Rakshasa head

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Detail Photos

Deity: Cosmological BeingsLocation: Peruvanam Mahadeva TempleTheme: Non-narrativeVisual Feature: Facial expression detail

The image is of a rakshasa or demon’s head. He is red-skinned and fierce looking with vibrant hair jutting in all directions. He has fangs and teeth inside his open mouth which appears to be screaming. He has bulging eyes.

Iconography

Iconographic Form
Rakshasa
Iconographic Attributes
Red-skinned; fangs; bulging eyes; open mouth; exposed teeth.
Rasa
Bhayanaka

Spatial & Architectural

Zone within Temple
Sanctum
Position in Pradakshina Sequence
7
Adjacent Panels
Mohini, Dakshinamoorthi

Narrative

Textual Source
Non-narrative
Mythological Tale
Rakshasas or Asuras are commonly considered as the rivals of the Devas. They are know for the unlawful ways and practises that are completely opposite to the devas. They are continuosly in pursuit of power and glory.
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_P007
Rights / Notes
These images may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior permission.
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Kerala Mural Archive
Kerala Mural Archive
Preserving Heritage, Digitally.
Curated by
Radhika Suresh
PhD Research Scholar, Digital Humanities
School of Liberal Arts
Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur
ORCID: 0009-0004-5523-1452
How to Cite
Suresh, Radhika. Kerala Mural Archive.
IIT Jodhpur, 2026.
keralamuralarchive.in
Rights & Permissions
Images from active temple sites are published with permission from the respective governing authorities. For non-commercial research use with attribution.
Full rights statement and image credits →
Acknowledgements: Fieldwork access granted by temple and palace governing authorities across Kerala. This archive is part of a doctoral research project at IIT Jodhpur.
Copyright © 2026 Kerala Mural Archive. All rights reserved.
keralamuralarchive@gmail.com Archive last updated: August 2026