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Wednesday, Jul 04, 2007
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Metamorphosis of a Mahavira image

T.S. Subramanian

How a seventh century Jain sculpture became an Amman idol in rural Tamil Nadu

— Photo: Special Arrangement

Before and After: The Mahavira sculpture, bare. (Right) The sculpture converted into Aadhali Amman.

— Photo: Special Arrangement

Before and After: The Mahavira sculpture, bare. (Right) The sculpture converted into Aadhali Amman.

CHENNAI: A beautiful sculpture of Mahavira, the last Tirthankara of Jainism, has been converted into the idol of a Hindu Amman (mother goddess) on the edge of the Aliyar dam near Puliyankandi village in Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu, it has now been revealed by a scholar. The idol, complete with trishuls (tridents) planted behind it, is now that of “Aadhali Amman.”

The original sculpture, circa seventh century A.D., has all the makings of a Mahavira sculpture. There are three umbrellas (mukkudai in Tamil) above the head, chauri bearers on either side, and lion motifs on the pedestal. Mahavira is in the padmasana pose. The granite sculpture, about 4.5 feet tall and 2.5 feet wide, is in a rock shelter on the banks of the Kadamparai river.

K.T. Gandhirajan, who specialises in art history and has found several rock art sites in Tamil Nadu, said he discovered in May 2007 the metamorphosis of Mahavira into Aadhali Amman.

The transformation happened some 20 years ago when people belonging to nearby Kottur village found the sculpture in the rock shelter. They were clearly not aware that it was a Mahavira image, Mr. Gandhirajan clarified. They brought a sculptor from Palani who set about transforming the damaged sculpture into a Hindu female deity. The damaged visage of Mahavira was repaired and female features were created in cement.

Ornaments were added and the eyes painted to make it look like that of a Hindu female deity, and trishuls were planted behind it. It was wrapped in a sari. People started calling it Aadhali Amman or Aakali Amman. A priest conducts p ujas before it every day.

Mr. Gandhirajan noticed the three umbrellas above the Amman’s head, the chauri bearers on either side and the lion motifs on the pedestal — sure signs that it was Mahavira.

There are several places in Tamil Nadu where sculptures of the Jain Tirthankaras, or the Buddha, have been converted into Hindu idols, Mr. Gandhirajan said.

A Jain site at Puthurmalai near Usilampatti, about 35 km from Madurai, has three bas-relief sculptures of Mahavira, Adinatha and Parsvnath. But they have been transformed into idols of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Vishnu and Shiva sport vermilion (kumkum) and holy ash. Since three more heads could not be added to one of the sculptures to make it look like Brahma, a legend in Tamil proclaims it as Brahma, he said.

Another instance

According to D. Ravikumar, who has studied the history of Buddhism in several districts in Tamil Nadu and is a legislator belonging to the Dalit Panthers of India, a statue of the Buddha at Ariyankuppam in Puducherry has been converted into that of Brahma Rishi. The Buddha is seated in a padmasana position, he is wearing a vastra with folds on it and there is an ushnisha (flame) above the head.

The Buddha now wears a dhoti and a priest performs pujas including aarti to the Brahma Rishi. Statues of Vinayaga and Muruga were added to the temple, Mr. Ravikumar said.

Jainism in Tami Nadu

Jainism prospered in Tamil country circa 200 B.C. to the ninth century A.D.

There was a substantial population of Jains and a number of Jain monuments concentrated during that period in a large part of northeastern and southern Tamil Nadu.

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