Casket Panels Ivory Southern India, possibly Travancore, Nayak Period

The main theme is that of Shiva’s dance in the Deodar Forest (Devadaruvana) which clothes the slopes of Mount Kailasa, i.e. the Himalayas, and is home to the Rishis, Brahmanical ascetics and worshippers of Shiva. The ideas displayed here include and explain a large part of southern Indian Shaivite iconography.

The first rectangular panel is divided into three niches resembling torana arches, the side pillars of which are surmounted by makara figures from which the arches emerge culminating at the apex in a Kala-makara mask, a symbol of time, carved into a floral border. The left niche depicts a two-armed Sarasvati seated in lalitasana on a large sacred goose (hamsa) and holding a trident in her right hand. The trident associates her with Shiva and she is the patroness of the music which is summoned for Shiva’s dance. The central niche contains Shiva and Parvati, who live on the summit of Mount Kailasa, seated upon their mount Nandi who turns his face towards his master and licks his hand. The four-armed Shiva, holding his usual attributes of the axe (parasu) and the deer (mrga) in his upper hands, sits in lalitasana with Parvati seated to his left who holds up a single lotus bud. Parvati takes pity on the Rishis who live in the forest and asks Shiva how they can find peace. He says that they need to obtain release from passion and desire and he dismounts Nandi and descends into the forest manifested as an extremely beautiful and youthful nude Mendicant (Bhiksatana-murti).

The central rectangular panel continues the narrative and depicts Shiva as the Enchanting Mendicant, flanked by two dwarf attendants (ganas) one of which blows a conch (sankha), alluding to Shiva as dancer, while the other carries a tray of food on his head (because both have to cater to their masters needs), surrounded by seven naked women who are the wives and daughters of the seven Rishis. In this manifestation Shiva as a naked beggar, depicted here walking, holds the drum (damaru) in his upper right hand and the trident (trisula) in his upper left, while the lower right holds a flower, the aroma attracting a tiny deer, and the lower left hand holds the skull-cup (kapala) as his begging bowl. He attracts the women and induces them to give him alms, but they are so enchanted by him that their garments fall away leaving them naked and desirous for the beautiful youth, about whom they sing and dance. The hems of their garments can be seen carved onto their thighs and around their ankles denoting the fabric slipping down. The Rishis are so furious because of this effect on their women that they hurl curses at the Mendicant who then miraculously disappears. The Rishis are confused and ask Brahma, seen in the last of the rectangular panels, for help who tells them it was Shiva who appeared to them and that they must now seek his grace to save them. They do this and Shiva appears to them dancing and singing, an incident related to the doctrine of Shiva as Nataraja. The dance is his way of triumphing over the evil curses they have sent against him, the final one being the black dwarf who is the personification of ignorance. In the Nataraja image in the top panel Shiva can be seen still nude like the Mendicant and dancing on a prostate image of the dwarf holding a shield and a sword. The small female figure standing to Shivas left in this image may be Bhadrakali, a form of Parvati. She appears again on the third rectangular panel with the image of Shiva’s dance called Lalata-tilaka, characterized by the leg being raised to apply the tilaka to the forehead. A small male figure sits to his left playing a drum. The figures flanking this image are, from left to right, Vishnu, Brahma and a form of multi-armed Parvati.

Ivory carving was mostly done by jewelers who could create such intricate work. Compare the workmanship with an ivory published in Dye III, J. M.; The Arts of India, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 2001, p. 441, Cat. No. 212.

Listen my friend,

yesterday

in broad daylight

I’m sure I saw

a holy one,

as he gazed at me

my garments slipped

I stood entranced,

I brought him alms

but nowhere did I see

that Cunning One –

If I see him again

I shall press my body

against his body

never let him go…

A hymn by Saint Appar
(Dehejia, 1990, p. 110)