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Vatapathrashayi

Kadavil Thrikkovil, KTK_P026 — Krishna: full panel view

Detail Photos

Kadavil Thrikkovil, KTK_P026 — Krishna: full panel view
Deity: KrishnaLocation: Kadavil Thrikkovil Sreekrishna Swamy TempleTheme: Bhagavata PuranaVisual Feature: Facial expression detailVisual Feature: Hand gesture (mudra)Visual Feature: Ornamentation

Sri Krishna lying atop a banyan leaf, sucking his toes. He is floating above the flood waters.

Iconography

Primary Deity/Figure
Krishna
Iconographic Form
Vatapathrashayi
Iconographic Attributes
Green-skinned Krishna lying atop a banyan tree leaf. He is sucking the right thumb of his feet. He is not wearing any clothes. He is in his baby form.
Rasa
Shanta

Spatial & Architectural

Zone within Temple
Sanctum
Position in Pradakshina Sequence
26
Adjacent Panels
Kaliyamardhanam and Parashuraman

Narrative

Textual Source
Non-narrative
Mythological Tale
At the end of the universe, it is believed that only infant Krishna would remain, floating across the flood waters in a vatapatra or banyan leaf. Vatapatrashayi means one who floats on a banyan tree leaf.
Episode
Non-narrative

Condition & Documentation

Condition
Good
Deterioration Type
Pigment loss
Restoration Status
Unrestored
Documentation Type
DSLR full panel
Permission Basis
Temple priest
Date of Documentation
15/07/2024
Artist
Unknown
Identifier
KTK_P026
Rights / Notes
These images may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior permission.
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Kerala Mural Archive
Kerala Mural Archive
Preserving Heritage, Digitally.
Curated by
Radhika Suresh
PhD Research Scholar, Digital Humanities
School of Liberal Arts
Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur
ORCID: 0009-0004-5523-1452
How to Cite
Suresh, Radhika. Kerala Mural Archive.
IIT Jodhpur, 2026.
keralamuralarchive.in
Rights & Permissions
Images from active temple sites are published with permission from the respective governing authorities. For non-commercial research use with attribution.
Full rights statement and image credits →
Acknowledgements: Fieldwork access granted by temple and palace governing authorities across Kerala. This archive is part of a doctoral research project at IIT Jodhpur.
Copyright © 2026 Kerala Mural Archive. All rights reserved.
keralamuralarchive@gmail.com Archive last updated: September 2026