Nātya Mohini – Madanike with a perfect dance pose
Nātya Mohini – Madanike with a perfect dance pose
This shilābālike is performing a traditional Indian classical dance move. Accompanying her are the three male musicians at the bottom, each playing different instruments. One on the left is likely missing. The musician on the left is playing the dolu, and musicians on the right are playing the tāla and flute.
This is a finely carved bracket figure with amazing precision. It is believed that if you pour water on her right-hand finger on the top, the water droplets will fall on her forehead, nose, left breast, on the left hand, and finally on the left-leg toe. In other words, these are on a straight line.
This shilābālike is one of the 38 bracket figures mounted on the exterior wall surrounding the navaranga of the Chennakeshava Temple in Belur, Karnataka, India. Each of these figures is attached to an inclined bracket placed just below the eaves of the temple. The base of the sculpture is mounted on the side of a pillar just below its capital.
Nātya Mohini is mounted on the second pillar from the left on the north entrance. She is figure number 25 in the navaranga layout.
Shilābālikes – Female Bracket Figures
– Darpana Sundari, Sukha Bhashini, Nātya Sundari, Gāna Sundari, Kesha Sundari, Tribhangi, Nagna Sundari, Kapāla Durga, Koravanji, Nātya Mohini, Betegārthi
Male Bracket Figures
– Flute playing male musician
– Narthaka – Davane playing male dancer
– Davane playing male musician
Related Pages
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Bracket Figures
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Navaranga
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Garbhagriha Outer Wall
– Somanathapura Keshava Temple – A Magnificent Temple Dedicated to Vishnu
Copyright © 2019 – 2020 by Lawrence Rodrigues. All rights reserved.