Photo 212/4(3)

Inscription: Numbered '572' (sic) in the negative.

Genre: Architectural Photography

Close view of pillar carved in the form of the the Narasimha incarnation of Vishnu in the Athmanathar Temple. 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: '372 - is a view of the figure on the extreme left of any one entering, and represents the Narasinha or man lion, the fourth Avatar of Vishnu, being the form in which he appeared to punish the wickedness of a king who would have slain his righteous son. As the story is told on the spot, there was formerly a very wicked king, called Hiranyacasipa, who denied the possibility of the existence of a god, and committed, in consequence, all sorts of atrocities. Among his children was one son, Pralhaud, who was a very good and holy young man, and who devoted his whole energies to endeavour to convince his father of his wicked ways. The father met his remonstrances with ridicule, especially as to the existence of a god; and one day, after the son had been in vain arguing that a god not only did exist, but that he was everywhere present, and even at that moment he was watching over them, though invisible, the father, in contempt, kicked a rock near which he happened to be standing, exclaiming, as he did so, 'If there be a god, let him come out of this rock and show himself, and I will believe in him.' The words had scarcely passed his lips when the rock opened, and the god or demon here represented appeared, seized the unhappy king with two of his many arms, with two more tore him open, twisting his entrails into cords, which he wound around him.' Another copy of this print at Photo 1000 (3021).