Image title: Figure 9. Urudvrtta Cari

This is a dance like posture. The lady is holding some object like a mirror in her left hand. Her right hand is in Uru Hasta. Siras, Urah are in Sama, Parsva is unbent, Kati is in Udvahita on left side Left leg is straight and unbent, left Uru is in Stambhana, left Janu is in Sama and left Pada is in Sama. Right Uru is in Valana, right Janu is slightly bent, right Jangha is in Nata and right Pada is in Agratala. Can be doing the Chinna movement of the Kati. She seems to be doing the Urudvrtta Cari in which, “One foot in Agratala is placed behind the heel of the other and then the shank is lifted and turned.” We can identify this as Urudvrtta Cari and not Baddha Cari since the right foot is clearly placed behind the left though it is in Valana.

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.