CandelariaSanche at 06:30, 28 January 2024

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[[File:Ellora-caves-1.jpg|thumb|280x280px|Depiction of Kalyanasundara, Ellora caves.]]
{{Short description|Iconographical depiction of the wedding of the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati}}
{{good article}}

'''Kalyanasundara''' ({{lang|sa|कल्याणसुन्दर}}, literally "beautiful wedding"), also spelt as '''Kalyansundar''' and '''Kalyana Sundara''', and known as '''Kalyanasundara-murti''' ("icon of the beautiful wedding"), '''Vaivahika-murti''' (वैवाहिक-मूर्ति, "nuptial icon") and '''Panigrahana-murti''' ( पाणिंग्रहण-मूर्ति) ("icon related to ''panigrahana'' ritual"),<ref>Swami Parmeshwaranand p. 66</ref> is the iconographical depiction of the wedding of the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] deities [[Shiva]] and [[Parvati]]. The couple are often depicted performing the ''[[Hindu wedding#Panigrahana|panigrahana]]'' ("accepting the hand") ritual of a [[Hindu wedding]], where the groom accepts the bride by taking her right hand in his.

The couple, depicted in the centre, are accompanied by a host of divinities and other celestial beings. The god [[Vishnu]] and his wife [[Lakshmi]] are often pictured as giving away [[Parvati]] to Shiva. The god [[Brahma]] is shown as the officiating priest.

The Kalyanasundara icon is not the object of popular worship and is usually used only in the celebrations of the divine wedding in annual temple festivals. However, Kalyanasundara scenes are found across India in caves, sculptures and on temple walls.

==Legend==
Various Hindu scriptures narrate the story of the union of Shiva and Parvati, with some variation. After the death of his first wife [[Sati (goddess)|Sati]], Shiva withdrew from society and engrossed himself in deep meditation. Taking advantage of the situation, the [[asura]] (demon) king [[Tarakasura]] secured from the god [[Brahma]] the boon that he could be killed only by the son of Shiva. Believing himself effectively immortal, Tarakasura terrorized the beings of the universe and defeated the gods. Meanwhile, Parvati, the [[reincarnation]] of Sati, was born to [[Himavan]], the god of the [[Himalayas]] and his wife the [[apsara]] Mena. She underwent severe austerities to compel Shiva to marry her. The gods, desperate to hasten the birth of Shiva's son, sent [[Kamadeva]], the god of love, to disturb Shiva's meditation. Though Shiva was awakened, Kamadeva was burnt up by Shiva's fury. Implored by the other gods to marry, Shiva agreed, but decided to test Parvati's devotion first. The [[Saptarishi]] (the seven sages) approached Parvati and mocked Shiva to dissuade her; however Parvati remained resolute. Then Shiva himself, disguised as an old ascetic, visited Parvati and vilified himself in her presence. As an angry Parvati was about to leave, Shiva revealed his true form to her and promised to marry her, pleased with her love and devotion. The couple married and produced a son, [[Kartikeya]], who subsequently slew Tarakasura.<ref name="Kramrisch1994">{{cite book|author=Stella Kramrisch|title=The Presence of Siva|date=January 1994|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=0-691-01930-4|pages=[https://archive.org/details/presenceofsivamy00skra/page/349 349–358]|url=https://archive.org/details/presenceofsivamy00skra/page/349}}</ref>

==Iconography==

===Textual descriptions===
The [[Āgama (Hinduism)|Agamic]] texts like the ''Amsumadbhedagama'', the ''Uttara-kamaikagama'' and the ''Purva-Karanagama'' prescribe the iconography of the Kalyanasunadara icon.<ref name="Rao338ff">Rao pp.338–43</ref>

[[File:Bronzes-Chola-background retouch.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Chola]] Kalyanasundara bronze: (from left) Lakshmi, Parvati, Shiva and Vishnu.]]

A young four-armed Shiva and a beautiful two-armed Parvati should be the central figures, performing the ''[[Vivāha#Paani_Grahanam|panigrahana]]'' ("accepting the hand") ritual of a [[Hindu wedding]], where the groom accepts the bride by taking her right hand in his. Shiva stands in ''[[tribhanga]]'' posture, with one of his legs straight and firmly on the ground and the other one slightly bent. Shiva wears a ''jata-mukuta'' (a headdress formed of piled, matted hair) on his head, adorned with a crescent moon. He wears serpents as earrings, as a waist band and as a necklace. Various gold ornaments adorn his body. His back hands carry a ''[[parashu]]'' (axe) and a ''mriga'' (deer). His front left hand makes the ''[[varadamudra|varada mudra]]'' ("blessing-giving gesture") and his front right hand is stretched ahead to receive the hand of the bride. A dark-complexioned Parvati, adorned in silk and gold finery, stands to the left of Shiva, blushing with her head bent slightly as she extends her right arm to hold Shiva's right hand. She holds a ''nilotpala'' (blue lotus) in her left arm.<ref name="Rao338ff"/>

The god [[Vishnu]] and his consorts [[Lakshmi]] and [[Bhudevi]] should be represented as taking the place of Parvati's parents in the ceremony. The [[Chaturbhuja|four-armed]] Vishnu should be shown in the background in between Shiva and Parvati; in one of his front hands is a golden pot from which he pours water over the hands of the couple, symbolising giving away the bride to the groom. He holds his usual attributes, the ''[[sudarshana chakra|Sudarshana Chakra]]'' (discus) and the [[Panchajanya]] (conch), in his back arms. Vishnu's wives, dressed in royal finery, stand behind Parvati and hold her waist, symbolising the handing over.<ref name="Rao338ff"/>

The four-headed god [[Brahma]] should be shown seated on the ground in the foreground officiating as the wedding priest and making offerings to the ''[[homa (ritual)|homa]]'' (sacred fire) in the ''kunda'' (fire-altar). The four-armed god holds a ''sruka'' and ''sruva'' (sacrificial ladle and spoon) in his front arms and a ''[[kamandalu]]'' (water-pot) and ''[[akshamala]]'' (rosary) in his back arms.<ref name="Rao338ff"/> The presence of the fire also indicates another important ritual of the Hindu wedding, ''[[saptapadi]]'' ("seven steps") where the bride and groom go around the fire seven times.<ref name = "pal"/>

The figure of Shiva should be tallest, followed by that of Vishnu, Parvati and Vishnu's wives.<ref name="Rao338ff"/> Various deities like the eight [[guardians of the directions]], the eight [[Vasu]]s, the seven [[Matrika]] goddesses, celestial beings such as [[yaksha]]s and [[gandharva]]s, sages and [[siddha]]s may be depicted standing with folded arms in the background.<ref name="Rao338ff"/>

===Depictions===
[[File:Siva Parvati Kalyanam(originally Meenakshi Sundareswara Wedding).JPG|thumb|A complete Kalyanasundara scene where Parvati's parents are giving her away as Vishnu and Lakshmi (extreme right) look on.]]

The complete scene of the wedding is not always depicted. Sometimes, only the principal participants are shown. [[Chola]] bronzes featuring only Shiva and Parvati as described in the wedding scene are found. South Indian sculptures, like those from [[Madurai]], feature only the couple and Vishnu. In this configuration, Parvati is depicted in the centre, with her brother Vishnu on the left,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Silva |first1=Kapila D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pjd2EAAAQBAJ&dq=Vishnu+brother+Parvati+Tamil&pg=PA380 |title=The Routledge Handbook of Cultural Landscape Heritage in The Asia-Pacific |last2=Taylor |first2=Ken |last3=Jones |first3=David S. |date=2022-07-29 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-000-60457-3 |pages=380 |language=en}}</ref> giving away her hand to Shiva on the right. Sometimes as in the [[Elephanta Caves]], Parvati's biological father [[Himavan]], instead of Vishnu, is depicted giving away his daughter to Shiva.<ref name="Rao344ff">Rao pp.344–52</ref>

Other deviations from the texts may appear in the attributes held by the divine couple. Parvati may hold a mirror, instead of the lotus. Shiva may be shown holding the ''[[trishula]]'' (trident) and ''[[damaru]]'' (drum) in his back hands. Regional variations in iconography may also occur. In [[Bengal]], Shiva holds a ''karttari'' (knife), the ceremonial weapon that a Hindu groom from Bengal is expected to carry in a wedding.<ref name="swami"/>

Various wedding guests are depicted in the scene. Shiva's attendant [[gana]]s enjoy the festivities; playing drums or dancing. The ''[[vahana]]''s (mounts) of the couple, Shiva's bull [[Nandi (bull)|Nandi]] and Parvati's lion, are sometimes pictured in the scene. In vertical panel depictions, the celestial guests are often shown flying over Shiva and Parvati. While the gods are pictured flying on their respective ''vahana''s (e.g. [[Indra]] on his [[Airavata|elephant]], [[Agni]] on a ram) and with their consorts; semi-divine beings like [[Vidyadhara]]s fly without vehicles.<ref name="Rao344ff"/><ref name="swami"/> An [[anachronism]] found in a few Kalyanasundara scenes is the presence of the yet-unborn children of Shiva and Parvati, [[Ganesha]] and [[Murugan|Kartikeya]]. Examples of this anachronism are found at the Rameshvara Cave of [[Ellora Caves|Ellora]], and in a 9th-century sculpture from [[Uttar Pradesh]] now housed in [[Los Angeles County Museum of Art]].<ref name = "pal">{{cite book | title=Indian Sculpture | publisher=Los Angeles County Museum of Art with University of California Press | author=Pal, Pratapaditya | year=1988 | pages=33 | volume=2}}</ref><ref name="Rao344ff"/>

==Worship==
[[File:Vishnu presiding over the marriage of Shiva and Parvati (Meenakshi), Meenakshi Temple, Madurai (1) (37269099960).jpg|thumb|The Kalyanasundara scena at the Meenakshi temple with Vishnu, Parvati as [[Meenakshi]] and Shiva (left to right).]]
Though Kalyanasundara icons are found across India in caves, sculptures and temple walls, no sect is centred on their worship.<ref name="swami">Swami Parmeshwaranand pp. 67–9</ref> The icon is a popular feature on temple ''[[gopuram]]s'' (temple towers).<ref>{{cite book|last=Smith|first=David|title=The Dance of Siva: Religion, Art and Poetry in South India|year=1996|publisher=Cambridge University Press|oclc=199730334|page = 203}}</ref>

In South Indian Shiva temples like those in [[Nagapattinam|Tiruvenkadu]] and [[Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram|Chidambaram]], the bronze Kalyanasundara images of Shiva and Parvati are used in annual temple festivals to commemorate the divine union. Special halls are reserved for the annual ceremonial wedding of the deities. The Kalyanasundara bronzes are used only in this festival and kept unused the rest of the year.<ref>{{cite book | title=Art of the Imperial Cholas | publisher=Columbia University Press | author=Dehejia, Vidya | page=104 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=23F7vTn3hBMC&dq=kalyanasundara&pg=PA104| isbn=9780231515245 | date=2010-06-01 }}</ref>

At the [[Meenakshi Amman Temple]], women worship the Kalyanasundara sculpture to find husbands.<ref>{{cite book | title=The Renewal of the Priesthood: Modernity and Traditionalism in a South Indian temple | publisher=Princeton University Press | author=Fuller, Chris (Christopher John)| year=2003 | page = 38}}</ref>

Idol depicting Kalyanasundara is present in [[Baijnath Temple]], in [[Kangra, Himachal Pradesh]]. <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://baijnathtemple.com/sculpture.htm|title=Baijnath temple}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Somaskanda]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|last=Rao|first=T.A. Gopinatha|title=Elements of Hindu Iconography |volume=2: Part I|year=1916|publisher=Law Printing House|location=Madras|oclc=630452416}}
* {{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of the Saivism | publisher=Sarup and Sons | editor=Swami Parmeshwaranand | year=2004 | volume=1 | isbn=81-7625-427-4}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Marriage of Shiva and Parvati|position=left}}

{{Shaivism}}
{{Hindu Culture and Epics}}

[[Category:Shiva in art]]
[[Category:Forms of Parvati]]
[[Category:Hindu iconography]]
[[Category:Works about weddings]]
[[Category:Marriage in Hinduism]]

Kalyanasundara - Revision history

CandelariaSanche at 06:30, 28 January 2024