Kalyanasundara
Kalyanasundara (कल्याणसुन्दर, literally "beautiful wedding"), also spelt as Kalyansundar and Kalyana Sundara, and known as Kalyanasundara-murti ("icon of the beautiful wedding"), Vaivahika-murti (वैवाहिक-मूर्ति, "nuptial icon") and Panigrahana-murti ( पाणिंग्रहण-मूर्ति) ("icon related to panigrahana ritual"),[1] is the iconographical depiction of the wedding of the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati. The couple are often depicted performing the panigrahana ("accepting the hand") ritual of a Hindu wedding, where the groom accepts the bride by taking her right hand in his.
The couple, depicted in the centre, are accompanied by a host of divinities and other celestial beings. The god Vishnu and his wife Lakshmi are often pictured as giving away Parvati to Shiva. The god Brahma is shown as the officiating priest.
The Kalyanasundara icon is not the object of popular worship and is usually used only in the celebrations of the divine wedding in annual temple festivals. However, Kalyanasundara scenes are found across India in caves, sculptures and on temple walls.
Legend
Various Hindu scriptures narrate the story of the union of Shiva and Parvati, with some variation. After the death of his first wife
Iconography
Textual descriptions
The
A young four-armed Shiva and a beautiful two-armed Parvati should be the central figures, performing the
The god
The four-headed god
The figure of Shiva should be tallest, followed by that of Vishnu, Parvati and Vishnu's wives.
Depictions
The complete scene of the wedding is not always depicted. Sometimes, only the principal participants are shown.
Other deviations from the texts may appear in the attributes held by the divine couple. Parvati may hold a mirror, instead of the lotus. Shiva may be shown holding the trishula (trident) and damaru (drum) in his back hands. Regional variations in iconography may also occur. In Bengal, Shiva holds a karttari (knife), the ceremonial weapon that a Hindu groom from Bengal is expected to carry in a wedding.[7]
Various wedding guests are depicted in the scene. Shiva's attendant
Worship
Though Kalyanasundara icons are found across India in caves, sculptures and temple walls, no sect is centred on their worship.[7] The icon is a popular feature on temple gopurams (temple towers).[8]
In South Indian Shiva temples like those in
At the
Idol depicting Kalyanasundara is present in Baijnath Temple, in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. [11]
See also
References
- ^ Swami Parmeshwaranand p. 66
- ISBN 0-691-01930-4.
- ^ a b c d e f Rao pp.338–43
- ^ a b Pal, Pratapaditya (1988). Indian Sculpture. Vol. 2. Los Angeles County Museum of Art with University of California Press. p. 33.
- ISBN 978-1-000-60457-3.
- ^ a b c Rao pp.344–52
- ^ a b c Swami Parmeshwaranand pp. 67–9
- OCLC 199730334.
- ISBN 9780231515245.
- ^ Fuller, Chris (Christopher John) (2003). The Renewal of the Priesthood: Modernity and Traditionalism in a South Indian temple. Princeton University Press. p. 38.
- ^ "Baijnath temple".
References
- Rao, T.A. Gopinatha (1916). Elements of Hindu Iconography. Vol. 2: Part I. Madras: Law Printing House. OCLC 630452416.
- Swami Parmeshwaranand, ed. (2004). Encyclopaedia of the Saivism. Vol. 1. Sarup and Sons. )