Photo 212/1(22)

Genre: Architectural Photography

Close view of sculptured figure in the Pudu Mandapa of the Minakshi Sundareshvara Temple at Madurai. Print surface crazed owing to shrinkage of collodion negative. Lyon's 'Notes to accompany a series of photographs prepared to illustrate the ancient architecture of southern India' (Marion and Co., London, 1870), edited by James Fergusson, gives the following description of this photograph: '270 and 271 - These Pillars, which are immediately on the left as we enter the outer aisle or passage at the east end, represent one of the legends in the history of the god: - A certain Vellalar (it is said) and his wife had twelve unruly sons, who spent much of their time in hunting in the forests. Meeting, accidentally, with a holy sage performing his austerities, they insulted him, and the irritated sage inflicted a curse upon them by which their descendants were to be born as pigs; but somewhat softened by their expressions of sorrow, he told them that they should be nourished by the gods of Madura. In due course of time children were born as pigs, and losing their parents they were found by Minakshi, who, commiserating their sad condition, transformed herself into a sow to afford them nourishment They grew up, and, becoming possessed of wonderful learning, finally became the highest officers of State of the Pandian king. The pillar 270 represents the goddess in the act of suckling the orphans.' Another copy at Photo 1000/29(2921).