Image title: Figure 70. Nupura Karana

Siras is in Ancita. Urah [uras] is in Nirbhugna–unbent and stiff. Parsva is in Nata on right and Samunnata on left. Body is bent to the left slightly. Kati is in Udvahita on right. The movement is executed from Mandala Sthana and the right foot is slightly lifted in Agratalasancara behind the left. The right hand is lifted up and could be doing Recita. The left hand is already brought down and is in front of the chest in Lata. The right foot seems ready for a movement. The dancer seems to be performing Nupurapada Cari. The bend to the left side suggests this.

This can be identified as Karana no. 36 which is Nupura in which the lower part of the body is turned using Lata and Recita hands. The Natya Sastra clearly says that, “The Trika is to be gracefully turned around in the Brahmari Cari the two hands to show Lata and Recita gestures and the Nupurapada Cari with the feet.”

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.