Necklet (Kanthi)

Necklets in the sculptural art of this period can be seen adorning the neck of many sculptures of men and women. Based on their form and composition, necklets can be broadly classified into three types.

1. String formed of metal or fibre with or without a pendent or an amulet hanging from it.
2. Single or multiple strands of beads or pearls.
3. Broad crescent shaped necklet, formed probably of a strip of metal having various designs formed of either embossed patterns or inlaid with gems and pearls.

These three types along with their sub-types are described below:

String formed of metal or fibre

Both Durga (fig. 114 and 486) and her attendant Jaya (fig. 200) in the Mahishasuramardini panel in the cave temple at Mamallapuram wear a kanthi around the throat with a pendant dangling in its middle. It appears that the pendant worn by Jaya is in the form of a flower having three petals. Similar floral pendant, of four petals can be seen adorning the kanthi of a lady (fig. 191) on one of the panels from the Thantonrisvara temple at Kanchipuram. All the women depicted in the Govardhanadhari (fig. 487) panel at Mamallapuram also wear a necklet with a pendant in its middle. The pendant can be seen either in different geometric shapes like semi-circular, square and circular or in various floral shapes like resembling a leaf or a flower.

Single or multiple strands of beads or pearls

In the Draupadi-ratha at Mamallapuram, Durga (fig. 488) is portrayed wearing a necklet formed of a single row of barrel shaped beads, with a circular pendant hanging in the middle. A pendant in the form of trifoliate leaf can be seen hung around the neck of a lady in a panel from the Thantontr=svara temple at Kanchipuram.

The traces of paintings (fig. 220) preserved in the angalaya niches of the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram, gives a glimpse into the appearance of a kanthi, although the paintings were of a later period. Thus, the kanthi worn by Parvati is in the form of two strands of white coloured beads or pearls with a circular locket having orange coloured gem in the middle. Traces of painting on the sculpture of Gajalakshmi in the same temple show an altogether different locket, with a red coloured central disc part flanked by petal like flourishes with a violet colored gem. The chamaradhari flanking her shows a different type of necklet in the form of a white strip with a locket of similar form, but differently coloured gems inlaid in it. These necklets depicted in the paintings can be compared very well with similarly designed one adorning the neck of sculptures of goddesses and chamaradharis in the same temple.

Broad crescent shaped necklet of metal

This is the most popular form of kanthi seen in this period adorning many sculptures of men irrespective of class distinction. In this type the necklet is in the form of a strip of crescent shaped metal adorning the region just below the neck and covering the collor bone. It may be flat or a little curvilinear in contour and is in the form of a broad band in the middle with flexed moulding on either side. Based on its design, number of gems inlaid and number of crescent shaped moulding, this type can be further classified as below:

(a) Plain variety: Almost all the dvarapalakas flanking the facade and the shrine-entrances in the various rock-cut mandapa and rathas, as well as figures of gods like Vishnu, Siva, Skanda, Brahmasasta etc., as well as celestials like Vidhyadharas and ganas wear this type of kanthi. Similarly one of the men (fig. 227) depicted on a panel from the Thantonrisvara temple at Kanchipuram also wears a kanthi of this type. Several images of men and women depicted in the historical panels of the Vaikunthaperumal temple at Kanchipuram wear this type of plain necklace, without any inlaid gems or embossed designs. So it can be said that this ornament is the basic type worn by all men irrespective of their profession.

(b) Plain variety inlaid with a single gem in the middle: This is similar to the above mentioned type, except for a single oval or spherical shaped gem set into its central part. The dvarapalaka (fig. 228) carved on the left flank of the northern shrine in the Kal-mandapam at Kuranganilmuttam is shown wearing this type an oval gem. A similar kanthi, however with a spherical gem can be seen worn by the ayudhapurusha Panchajanya (Sankha), hovering above Anantasayi Vishnu in the Mahishasuramardini cave temple at Mamallapuram.

(c) Inlaid with series of oval shaped gems: In this type a series of oval shaped gems of uniform size can be seen inlaid into the broad band like portion of the kanthi. Such a type can be seen worn by the dvarapalaka (fig. 229) in the Vasantesvaram or cave no. 1 at Vallam, again by a dvarapalaka (right side of the shrine cell) in the Avanibhajana-pallavesvara-griham at Siyamangalam and by one of the courtiers in a panel on the easter cloister wall of the Vaikunthaperumal temple at Kanchipuram. A variant of this type can be seen adorning the neck of the dvarapalakas flanking the shrine-cell in the Satrumallesvaralaya at Dalavanur. Here the flexed mouldings is also inlaid with series of barrel shaped gems or beads. From these sculptural depictions, an actual kanthi of this type can be visualized in the form of a metal strip having series of compartmentalized blanks sunk into it, for the purpose of inlaying well shaped and polished semi-precious stones. In the sculptural depiction discussed supra, the semi-precious stones in oval shape are set into the main band in the middle and the barrel shaped ones are inset into the flexed rim portion of the kanthi.

(d) Inlaid with series of spherical shaped gems: This is similar to the one described above, except for the spherical shape of the gems inlaid into it. This type can be seen worn by an artisans portrayed on a panel (fig. 227) from the Thantontrisvara temple at Kanchipuram. A variant of this type can be noticed in the Vaikunthaperumal temple at Kanchipuram, worn probably by a subordinate of the king depicted on a panel in the north-western cloister wall. In this type, the size of three gems in the middle of the kanthi is much bigger than the others.

(e) Inlaid with series of alternative rosette and rectangular shaped gems: In this type the spherical gems are designed in the form of a rosette and are laid out intervened by rectangular shaped gems. A variant of this type can be seen in the image of a Surya from Kaverippakkam^[1] (fig. 230 and 489). In this additionally the central part of the kanthi consists of a competitively large spherical gem with floral flourishes on either side.

(f) Inlaid with series of trapezoid shaped gems: In this type, the crescent shaped band is set with series of gems cut in the form of a trapezoid and are arranged in such a way so as to match the curve of the hara. Such a type of hara can be seen bedecked on the neck of the dvarapalakas flanking the shrine-cell in the Mahendravishnu-griha at Mahendravadi.

(g) Series of ghata shaped beads hanging from the edges: In this type, a series of ghata shaped beads can be seen hanging along the edges of the crescent shaped necklet. Fine examples can be seen worn by a dvarapalaka (fig. 231 and 490) and also by an image of Vishnu in the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram.

(h) Embossed with series of vertical stripes: In this type the blank of the necklace is embossed with series of vertical stripes giving the appearance of the rays of the Sun. The historical panels carved on the walls of cloister mandapa in the Vaikunthaperumal temple at Kanchipuram give ample examples of this type (fig. 232). Thus a courtier portrayed on a panel in the north-western wall and on another panel in the southern wall is depicted wearing such a kanthi.

(i) Inlaid with gems giving the shape of a flower: This type of kanthi can be seen worn by a royal person (fig. 233) seated along with his queen, depicted in a panel (lower row) on the northern cloister wall of the Vaikunthaperumal temple at Kanchipuram. Here, he is shown wearing a broad flat necklet around his neck with a prominent flower motif in its centre. It is most probable that the floral design on it was made by embossing its pattern and then inlaid with gems cut in the required shape.

(j) Kanthi having multiple crescent shaped mouldings: A necklace of this type can be seen in the form of a large crescent shaped metallic plaque, divided into multiple mouldings. The breadth of each moulding varies and it is further embellished with either embossed patterns or inlaid with semi-precious stones in different shapes. One such type comprising of two plain mouldings can be seen adorning the neck of an image of Durga from Memalur (Villupuram district)^[2] (fig. 234). An ornamental variant of this type can be seen adorning the neck of majority of sculptures representing kings (fig. 483), chieftains, noblemen, dancers, etc. in the panels carved on the walls of the cloister mandapa in the Vaikuntha-perumal temple at Kanchipuram (fig. 210 and 491). In this type the various mouldings of the kanthi have different designs and compositions formed by gems inlaid into it in various shapes (like rosette, rectangular and trapezoid) and by embossing vertical stripes giving the appearance of rays of the Sun. A beautiful kanthi of this type can be seen around the neck of Vishnu and Ganesa (fig. 482 and 492) in the Jalanathesvara temple at Thakkolam. A more ornate variety can be seen in the image of Vishnu, now kept in the Government Museum, Chennai^[3] (fig. 213). Here the kanthi is composed of four crescent shaped mouldings and the third one, counting from the neck, is designed in the form of rotund gems. A more elaborate type can be seen two images of Vishnu (fig. 493 and 494) now displayed in the National Museum at New Delhi^[4] (fig. 235). A complex variant of this type can be seen in the image of Vishnu from Satyamangalam^[5] (fig. 236). Here the kanthi is composed of five crescent shaped mouldings having varied designs. Counting from the neck, the first one is plain, the second and the fourth is studded with small rotund gems, the third is in the form of series of rectangular lockets with alternative square and round gems inlaid in it and the last is modelled in the form of ‘U’ shaped loops of varying breadth (fig. 495). A similar type, but comprising of three mouldings can be seen adorning the neck of Brahma (fig. 496) in the Jalanathesvara temple at Thakkolam.

In this the first moulding near the neck is plain, followed by a beaded moulding with a floral design in its middle and the third one is treated as series of ‘U’ shaped loops with varying breadth. The image of Ganesa from Kaverippakkam^[6] portrays a simpler form of the above type. It is composed of only two such mouldings, with the first one near the neck in the form of several lockets in rectangular shape with a round gem studded in it and the second moulding is shaped as a series of semi-circular metallic pieces intervened with bud shaped tassels.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Now in Govt. Museum, Chennai. Acc. no. 71-25/37.

[2]:

Ibid, Acc. no. 90-3/38.

[3]:

Acc. no. 2607.

[4]:

Perangur (Villupuram district), Acc. No. 59.153/159.

[5]:

Now kept in Govt. Museum, Chennai. Acc. no. 2608.

[6]:

Ibid.. 71-24/37.