SAIVA HAGIOLOGY AS NARRATIVE BAS-RELIEFS AT AIRAVATESVARA TEMPLE

Airavateswara temple is one among the giant four temples of the Cholas, located at Darasuram, a suburb of Kumbakonam in Tanjavur district. The temple is known for its architectural and sculptural splendour and was built by the Chola king Rajaraja II (C.E. 1146-1173). Throughout, the temple is richly embellished, elaborately ornate, minutely carved, from the gopura to the main shrine no space is left without sculptures or other ornamentation. Sculptures of various sizes and themes are seen; deities, damsels, ganas, dancers, jugglers’ show, other performing arts, scenes of puranic stories and social aspects are depicted. Dancing and narrative themes form prime importance in sculptural representation. Band of musicians and dancers, dancers in various karanas, especially in gangavatarana karana richly adorn the walls of this temple. Narrative bas-relief miniatures of Kandapuranam, Thiruthondar puranam, Tiripurantaka and story of Siruthondar are remarkable to mention.

The life of the Saiva saints form popular theme of sculptural depiction in many of the temples of Tamil Nadu, in that tales of Kannappar, Chandeswarar, Appar, Gnanasambandar, Sundarar are frequently seen. But at Airavatesvara temple the story of all the sixty-three Nayanmars are depicted as a miniature series as narrated in the Thiruthondar puranam or Periyapuranam of Sekizhar. The narrative Saiva hagiology is depicted in the vedikantha section above the adhishthana of the entire stretch of the mandapas and vimana. It started at the vedikantha section of the Rajagambiran mandapa in the eastern side and continued on the southern side in the chariot-porch, in the mandapas in front of the vimana, in the southern, western and northern side of the vimana, on the northern side in the mandapa immediate to the vimana and ended near the idainazhigai.

Sekkizhar’s Periyapuranam started and frequented with the events of Saint Sundarar as he was the pioneer of the Saiva hagiology. As laid in the Thiruthondarpuranam, the narrative series also started with the Thaduthatkonda Purana of saint Sundarar, but followed by important events in the life of Saint Sambandar and Saint Appar, then continued with the tales of other Nayanmars and finally ended with the muthalaivai pillai story of Sundarar. Among the Nayanmars, saint Sundarar, Appar and Sambandar’s events are frequented in the series. But for most of the Nayanmars, very important scene in their life story is depicted in a panel. Moreover, each panel possesses the name of the Nayanmar inscribed on the upper kampa of the vedica complex. It eases the job of identifying the panel.

Appar’s desire for Kailayakatchi is picked as first theme in this series as it is conspicuous on the southern side of the Rajagambiran mandapa. Appar and his related scenes are depicted only next to Sundarar and Sambandar’s story.

SAINT APPAR’S KAILAYA DARSHAN

பேணுதிருக்கயிலைமலை வீற்றிருந்த பெருங்கோலம் காணும் அது காதலித்தார் கலை வாய்மைக் காவலனார்   பெரிய புராணம் 5:347

Saint Appar was so yearning to see the abode of Lord Kailash, so he started his journey towards North. Sekkizhar in the Thiruthondarpuranam narrated that after worshiping at Thiruvalangadu and reciting Periyathiruthandagam there, he travelled through Thirukkaarikkarai (Ramagiri), Thirukaalathi (Kalahasthi), Thiruparupatham (Srisailam).

வெண்கயிலைப் பொருப்பை நினைந்து எழுந்ததொர் சிந்தையால் எம்மருங்கும் ஓர் காதல் இன்றி இரண்டு பாலும் வியந்துளோர் கைம் மருங்கு அணையும் தெலுங்கு கடந்து கன்னடம் எய்தினார்    5:350

Travelling through the high altitude mountains and ferocious rivers he crossed the Telugu and Kannada regions and entered the Malwa region. His accompanists were wondered at the determination of Appar as he had no other things desired in his life, his only aim, desire, lush in his mind was to see the Lord with His Consort in his abode Mount Kailash. He walked through the territories in the Malawa and Madhyadesa regions; the fertile and water fed lands, rivers, ports, dense forests where even sunlight cannot penetrate. Travelling through tough terrains he reached the cities in the banks of river Ganges and finally Varanasi.

அன்ன நாடு கடந்து கங்கை அனைந்து சென்று வலம் கொளும் மின்னு வேணியர் வாரணாசி பின் அணைந்தவர் தம்மை அங்கண் ஒழிந்து கங்கை பெயர்ந்து போய் மன்னு காதல் செய் நாவின் மன்னவர் வந்து கல்சுரம் முந்தினார்.              5:353

After paying tributes to river Ganges at Varanasi, leaving back all the devotees accompanied him and solely proceeded towards the Himalayas. All alone he walked in the mountainous routes and planes that are filled with gravels, in a desire to have Lord’s darshan with his consort in Mount Kailash. Walking day and night his feet were worn-out, so he started to move with his hands. As he was crawling with his hands, his wrists also broken. Even though his feet and wrists were torn, he didn’t give up, his driving force was devotion and determination, he started to crept forward with his body.

மார்பமும் தசை நைந்து சிந்தி வரிந்த என்பு முரிந்திட……உடம்பு அடங்கவும் ஊன் கெடச் சேர்வு அரும் பழுவம் புரண்டு புரண்டு சென்றனர் செம்மையோர்       5:359

While he was moving forward with body and hands, the bones in the chest started to crush and the flesh come out and now he was not able to move by hands and body. So he started to roll ahead in his journey. The entire body was torn and was in a position not even able to roll. Even in this situation he didn’t lose his determination he pushed his body forward atleast to move an inch.

The Lord was so pleased with the devotion of Appar and wanted to save him as He wished to hear some more beautiful Tamil hymns from him. He carried with him a great pool of pure water and took a disguise of sage wearing marauri attire, yajñōpavita, jatabhara, snake and appeared in front of the Saint and asked what made him to come to this desert with such a toil?

சிந்தி இவ்வுறுப்பு அழிந்திட வருந்திய திறத்தால் இந்த வெம் கடத்து எய்தியது என் என இசைந்தார்     5:362

Appar expressed his wish to worship his Lord on Kailash. But the sage advised Appar to return back as it was not an easy task for human beings. But Appar was firm in his stand and said he would not return without seeing the Lord at Kailash. Pleased with the dedication of the Saint the Lord disappeared and in the horizon the voice heard, ‘Oh great king of words, raise, have a dip in the pond lies in front of you and can see us in the same Kailaya form raising from the blameless pond at Thiruvaiyaru.

All the wounds in the body of the Saint disappeared and he rose up with hands folded up above his head rendered the ‘vettragi vinnagi’ pathigam and entered the Pothigai. To the surprise of the world he emerged out of a pond in Thiruvaiyaru, he was speechless, tears streamed down from his face thinking on the grace of the God. In wonder he proceeded towards the Iyyarappar temple and saw everything at Thiruvaiyaru as a pair, the Iyyarappar temple appeared like Mount Kailash, on the silver mountain Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, standing and praising the Lord, Devas, Asuras, Ganas, Rishis, Vidhyadharas, Gandharvas, Siddhas are worshiping, Rivers including Ganges are worshiping, the celestial dancers Ramba and Urvashi are performing, singing, heard high decibels of musical instruments go along with the sound of the seven oceans, the Nandi was proceeding forward to stand in the front, on the silver mount decorated with emerald creepers the Lord is seated with His Consort who looks like the mount of ruby.

அடைய அப்பதி நிற்பவும் சரிப்பவும் ஆன புடை அமர்ந்துதம் துணையொடும் பொலிவின கண்டார்       5:373

The saint swamped in joy on seeing this, had goose-skin, raised his hands up and worshipped, cried, danced in ecstasy and praised the mercy of his Lord as immeasurable. He remained in the bliss for a long time and wished to reveal to the world what he saw and felt through his hymns. He expressed his ecstasy in the hymn ‘maathar pirai kanniyanai’ besides that he also sang Thiruthandagam, Thirukkurunthogai, Thiruviruttam, Thirunerisai on the Lord of Iyyarappar.

The story of Appar’s travel for Kailaya darshan and his blissful state at Thiruvaiyaru is depicted in the narrative series. These two events are shown in six panels in the gala of the vedica section. In the first panel a male figure is shown in three postures standing, crawling, prostrating and in the end a male and a female figures are shown. The spade (uzhavaram) help us to identify the male as Saint Appar, and it can be taken as the walking, crawling and rolling stages of Saint Appar’s solitary journey in the gravel filled desert. Draped in a cotton wear, extending upto his thighs, decked with rudraksha mala in the shaved head and shown in anjali hasta. In all the three postures the saint is shown in smiling face that reflects his resolute aspiration.

Next to the prostrate posture stands the pair, who can be taken as the Lord of Kailash and His Consort in disguise form. The God draped in short attire, decked with yajñōpavita, carrying a thing with long stalk in his left hand, probably umbrella and his right hand is folded up in kataka. The Goddess standing next to Him is draped in long attire, her left hand stretched down and right hand folded up. The God in beard looked like an aged rishi and for both of them their locks are gathered and side knotted. While Periyapuranam illustrates God alone coming in disguise of a yogi, on the other hand in the Airavatesvara narration both God and Goddess are shown.

continue…