Ganapathi Pooja and Vennakannan - Kerala Mural Archive

Deity: Ganapathi Deity: Krishna Location: Mattancherry Palace Theme: Local tradition Visual Feature: Background pattern Visual Feature: Facial expression detail Visual Feature: Hand gesture (mudra)Visual Feature: Ornamentation

This panel has two parts. To the left of the panel is the scene of Ganapathi puja, where several people are engaged in the worship of Ganapathi. Unlike other depictions of Ganapathi puja in alternate locations, this image has Ganapathi with multiple arms holding a woman figure in his lap. There is a sage to his right, holding his hands in Anjali mudra. To his left are several people, some of them engaged in the worship, some bringing offerings, some cooking, some of them fighting over the offerings. The second part of the panel is the depiction of Lord Krishna. He is holding butter in both of his hands and seems to be surrounded by lotus flowers on four of his sides. The panel is much damaged.

Iconography

Primary Deity/Figure: Ganapathi and Krishna
Secondary Figures: Devotees.
Iconographic Form: Ganapathi and Krishna (Vishnu's reincarnation)
Iconographic Attributes: This panel has two parts. To the left is Ganapathi puja. To the right is Vennakannan. To the left there is golden-skinned Ganapathi with an elephant-shaped head, wearing a green dhoti and green upper garment. He is also having one long tusk and a crown on his forehead. On his left lap is a seated female figure. She is also golden-skinned and wearing jewelry. Her one hand goes around Ganapathi and the other is holding a flower. Ganapathi in this depiction has ten arms, five on either side, of which eight are visible. Five of his arms on the right side of his body holds the broken tusk, an axe, a flower, a rope, a feather, quill, a chakra, respectively. And to his left, starting from the lower end, he is holding modaka, or sweet offering, a bow. His other two arms are not discernable. There is a green-skinned bearded sage with hair folded up in a bun, holding his hands in Anjali mudra, showing reverence to Ganapathi. There are several men depicted towards the left of Ganapathi. A white-skinned man is carrying a huge vessel filled with some unknown offering, to Ganapathi. To his right is another Brahmin with the poonool or janau, cooking something in the wood fire stove. Next to him, is another Brahmin cutting a sugarcane stem. Below them are a group of devotees who are fighting over the unniyappam or modakam that is distributed to the devotees after offering to the main deity Ganapathi. Towards the left of Ganapathi is another figure who is doing the puja by holding flowers in one of his hands and a bell in another one of his hands. All the devotees, except the one carrying the vessel, is golden-skinned. There is a kindi beside the one doing the puja, as well as several other vessels used for puja. The second part of this panel towards the right is the image of golden-skinned Krishna, who is holding butter in either of his two arms. He has a garland of flowers around his neck, along with necklaces, earrings, bangles, and a waist chain. He is not wearing any clothes. His legs are folded in Padmasana. There are four huge lotus flowers on four of his sides. He is depicted as having shoulder-length black hair decorated with flowers and a floral crown that is decorated with a single peacock feather. He is lying on top of a bed of jewels, or beads.
Rasa: Shanta

Spatial & Architectural

Temple: Palace interior
Zone within Temple: Ramayana Chamber
Position in Pradakshina Sequence: Not Applicable
Adjacent Panels: Ramayana and Ashtabuja Venugopala

Narrative

Textual Source: Local tradition
Mythological Tale: Rather than illustrating a single narrative episode, this panel depicts the communal ritual worship of Ganapathi, remover of obstacles and the deity invoked before any undertaking. The scene centers on devotees bringing offerings of rice, fruit, and sweets, reflecting local temple practice rather than a Puranic story.
Episode: Non-narrative

Condition & Documentation

Condition: Good
Deterioration Type: Pigment loss
Restoration Status: Unrestored
Documentation Type: DSLR full panel
Permission Basis: ASI permission
Date of Documentation: 01/08/2024
Artist: Unknown
Identifier: MCP_P026
Rights / Notes: These images may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior permission.