Panamalai Paintings

October 31, 2023

Neglect has taken a heavy toll on the 1,300-year-old Pallava period paintings at Talagirishwara temple at Panamalai in Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu.
- The panel depicting the dance of Lord Shiva has almost faded away and only the face of goddess Parvathi and a few patches remain now.
The painting is on the wall behind the Ettupattai lingam.
It shows Lord Shiva with eight hands dancing, known as Latathilagabhani, being watched by Goddess Parvathi with her crown and well decorated umbrella.
The colours, face, eyebrows and other features would look stunningly beautiful.
The paintings are on the wall of a sub-temple on the northern side of the Talagirishwara (Siva) temple, perched on Panamalai, the Tamil name of the word ‘Talagiri’.
The temple is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
The temple was constructed by Pallava king Narasimhavarman II, popularly known as Rajasimha.
The paintings bear a close resemblance to the paintings in Ajantha and Chithannavasal.
The paintings were created after covering the stonewalls with paste made of limestone and sand.