Krishnapuram – A Temple of Timeless Sculptures - Part 7

About 13 kilometers from Tirunelveli lies the historically rich village of Krishnapuram, home to an exquisite temple dedicated to Venkatachalapati. Tradition holds that those unable to undertake the pilgrimage to the famed Tirupati temple can offer their prayers here instead, at this 16th-century shrine.

While most temple narratives begin with the presiding deity, the architectural layout, and associated legends, Krishnapuram calls for a different approach. The true marvel of this site lies in its magnificent, life-sized sculptures from the Nayaka period—masterpieces so vivid and refined that one could return time and again, each visit revealing new layers of artistic brilliance. With photography strictly prohibited inside, viewing these works in person becomes all the more special.

Since my focus is on these awe-inspiring sculptures, I’m deliberately departing from the usual order and beginning this article with them—before exploring the rest of the temple's elements.

Just beyond the entrance gopuram, on the northern side, stands the imposing Veerappa Nayakka Mandapa, a grand hall supported by six rows of pillars. The front row—six pillars facing south—is adorned with remarkable, life-sized sculptural panels.

This is the seventh article in my series. In the previous six, I described each of those six sculpted pillars in detail.

Beyond these, there are 18 Yali pillars within the same mandapa—each with its own distinct features. Facing this hall on the opposite side is another mandapa.

Between the two lies the flagstaff, bali peetha, and Garudan’s shrine, all aligned towards the sanctum and facing the presiding deity.

As we proceed inward, we come to the Mukha Mandapa, which houses another set of captivating sculptures—grander in size and equally stunning in detail. Let us begin our exploration here.

Starting from the first pillar, located at the westernmost end and facing north, we see a majestic Yali sculpture. On the eastern face of the pillar are miniature carvings of a lion, Garuda, a seated goddess, and a seated Narasimha. The southern face depicts Rama. The western side features Vishnu holding two pots and pointing to his heart, a soldier - an iconographic motif of the Nayaka era, Hanuman, and a lion.

Moving to the second pillar from the west, we encounter a dramatic, full-figure sculpture of Veerabhadra, the fierce warrior. He stands poised for battle with a massive sword in his right hand, ready to strike and a shield in his left, raised in defense. His body twists in a dynamic pose reminiscent of Nataraja's cosmic dance. Veerabhadra’s rugged beard and intense gaze amplify his fearsome aura. Every muscle is intricately detailed—so lifelike that even a nerve below his right knee is clearly visible. His raised right foot adds a sense of motion, and an ornament on his right leg even bears the head of a woman, a striking detail.

On the eastern side of the pillar, a crowned man raising his left arm, accompanied by a pregnant woman, a man playing the mridanga, infant Krishna, and Bheema battling Purushamriga. The southern side shows a herdsman casually resting a leg on his staff—a common pastoral scene. On the western face, a dashing man stylishly twirls his thick moustache with one hand, the other resting on a sword. He strikes a dramatic pose, his body twisting with flair. Nearby are two Garudas—one with a bird’s face, the other human—a girl holding a chamara, and a hunchbacked elderly man.

Happy travelling.

This is Part 6 of the series of articles on Krishnapuram Temple. If you are interested to read the earlier parts of the series, click the links below.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6