Image title: Figure 71. Ardhasvastika Karana

The feet are in Svastika. The right foot is crossed in front. The right hand is raised up–could be in Tripataka or Katakamukha and the right hand is swung as

Lata. This can be described as Karihasta. This looks like Ardhasvastika Karana which is no.22 and is described as–

“The two feet make Svastika, the right hand making Karihasta gesture and the left one lying on the chest.” This Karana is called as Ardhasvastika as only the feet are making the Svastika and not the hands . Some other treatises say Kati Hasta instead of Kari Hasta.

But seeing the position of the hands where one in near the ear (in Tripataka) and the other hand is in Dola stretched crosswise across the chest. This fits into the description of Kari Hasta in Natya Sastra.Hence we can conclude and identify this sculpture as Ardhasvastika Karana.If one observes carefully the right leg is just being placed in a Svastika or cross. The foot is yet to be landed fully on the ground.

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.