Armlets (Keyuras)

Most of the men and women belonging to different classes such as royal persons (including the various gods, goddesses and celestials) along with their retinue and courtiers, courtesans, aristocrats, door-keepers, dancers, warriors and theatre artists wear armlets. But few are also depicted without any keyura. For example, in the historical panels of the Vaikunthaperumal temple at Kanchipuram, apart from the courtiers and chieftains, even the king is shown many times without any armlet. This may show that the armlet is worn only as an optional ornament. There are also cases where only the upper-class and especially the men among them, are depicted with keyuras, while the common folk do not wear. This can be seen clearly in the Govardhanadhari panel at Mamallapuram, where only Krishna and Balarama, who can be identified with the upper-class, wear a coiled armlet around, their upper arms, where as the common people did not wear them. The various types of armlets seen in the sculptural art of this period are as following:

(i) Coiled armlets

This is the most popularly seen type of armlet adorning both male and female sculptures, including gods, goddesses, celestials, dvarapalakas, chamara-dharis, dancers, warriors, etc. Thus, the dvarapalakas flanking the facade of the cave temple at Mandagapattu (fig. 251) is shown wearing an armlet of four coils. Similarly, most of the sculptures of men and women in the sculptural art of this period, display such a keyura worn around their arm. Apart from the four coiled type, armlet of three (fig. 500), two fig. 501) and one coil (fig. 502) can also be seen. The panels from the Thantonrisvara temple at Kanchipuram portray both the two and three coiled varieties. Few more examples of this type can be seen depicted on the sculptures of Bhu-Varaha in the Varaha cave temple, Chakrapurusha in the Anantasayi-Vishnu panel and several warrior figures in the

Mahishasuramardini panel, of the cave temple and also by the Pasupati-Siva and the flying Vidhyadharas in the Bhagiratha penance panel at Mamallapuram. The pair of dvarapalika flanking the facade of the Kotikal-mandapam (fig. 252) on the contrary wears only a single valaya shaped keyura. Sculptures representing Siva in his different forms, Vishnu, Brahma, celestials like Gandharvas, Ganas, dvarapalakas and chamara-dharis in the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram and in other temples of Rajasimha’s period can be seen wearing armlets of this type. A number of male and female chamara bearers, courtiers (fig. 380) and other noble men depicted in the Vaikunthaperumal temple at Kanchipuram are seen wearing a keyura of this type with varying number of coils from one to three. Most probably all these coiled types of armlets had their origin from the primitive practice of decorating their arms using the tender creepers. They could be even initially a cord made of plant fibers or long grass.

(ii) Coiled armlet with makara-mukha terminal

A dvarapalaka (fig. 253 and 503) standing to left of the entrance into the Olakanesvara temple in Mamallapuram wears a keyura of this type. The armlet is in the form of five coils having stripes at intervals and is terminated at the top with a makara-head and the bottom with its twisted tail. Similar type can be seen worn by a dvarapalaka (fig. 254) in the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram. However, in this, the coils are plain without any strips. A similar type can be seen in an image of Yoga Dakshinamurti^[1] (fig. 255) and a Gana^[2] (fig. 504) from Kaverippakkam.

(iii) Sarpa-keyura

This type of armlet with the coiled end in the form of a serpent with hoods can be seen in majority of cases in the sculptures executed from the time of Rajasimha. However, a rare instance of its early and most natural form can be seen adorning the arm of a male Naga celestial in the Larger Bhagiratha panel at Mamallapuram. In this the armlet is depicted as formed of three coils around the arm, with its apex fashioned in the form of a serpent’s hood.

A sculpture of vyala rider (fig. 256 and 505), Gana playing on a drum and Vishnu (fig. 257) in the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram give examples of this type, in different forms. The sculpture of Siva dancing in Sandya-nritta pose in the Matangesvara temple at the same place, give example of both a Sarpa-keyura and the plain coiled armlet. A fine example can be seen adorning the image of Padmanidhi from Kaverippakkam^[3] (fig. 258 and 506) and also on the images of Saptamatrikas fixed on a platform in Mamallapuram. In the latter, the hood of the serpent is curled up in beautiful ornamental form, high up on the arm, almost reaching the shoulder. Similar ornamental serpent hooded armlet can be seen adorning the upper arm of Agni, now kept in the National Musuem at New Delhi^[4] (fig. 259). The life size image of Durga enshrined in the niche of the Jalanadesvara temple at Thakkolam also wears a pair of armlet of this type.

A male figure bearing a chauri (fig. 260) in a panel (upper row) on the north-western cloister wall of the Vaikunthaperumal temple at Kanchipuram, wears a naturally looking sarpa-keyura. It is worn with a single curl around the arm with a hanging tail and a raised hood. Similarly a royal lady and a king depicted in two different panels on the northern cloister wall, wear an armlet of two and three coils respectively, with the hood of the snake prominently seen above.

(iv) Coiled keyura of creeper design

The armlet adorning the image of Vishnu from the village Perangur^[5] (fig. 261) is a solitary one of this type. It consists of three coils with projection above formed of creeper designs. The possibility of this one of a sarpa-keyura type can be ruled out, as the individual branches of a creeper and its leaves are clearly visible.

(v) A bejeweled armlet with disc like projection

Durga (fig. 262 and 507) in the Mahishasuramardini cave temple at Mamallapuram is shown wearing this type of armlet. The keyura appears to be comprised of a central disc with strips on either side. However, owing to the profile nature of depiction, its entire form and ornamental design on the disc is not decipherable. Probably both the disc and the strip were of metal and are inlaid with gems and pearls.

(vi) Armlet with pentagon shaped projection

This type of keyura can be seen in the bas-relief sculpture of Bhudevi (fig. 263) carved in profile and kneeling below the Anantasayi Vishnu in the panel of the Mahishasuramardini cave temple at Mamallapuram. As the minute carvings on the sculpture is in worn out condition, all that can be known about this keyura is the pentagon shaped projection adorning Her left upper arm. This pentagon shaped badge is inlaid with a oval shaped gem in its middle.

(vii) Armlet with a single ovoid gem in the middle

A Gana (fig. 264 and 479) depicted in dancing pose on the adhisthana of the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram is shown wearing an armlet of this type. It is in the form of a circular band with an oval gem set in its middle.

(viii) Keyura with a medallion fringed with gems and bedecked with tassels and finials

This is one of the ornate varieties among the keyuras, which could have been worn by the upper-class, as represented on the images of the various deities in the sculptural art of this period. An earliest such depiction can be seen adorning the upper arm of Gangadhara in the Lalitankura-pallavesvara-griham at Tiruchirappalli and also on the images of Vishnu and Brahmasasta in the Trimurti cave temple at Mamallapuram. Of the two places, the best preserved specimen can be that of the image of Vishnu (fig. 265) in the Trimurti cave temple. The keyura can be explained as comprising of two parts viz., a string or band and a medallion fixed at centre of the band. The main portion of the medallion is in the form of a disc having concentric designs on it, with a central circular gem and a tassel hanging from it. The fringe of this disc, except its base, has a string of circular gems, which altogether give a floral appearance to the medallion. The basal part seems to be attached to the band, which has a rectangular gem in its middle, flanked by floral like tassels at the three sides. The apex of this medallion is crowned by three finials having trifoliate design at its end. In this sculptural representation, a minute replica of the medallion sans it finial décor, can be seen attached to the sides as well.

A painted example of this keyura (fig. 266 and 508) can be seen depicted in the niche of one of the angalaya in the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram. The details are exactly same as the above described sculptural type, except for more ornamental tassels and five finials crowning the medallion. This painted example, though of a later date, gives ample support for the presumption that the circular designs seen on the keyura are indeed gems and pearls of various hues.

(ix) Keyura with a medallion having makara base

This type is similar to the one discussed above, except for the basal part of the medallion, which rests on a band having makara heads flanking the rectangular gem. It appears as if the circular gems bordering the medallion are frothing out of the mouth of the makaras. A best preserved specimen of this type can be seen adorning the upper arms of the image of Vishnu (fig. 267), now kept in the Government Museum at Chennai^[6] and in the Jalanathesvara temple at Thakkolam (fig. 509) respectively. However the keyuras here is distinguished by the absence of finials at the apex of the medallion.

Another variant of this type is found on an image of Vishnu from Satyamangalam^[7] (fig. 268). In this the medallion, of lesser diameter than the above described one is crowned by five finials arranged in a way to give the shape of a pyramid. In this case the composition of the finials can be seen clearly and they can be said to be formed of pearls or gems. The edge of the medallion is treated plain and its centre is a large circular gem. The makara head at the base of the medallion is comparatively larger in size and from its wide open mouth can be seen issuing froth the band, by which the keyura is tied to the arm. The band is also inlaid with rectangular gems. Below the band can be seen an ornamental tassel with a bud shaped pendant hanging between. A fine variety of this type can also be seen adorning the image of Harihara and Siva^[8] in the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram. A variant of this kind of keyura with more elaborate finials can be seen bedecking the upper arm of an image of Shanmukha from Kaverippakkam^[9] (fig. 269 and 510). An elaborately ornamented armlet of this type, with its apex reaching almost to the shoulders can be seen on an image of Vishnu, now kept in the National Musuem at New Delhi^[10] and also by Manmatha in the Sundaravarada-perumal temple at Uttiramerur.

(x) Armlet in the form of a kirti-mukha

An image of dvarapalaka from Kaverippakkam^[11] (fig. 270 and 511), now preserved in the Government Museum at Chennai displays this type. According to Sivaramamurti^[12], the appearance of this type of armlet in this region is due to the influence of the Chalukya style of art.

(xi) Keyura in the shape of a valaya with beaded pattern

This type of armlet is seen worn by one of the two Ganas (fig. 271 and 512) in the panel of Somaskandamurti, atop the lintel of the doorway leading to the garbhagriha of Jalanathesvara temple at Thakkolam. Here the armlet appears to be a metal sheet beaten in circular shape with a rim along the borders. The middle portion could be either embossed with such bead like patterns or actual gems inlaid in them.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Now kept in Govt. Museum, Chennai, Acc. No. 71-22/37.

[2]:

Ibid., Acc. No: 112-67/38.

[3]:

Ibid., Acc. No. 71-7/37.

[4]:

Acc. No. 59.153/47, Findspot: Unknown.

[5]:

This image was discovered by Sri V. M. Narasimhan and a short note on it was given by him in Lalita Kala, no. 7, (April 1960), p. 28 and pl. X. figs. 10–11. Now this image is kept in National Museum, New Delhi, Acc. no. 61.1157.

[6]:

Acc. no. 2607, find-spot: Unknown.

[7]:

Now in Govt. Museum, Chennai, Acc. No. 2608.

[8]:

Harihara on the flank of the bhadra niche carrying an image of Lingodbhava-murti. Siva in the Somaskanda panel adorning the wall of one of the devakulikas.

[9]:

Now in Govt. Museum, Chennai, Acc. No. 71-5/37.

[10]:

Acc. no. 59.153/159. Findspot: Unknown.

[11]:

Acc. no. 71-7/37.

[12]:

C. Sivaramamurti, Royal Conquests and Cultural Migrations in South Indian and the Deccan, Calcutta 1964, p. 14.