṇintu, pātam nōva
iṭṭu eṭuttu naṭam āṭi, iṅkē vantārkku
"ev ūrīr, emperumāṉ?" eṉṟēṉ; āvi,
viṭṭiṭum āṟu atu ceytu, viraintu nōkki
vēṟu ōr pati pukap pōvār pōla
vaṭṭaṇaikal paṭa naṭantu, māyam pēci
valampuramē pukku, aṅkē maṉṉiṉārē
Tirumurai 6.58.7