Image title: Figure 28. Parivrtta Karana

A fantastic sculpture of a girl in a dancing pose. Siras is in Ancita (bent to the right), Urah is in Udvahita, hands are in Urdvamandali above the head, Parsva is in Unnata or raised on left and Nata on right, Kati is Udvahita on right, left leg is stretched and turned to front, left Uru is in Stambhana, left Janu in Sama, left Pada is in Sama, right Uru is in Vivartana, right knee slightly bent, right Jangha is in Avartita, right Pada is in Sama but turned in. These dancing girls were called as Vrksikas in the olden days. Can be identified as Karana Parivrtta–no.72. According to the description of this Karana, “The hands make Urdhvamandali movement above the head, at the same time one leg is moved in Suci Cari, then a Badha Cari with the other foot while making a twist of the upper part of the body (Vivarta movement). This is Parivrtta Karana.”

Gallery information:

Kumbakonam is considered as one of the holiest places in Tamil Nadu and is known for its temples and Mathas (monasteries which were centres of Brahmanical learning). These photographs depict the connection between the sculptures in the temples and Natya Shastra and related texts dealing with iconography.