VIJAYANAGARA AND THE NAYAKA DYNASTY
The next truly great dynasty that dominated southern India were the
kings that ruled from Vijayanagara, now a Unesco World Heritage Centre,
at Hampi in Karnataka. Like other great dynasties they too were patrons
of the arts and offered their support for the construction, expansion and
renovation of many temples. Throughout this period the presence of one
or more sphinx-purushamriga among the sculptural program of temples was a
standard feature.
The rulers of Vijayanagara were considered the emperors of India south
of the Vindya Mountains. Because they dominated this large territory through
local kings and rulers. One of their subject dynasties ruled from the ancient
city of Madurai. This dynasty is known as the Nayaka dynasty. The Nayaka
kings had a special relationship with the purushamriga. The greatest and most
successful king of this family, called Tirumalai Nayaka
(who reigned between 1623 and 1659), was born after his mother stayed
and worshipped at the Shivalaya Ottam temple
at Tirumalai, in Kanyakumari district.
This temple is the abode of the purushamriga and according to the
Mythology and the tradition the chase
between Bhima and the purushamriga is said to have started from here.
In many temples kings of the Nayaka dynasty constructed large halls
with life-size sculptures of the heroes of the Mahabharata and Ramayana,
including the purushamriga and Bhima. Such sculptures are found in the
Minakshi temple in Madurai, in the Nallai-appar temple in Tirunelveli,
in the Shiva temple in Krishnapuram, and in many others.
One such hall can even be
seen in the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the United States. We also
continue to find smaller relief representations of purushamriga on temple
gateways, on pillars, and near sacred temple ponds.
Besides the sphinx-purushamriga being known as the guardian of
sacred places, the tradition was also still conscious of the concept of the
pairing of purushamriga at entrances. A most beautiful and impressive
example of this is found on the veranda of one of the halls in the courtyard
of the Rajarajeshvara or
Great temple in Tanjore. Two sphinxes of human size stand with hands
folded in a gesture of worship and welcome at the top of a flight of steps.
The steps
lead to the entrance mandapa or hall of the Subrahmania shrine
of the temple complex.
They are both male, and dressed as rishis,
with beards and matted hair knotted on top of their head.
