Sunday, January 3, 2016

Brihadeeswarar Temple – Murals/Frescos

Brihadeeswarar Temple – Murals/Frescos
The Chola fresco paintings discovered in 1931 by Mr.S.K.Govindasamy of Annamalai University within the circumambulatory corridor Aradhana Mandapam of Rajarajesvaram are of great interest. They are the first Chola specimens discovered. The passage of the corridor is dark and the enthusiast finds the walls on either side covered with two layers of paintings from floor to ceiling. 



The important point to be noted is the technology used in the painting. A smooth batter of limestone mixture is applied over the stones, which will take 2 to 3 days for setting. Within that short span, such large paintings were painted with natural colors like fruit and vegetable juices. 


During the Nayak period the chola paintings were over painted by the Nayaks. These have certain labels in Telugu characters mentioned the names of Sevappa and Achyuthappa and others. 

The Chola frescos lying underneath have an ardent spirit of Saivism is expressed in them. They probably synchronized with the completion of the temple by Rajaraja Cholan the Great

The temple has Chola frescoes on the walls around the sanctum sanctorum portraying Shiva in action, destroying demonic forts, dancing and sending a white elephant to transport a devotee to heaven. Paintings portray the mythological episodes of the journey of Saint Sundarar and the Chera King to heaven, the battle scene of Tripurantaka (Lord Siva) with Asuras (demons).

The Chola artists have proved their mettle by portraying even the Asura women with a sense of beauty. Some of the paintings in the sanctum sanctorum and the walls in the passage had been damaged because of the soot that had deposited on them once upon a time.

Owing to the continuous exposure to smoke and soot from the lamps and burning of camphor in the sanctum sanctorum over a period of centuries certain parts of the Chola paintings on the circumambulatory passage walls had been badly damaged. The Tanjore Nayak kings replaced them with a few paintings of their own, about 400 years ago. These 400-year-old paintings have been mounted on fibre glass boards, displayed at a separate pavilion.

It is at the Pradaksina-Patha surrounding the Vimana that these paintings were found. A Pradaksina-Patha is a circumambulatory passageway around a sacred image or building in which people walk while reciting Sutras in a clockwise direction. The walls and ceilings were covered with paintings in the Nayaka Dynasties in the 17th century over the top of far older paintings from the 11th century, which have now emerged to be seen again.

On the south wall of the Pradaksina-Patha Shiva is depicted preaching under a sacred tree, on the north wall Shiva is shown exterminating demons residing in three cities, and on the west wall is Shiva welcomes a saint on Mt. Kailasa in the Himalayas. In one scene, Shiva with eight arms is on a chariot being lead by the god of creation, Brahma, and in another scene, he practices yoga on a tiger skin, wearing a serpent on his neck and upper arm. There is also a drawing of Rajaraja I standing with his Guru (teacher) Karuvur Thevar. 

In spite of the passage of long period of time, these paintings are in a good condition thanks to the protection from outer air, provided by the covering of thick stucco. They are quite precious as the only surviving Chola paintings.

In retrospect, it was a blessing in disguise, according to Dr. R. Kalaikovan of the Rajamanickanar Centre for Historical Studies. The upper layer of the Nayak paintings had actually protected the Chola frescoes underneath from further damage. 

The Archeological Survey of India has, for the first time in the world, used its unique de-stucco process and restored 16 Nayak paintings, which were superimposed on 1000-year-old Chola frescoes at the Big Temple Thanjavur.


The Indra Gandhi National Centre for Arts holds an impressive image gallery of the Rajarajesvaram (Big Temple) murals.