Image title: Figure 164. A dancing girl performing Karana Parivrttam [Parivrtta].

This sculpture depicts a dancing girl. Her body beautifully bent in Tribhanga. The Siras is in Ancita, Urah [uras] is in Udvahita, Parsva is in Nata on left and Samunnata on right. Kati is in Udvahita on the left side. Hands are raised above head and seems to be in Musti (seems to be performing Urdhvamandali Hasta). The right leg is straight and unbent. The left leg is slightly bent and turned out. The position of the waist and the left leg seems to have made a turn like Baddha Cari. This can be identified as Karana Parivrttam [Parivrtta] (no.72 of the Natya Sastra).

Gallery information:

Kumbakonam is considered as one of the holiest places in Tamil Nadu and is known for its temples and Mathas (monasteries which were centres of Brahmanical learning). These photographs depict the connection between the sculptures in the temples and Natya Shastra and related texts dealing with iconography.