silent stones logo

silent stones title

Paḷḷimaṇṇa Śiva Temple ALBUM

arrow_back arrow_upward home mail_outline

Temple photo A very typical Kēraḷa temple, remarkable for its simplicity and beauty. Located in Kumbaḷangād village of Tṛśśūṛ district the temple can be approached from Kāññirakko̅de bus stop in the Kunnamkulam - Vadakkāncheri bus route. The temple houses a valuable collection of exquisitely rendered murals and now the temple is a protected monument under Archaeological Survey of India. Śiva is the main deity, installed in the sankalpa of happy mood after his marriage with Pārvathy. A mural panel depicts this too.

The murals of Śiva Pārvathy wedding Siva Pārvathy wedding and Yōga Dakshinamoorthy are well exucuted rare specimens not frequently occuring in the temple murals of Kērala. Yoga Dakshinamoorthy The former is the most arresting and significant mural in this temple in that it reflects the pratishṭa sankalpa. Though there are sculptures elsewhere in South India depicting Śiva-Pārvathy wedding in the presence of Vishṇu who brokered their marriage, this mural is a rare piece portraying the newly weds in gorgeous clothes and jewellery with their ankles tied together and Hanumān, Pārvathy's father presenting the yoke to the lord, symbolic of the marriage lore as per vedic custom.

The Yōga Dakshinamoorthy panel displays the snake as the paṭṭabandha and the unusual gathering aroud portrays the thousand eyed Indra, the Lord of Heaven, as one among the propitiators of the lord. This mural is better than the same theme at Kōṭṭakal. Both these murals, as well as the usual Natarāja tāndava rendering exemplifies the penchant of the artist for minute detailing.

The murals seem to be in two different and distinct styles. The temple was photographed sometime in 2005.

Disclaimer: Colour rendition of murals may not be accurate.