Koodalmanikyaswamy - Kerala Mural Archive

Detail Photos

Deity: Bharathan Location: Mattancherry Palace Theme: Non-narrative Visual Feature: Background pattern Visual Feature: Facial expression detail Visual Feature: Hand gesture (mudra)Visual Feature: Ornamentation

This panel is a replica of the image of Baratha in the Koodalmanikkam temple. He is known as Koodalmanikka Swami. He is green-skinned, with four arms holding a Japamala, chakra, a gada or mace, and a conch shell. He has lot of ornaments including earrings, crown, anklets, armlets, bangles, and rings. He is wearing a garland across his shoulders, and it is reaching up to his knees. There is a decorative arch in the background, surrounding him like a halo. He is standing atop a pedestal that is decorated with gemstones. Behind the panel, the background of the panel is green in color, with lotus flowers tied together in strings being hung down. Underneath him is the image of two of some unidentified figures who might be guru and shishya, that is the teacher and his disciple. But that section is faded.

Iconography

Primary Deity/Figure: Bharathan
Secondary Figures: Guru-shishya
Iconographic Form: Koodalamanikyaswamy
Iconographic Attributes: Green skinned Koodalmanickya Swami; the form of Bharata; He is wearing a lot of jewelry, including earrings, necklaces, crown, armlets, bangles, rings, and anklets. He is wearing a yellow-colored dhoti, whose upper part is made of red and green stripes. He has four arms. His upper right hand is holding a japamala. His upper left hand is holding the chakra. His lower left hand is holding the shankha or conch. His lower right hand is holding the gada or mace. He is standing on top of a pedestal with many ornamental jewels. There is a decorative arch surrounding him, like a halo. Strings of lotuses hang from the ceiling against a green backdrop. Beneath him, there are sketches of some figures, who might be guru and shishya.
Rasa: Shanta

Spatial & Architectural

Temple: Palace interior
Zone within Temple: Staircase room
Position in Pradakshina Sequence: Not Applicable
Adjacent Panels: Sreekrishnaleela and Shakthipanchakshari

Narrative

Textual Source: Non-narrative
Mythological Tale: Bharata is one of the brothers of Sri Rama. He is worshipped in Koodalmanikkam Swami temple as Koodalmanikkam murti or Sangameswara Swami. Bharata was truly devoted to his brother. When his mother Kaikeyi demanded that Sri Rama go for exile in the forest and make her son Bharata as the king, he blatantly refused. He went in search of Sri Rama in the forest, and Sri Rama refused to return to Ayodhya unless his exile period is finished. Bharata returned with Rama's sandals and placed them across the throne and ruled on his behalf. When Sri Rama returned from exile, he returned the throne to its rightful owner. The Koodalmanikkam Swami temple is located in Irinjalakuda near Thrissur. This particular image is a perfect replica of the idol of Bharata from the temple. According to local tradition, there was a jewel that a king of the region acquired. He gifted it to the priests of the Koodalmanikkam temple and tried to compare the brightness of the jewel with that of the deity inside the sanctum, but the deity absorbed the jewel within himself, and began to glow brighter than ever before. So after this, the Bharata idol came to be known as Koodalmanikkam Swami, or the god who absorbed the jewel.
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_P018
Rights / Notes: These images may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior permission.