Mohini - Kerala Mural Archive

Detail Photos

Deity: Vishnu Location: Peruvanam Mahadeva Temple Theme: Non-narrative Visual Feature: Facial expression detail Visual Feature: Hand gesture (mudra)Visual Feature: Ornamentation

A golden-skinned Mohini is depicted as playing with a ball. She looks very realistic and wears a saree that is loosely held by her right hand. The ball is on her raised left hand. She wears jwellery resembling a mohiniyattam dancer: the earrings, necklace, nosepin all look similar to how the dancers would dress up. Her hair is long and parted down the middle. She is bare-breasted

Iconography

Primary Deity/Figure: Mohini
Iconographic Form: Mohini (Vishnu’s incarnation)
Iconographic Attributes: Golden-skinned; standing upright; two hands; draped in a saree; saree held up with the right hand; ball on the raised left hand; has beautiful ornaments including a nose-ring, necklaces, bangles and anklets; bare-breasted; long hair parted down the middle; blue backdrop.
Rasa: Shringara

Spatial & Architectural

Zone within Temple: Sanctum
Position in Pradakshina Sequence: 6
Adjacent Panels: Parasurama, Rakshasa head

Narrative

Textual Source: Bhagavata Purana
Mythological Tale: Mohini is considered to be an incarnation of Vishnu. As the Devas and asuras were churning the ocean using the mandhara mountain, many treasures came up, including the coveted nectar of immortality, amrith. As a fight ensured between Devas and Asuras as to who should consume the amrith, Vishnu took the form of the beautiful Mohini and actedas the mediator between the two groups. The asuras were mesmerised by her beauty and using that as a distraction, Mohini served all the amrit to the Devas. In Kerala murals, thereis a depiction of Mohini and Shiva together, with Godess Parvathy looking away at their union. Ayyappa or Shasthav was born of their union and went on to kill the demoness Mahishi.
Episode: Non-narrative

Condition & Documentation

Condition: Fair
Deterioration Type: Pigment loss
Restoration Status: Unrestored
Documentation Type: DSLR full panel
Permission Basis: Combined permission
Date of Documentation: 03/08/2024
Artist: Unknown
Identifier: PVM_P006
Rights / Notes: These images may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior permission.