Image title: Bhairavi (Tirukannamangai)

Fig. 148 to Fig. 161 are the depictions of Bhairavi Cakra/Cakra Puja practice of the Tantric cult. Usually in sculptures, the practice of Bhairavi Cakra is always depicted with a group of male tantric practitioners who are lesser in height than the woman and standing in a nude pose with or holding their erect virile membrane (penis) in their hand. And they are in anjali mudra, in front of or at the legs of the gigantic nude women, (hereafter called as Bhairavi), who is showing her secret parts in a standing pose. However, there are slight differences in those depictions in each place. Sometimes the male practitioners may be four or less in numbers and even one also.

Fig. 161: This sculpture is found on the second tier of the entrance gopura of the Tirukannamangai Shri Bhakthavatchala Perumal temple of Kumbakonam dist. of Tamilnadu. It is the depiction of the Bhairavi Cakra in a polished way as all their secret parts are covered with dresses viz. langoti for male and a half-sari for female. Here the Bhairavi is depicted in varadha mudra and a practitioner under her is seems to receive something from her and one is found with anjali mudra. Since it is Vaishnava temple, all of them are shown with Vaishnavite symbols in their forehead.

Gallery information:

The Siddha/Natha tradition symbolize the most comprehensive understanding and application of the theoretical and methodological tenets of Tantric philosophy. There are many Siddha-centres all over the Tamilnadu. The temples in Tamil-Nadu contain the sculptures depicting the Tantric rites and the images of the venerated Siddhas in it.