Koormam - Kerala Mural Archive

This is the Koorma avatar of Mahavishnu. He is half human and half tortoise from the waist down.

Textual Source: Non-narrative
Mythological Tale: This is the Koorma avatar of Mahavishnu. He is half human and half tortoise from the waist down. When devas and asuras wanted to churn the ocean in order to extract amrit, or nectar of immortality, the mountain Mandara was used. However, during the churning, Mandara fell, got stuck in the ocean, and was not turning anymore. At that time, Lord Vishnu took the form of Koorma and retrieved and raised the Mandara mountain from its sunken position, thus allowing the devas and asuras to continue churning the ocean.
Episode: Non narrative

Primary Deity/Figure: Koormam
Iconographic Form: Koormam (Vishnu's incarnation)
Iconographic Attributes: The Koorma avatar of Vishnu. The upper part resembles that of a human being, while the lower part resembles a tortoise. Has four arms. The upper right arm holds the chakra. The lower right arm holds the gada or mace. The upper left arm holds the shankha or conch. The lower left arm holds the padma or lotus. He's wearing a garland of flowers and jewelry of different kinds, has long hair, and a crown on his forehead. It's depicted as emerging out of the ocean.
Visual & Formal Features: Background pattern, Facial expression detail, Hand gesture (mudra), Ornamentation
Rasa: Shanta

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_P012
Rights / Notes: These images may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior permission.