Image title: Figure 72. Mattalli Karana

This dancing figure’s right foot is placed ahead of the left foot. The right Pada is on the ground but the left Pada is slightly lifted. The feet seem to be in movement. Right Kati is in Udvahita. Urah is in Sama, left hand is in Lata and right hand is in Uru Hasta, Siras is in Ancita–slightly bent to the right. The figure is showing Tribhanga or bends at waist, legs and head. Movement is definite. The lift of the waist shows that she can be doing the Samotsaritamattalli or Mattalli Cari. “In Samotsaritamattalli Cari one foot is kept in Agratalasancara behind the other to make a Svastika, then the other foot is made in Agratala and then the feet make circular movements to come together or move away. In Mattalli Cari both feet are kept in Sama but crossed with the entire sole touching the ground. Then circular movements are performed to come together or move away.”

We can even go one step further and classify this as Mattalli Karana with a slight variation of the hand. The feet are clearly performing Mattalli Cari but the hands are not in Lata as seen in the Sarngapani sculpture . The right hand on the Uru implies an Udvestita movement of the hand and the other implies an Apaviddha movement of the arm. Both the hands alternately rise to the head in Nitamba movement.

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.