Celestial ceilings

 

Ceilings , in a House of God , can not merely be functional features , but , as with everything else in religious architecture , have to have a significance . A deva-sthana being a sacred space , the  metaphorical Cosmos , the Ceiling above the head of the worshipper , becomes The Vault of Heaven .

Ceilings of Temples are rarely left undecorated . Even the humblest temple sports a painted or etched padma , placed centrally . In more elaborate temples, we find beautiful floral motifs , vines  , jaalis and geometric patterns worked into the ceiling , sometimes  rimmed  by small figures of mythical beings. 

It was during 9 - 10 CE that Ceiling design was taken to unprecedented heights of artistry by the Nolamba architects . Most of the shrines they built had the directional guardians occupying the ceiling . However , in Hemavati , the pivot of Central Nolambavadi , the brilliance of their  art touched , literally , the zenith . 

Among the excavated remnants stored in the ASI site museum  in Hemavathi   are some large  slabs with sunken panels showing exquisitely worked reliefs of scenes from legends . The positioning  of these panels in the slab and the frames around them make it obvious that these were not wall decorations but came from collapsed ceilings . And this realisation is enough to take anyone's breath away . It is totally off beat and unprecedented ( and likely, unreplicated ) to put Shiva Leela icons on the ceiling ! 

Nolambas were staunch Shivites , patrons of Pashupata and Kalamukha disciplines and, with the exception of just a very few , all their temples were dedicated to Shiva . It is customary in Shivite temples to place Shiva leela images as koshta murtis ( niche icons) and Bhitti- or  Sthamba-bimbas ( wall or pillar carvings) . Who would ever think of finding Leelmurthis raining anugraha  from above the head ! Only  unbridled  imagination and impeccable draftsmanship  could have resulted in ceilings like these. 

Ceiling panels housed inside the museum .

There are two long slabs , which are clearly part of the same ceiling . Each slab has three panels . Five of the panels portray a deity each , while the sixth shows a group . The treatment is strictly 'by the rule book' and the product is a series of Formal Portraits , uniform in appearance , without much liveliness . All deities are seated similarly , on similar seats , with similar prabhavali ( halo)  around the head and  their mount underfoot , attended by chauri bearers on either side . 

Slab  1 ( Durga - Vishnu - Candesa ) 

Durga : holds the shanka chakra in upper hands , shows Abhaya and Suci mudra in lower hands . Two ladies wave the Chauris and two more ladies are in attendance , one of whom holds a pot ; At the centre of the throne's base is her Lion .

Vishnu : holds the Shanka Chakra in upper hands and shows Abhaya in lower hand . Below , Garuda sits on the floor on one side , while on the other , Lakshmi sits on a pedestal .

Chandesa : holds an axe and the other hand is on his lap . Two ladies wave the chauri for him . 

Slab  2 

Ganesa - Brahma -Saptamatrikas 

Ganesa : looking  almost modern , this text book icon holds a parasu , a japa mala , a broken tusk and a sweet . His attendents are male . One small quirky  detail is the presence of two little monkeys carrying fruit offerings , in addition to the Mooshika at the bottom of the portrait . 

Brahma : with his parasu , japamala and kamandalu , the three faced Brahma sits on a throne embellished with elephants and lions . The Hamsa is at its usual place . His chauri bearers are also male . 

Saptamatrikas : different from others , this looks like a whole mini ceiling by itself . The figures are tiny , but with distinct details . The Seven Matrikas and Ganesha are placed around  Shiva in such a way that all their heads lie  towards Shiva . 

One more slab with three panels that would have completed this set has not been found ( yet ) . In all probability , the three deities in it would have been Skanda , Nandi and Shiva himself , to make it a full  Shiva Parivara set .

Ceiling panels placed outside the museum hall. 

These are the Shiva Leela panels , created with passion and vision . These are not  just formal, pretty  'studio portraits' . It is apparent that the artisan threw away the rule books and put his heart and soul into recreating that exact epiphanic moment of the Leela . The figures in these panels are truly alive . 

According to Shaiva Siddhantam , LeelaMurthis are the 'Sakala ' emanations of the "Nishkala"  Mahesha Tatva that is installed in the sanctum as the Lingam . The murtis  have human form with one head , three eyes, four or more arms holding weapons and mudras and a head of luxuriant jata done up like a crown. 

GangaVisarjana Murti . 

It is a variant of Gangadharamurti , incorporating a small detail in the legend of Bhagiratha and the Descent of Ganga  . After containing the torrential Ganga in his jata , to save the world from washing away , Shiva is constrained to release the water for two reasons. The primary reason , of course , is to fulfill Bhagiratha's prayers  . The second reason is to appease Parvathi , who is not amused to find another lady sitting on her husband's head ! 

In this form , Shiva is shown  in the act of releasing Ganga from his head by holding out a single strand of jata . One upper hand holds out the strand , upon which the anthropomorphic Ganga is seen sliding , and the other hand is also raised to the level of his head in vismaya.  Attributes held by him are parasu and a cup . Parvathi stands to his left , her discontent very apparent  in her body language . Bhagiratha is shown to the lord's right, hands clasped in prayerful position . Adding warmth and charm to the lively scene is a young and curious Nandi , butting in to get a better view of the drama ! 

Gajasamhara Murti ( / Gajantaka ) : 

The Gaja personifies The Ego and it is by the Lord's grace that Ego is vanquished . There are two variations of this parable . The Varanasi version ( in Kurma Purana) describes the Gaja as an asura who attained invincibility and misused it . The Vazhuvur version ( in Varaha Purana) describes the Gaja as the blackmagical creation of the heretic sages of Darukavanam. Shiva not only kills the Gaja , but drapes its skin around himself like a shawl. He is bejewelled , four armed and holds a trident and a cup. His upper hands are spreading the skin . The terrified Baby Skanda  clings to his mother and she pacifies him even as she is in wonder ( vismaya) of this Leela. 

Bhikshatana Murti . 

Young and handsome , this mendicant  still looks regal ! Having pruned one head off Brahma , Shiva earns demerit and to work off this sin , he wanders about as a alms seeker , with the skull cap of Brahma stuck to his hand . In this form , he wears the Paduka and is almost naked . The chunky beads around his neck could be rudraksha . He holds a whisk , a snake and the kapala . The object in his other hand is not clear . His  companion is a gana , carrying the collection bowl. In the  course of his wandering , Shiva becomes the object of affection for some Rishi Patnis . In this panel, we see a lady bringing food for him in a bowl , her other hand tapping his forearm to draw his attention . 

Kalasamhara Murti  ( /Kalantaka / Kalari ) 

This is the most animated panel of the lot . Shiva is seen kicking Kala / Death with much force . And , with a pointing finger , cautioning him not to trouble his devotee Markandeya . Kala is stupefied and seems to be begging for mercy . A  sarpa  wrist-ornament and the sashes tied at the waist , flying wild , suggest the force and fury of the moment . Shiva holds a trident , aimed at Kala , and an axe . 

Sukhasana Murti : 

a very  peaceful scene with Shiva and Parvathi relaxing together, his hand on his knee , hers on her lap , both their right legs folded comfortably . He has the japamala in one hand , the trident in his upper hand . The other upper hand holds what could be the noose , laid horizontal in order to fit into the frame . Even in the small panel, Parvathi's hairdo and Shiva's kundalas are finely worked . 

Subjugation of Kama ( ? ) 

This is an enigmatic panel showing an obviously angry Shiva cautioning a person who is on his  knees with his hands pinned back. The lady behind this person is seen  looking down at him but pointing  to Shiva , presumably telling him to heed the Lord . One interpretation could be that it illustrates an episode from the story of  Manmatha ( Kama) who failed in his mission to make Shiva love lorn . He is sternly told off by Shiva , while Rati tries to mediate peace on Manmatha's  behalf . 

It is a pity that these celestial panels can never be hoisted back to their original place as the shrines which they adorned have all turned to dust .