Dwarapalakan - Kerala Mural Archive

Alangad, ASG_P038 — Guardian deity: full panel view

Detail Photos

Deity: Guardian Figures Location: Alangad Sree Santana Gopala Murthy Temple Theme: Non-narrative Visual Feature: Background pattern Visual Feature: Facial expression detail Visual Feature: Hand gesture (mudra)Visual Feature: Ornamentation

A golden-skinned dwarapalaka (or “guardian of the entrance”) is depicted with a sepent-shaped headband, jutted hair, fangs, upper teeth and three bulging eyes. He has serpents coiled around his neck and waist. He wears a green dhoti (lower garment) and has bangles and anklets. His right leg is coiled around a gada or mace while his left leg is planted to the ground. He has long sharp fingernails.

Iconography

Primary Deity/Figure: Guardian deity
Iconographic Form: Dwarapalakan
Iconographic Attributes: Golden-skinned; three bulging eyes; fangs; upper teeth; matted jutting hair; serpent-like headgear; long sharp claws; snakes around neck and waist; green dhoti (lower garment); mace;anklets; bangles; left hand raised up; right hand holding a mace.
Rasa: Shanta

Spatial & Architectural

Position in Pradakshina Sequence: 38
Adjacent Panels: Yashoda with Krishna and Kaliyamardhanam

Narrative

Textual Source: Non-narrative
Mythological Tale: Dwarapalaka is meant as the protective guardians of gates, doors or entrances. They are depicted as strong and fierce with fangs, claws and weapons like the mace.
Episode: Non narrative

Condition & Documentation

Condition: Fair
Deterioration Type: Pigment loss
Restoration Status: Unrestored
Documentation Type: DSLR full panel
Permission Basis: Temple authorities
Date of Documentation: 08/08/2024
Artist: Neelakantan Ilayath
Identifier: ASG_P038
Rights / Notes: These images may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior permission.