Krishnapuram Temple Sculptures – Episode 8: The Iconic Manmada and Artistic Pillars of the Mukha Mandapa

By Indian Columbus - May 04, 2025

About 13 kilometers from Tirunelveli lies the heritage-rich village of Krishnapuram, renowned for its grand Venkatachalapati Temple. Local tradition believes that this 16th-century temple serves as an alternative for those unable to visit Tirupati. However, Krishnapuram offers more than spiritual solace—it is a living museum of Nayaka-period art.

While many temple articles begin with the presiding deity or sthala purana, the true calling card of Krishnapuram is its life-sized sculptures, carved with unmatched finesse. With photography prohibited inside the temple, witnessing these works in person becomes an unforgettable experience.

This is the eighth article in my ongoing series on the temple. The first six focused on the six sculpted pillars of the Veerappa Nayakka Mandapa. In the seventh article, I introduced the two northern-facing pillars at the eastern end of the Mukha Mandapa. This episode begins with the third pillar from the east, which also faces north.

Third Pillar: Yazhi and Dynamic Reliefs

The capital of this pillar is crowned with a Bhuta Gana and a lion while the main part has a majestic Yazhi, a mythological lion-like creature that symbolizes protection. Beneath the Yazhi, two monkeys are shown kissing, a rare and playful detail that captures the sculptor’s flair for narrative charm.

East Face:

A soldier spearing a tiger, captured mid-action.
Garuda with a human face, bearing a prominent beak.
A musician, adding melodic life to the stone.
A soldier with a mace, exuding valor.
A dancing girl holding a garland, poised in festive grace.

West Face:

A graceful female dancer.
A male and female dance pair.
An elephant, rendered in miniature.
A soldier and another dancing girl, larger in scale.

Fourth Pillar: Manmada – The Lord of Love

Dominating the fourth pillar is a remarkable, life-sized sculpture of Manmada, the Lord of love. The detailing here is striking:

Manmada stands in a commanding samabhanga posture, holding his signature attributes:

In his left hand, he holds a sugarcane bow, symbolic of sweet and tempting desires.
In his right, a flower arrow, representing love’s gentle but piercing power.
His torso is adorned with intricate jewelry and a garland.
A prominently sculpted moustache adds a heroic and masculine flair uncommon in usual depictions of Manmada.
The kiritamakuta (crown), kundalas (ear ornaments), and delicately detailed mekhala (hip-belt) highlight the Nayaka craftsmanship.

East Face:

A woman with sharp breasts holding an umbrella—possibly a royal or divine attendant.
A miniature lion, a rishi, and a bird—each symbolizing power, wisdom, and freedom respectively.

South Face:

A bearded soldier, possibly a guardian figure or a portrait of the Nayaka warrior tradition.

West Face:

A beautiful maiden in slight tribhanga, holding a flower in her right arm, her left arm gracefully hanging down.
Miniature reliefs of a dancing Sambandha, a seated Rishi, infant Krishna crawling, and Vanara King Vali—each embedded with iconographic and narrative depth.

The fourth pillar alone displays a spectrum of stories—from divine romance to epic warriors, mythical beings, and rural life, all carved in granite. With each visit to Krishnapuram, one uncovers new artistic revelations, reflecting the unmatched mastery of Nayaka sculptors.

Stay tuned for the next episode, where I will continue with the detailed exploration of the remaining pillars of the Mukha Mandapa.

Happy travelling.

This is Part 8 of the series of articles on Krishnapuram Temple. If you are interested to read the earlier parts of the series, click the links below.