Vrishabha-Vahana Shiva Panel in Durga Temple, Aihole

This article analyzes the Vrishabha-Vahana Shiva Panel at the Durga Temple of Aihole.

As we move clockwise from the porch, in the Durga Temple of Aihole, the Vrishabha-Vahana Shiva is the first sculpture we notice in the niches of the inner wall of the ambulatory passage.

Vrishabha-Vahana Shiva the Pinnacle of Chalukyan Plastic Art

R.S.Gupte has beautifully described this sculpture in his book “The Art and the Architecture of Aihole”. This sculpture of Lord Shiva with Nandi is classic in conception and reveals a technical perfection in the execution. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that that this sculpture represents a pinnacle of the Chalukyan plastic art.

Vrishabha-Vahana Shiva statue represents inward bliss peace and contentment.

Lord Shiva’s body has a slender and sensitive treatment in this statue. The inner spiritual experience visible on His handsome face further enhances His stance and grace. The fleeting smile on His face expresses inward bliss, peace and contentment.

The Facial Features of Lord Shiva in Vrishabha-Vahana Shiva, Aihole

The features of the Lord Shiva – His long bow-like eye-brows, the fish-shaped eyes looking inward, the small but sharp nose, the sensuous lips and the round face – reveal His calm contemplative mood and repose.

Lord Shiva is standing gracefully reclining on His beloved Nandi. His weight is on His right foot. The left foot is broken.

The right leg swerves beautifully towards right from the waist. The upper body of Lord Shiva is moving towards left. This leftward movement of upper body perfectly balances the rightward movement of the leg.

The hands of Lord Shiva in Vrishabha-Vahana Shiva, Aihole

One of the right hand of the idol is gracefully in the upward direction. The left hand caressing the left ear of the bull balances this raised right-hand. One more of His left hand is caressing the right ear of the bull. And there is the third Left hand resting on the humps of Nandi.

In all the hands, Lord Shiva is wearing a beaded bracelet. On His left hands He is wearing the coils of serpent like an armlet. The harmonious disposition of these eight-hands of Lord Shiva makes the idol strikingly gracious.

Shiva’s posture in Vrishabha-Vahana Shiva, Aihole

This dvibhanga Shiva sculpture breaks the line of body on its own axis resulting in relaxed attitude. It lends the art a sort of movement and lightness. The contours of the body merges well with each other. This gives an easy and reposeful attitude to the idol reflecting an inner spiritual experience.

The Jewelry and other embellishment of Lord Shiva in Vrishabha-Vahana statue of Aihole

In the statue, Lord Shiva is wearing a highly embellished Jata-Mukuta, carrying the crescent moon. He is wearing a long and intricately carved mani-yagnopavita. The mani-mekhala appears rich and has a central diamond clasp. A Vyagrah-Chamra covers Lord Shiva’s right thigh.

Towards the right of the idol is a Shiva-Gana playing with the tail of the bull. This addition brings an element of fun in the overall depiction.

References

The Art and the Architecture of Aihole by R. S Gupte

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