Not long ago, I had the opportunity of seeing, holding, and photographing a remarkable Kerala antique lamp. What a treat.

Before getting into the description of the lamp, I want to thank Murugesh Turuvakere for publishing the discovery of the lamp and the Perduru Temple authorities for allowing access to the lamp.

The lamp is two-sided, and this blog is about one of the sides. The research about the other side is in progress.

The lamp is about 35 cm tall and has been dated to the fifteenth century.

The reference is to the close-up photo above. From our left, the figures are Skanda riding a peacock, Bhadrakali on a female betala, a musician with cymbals, Shiva as Nataraja, a musician with drums, Parvathi sitting on a bull and Ganesha on his vahana, a rat.

The figure of Bhadrakali riding betala is typical of Kerala, and several murals of this scene can be found in Kerala temples. The picture below of Bhadrakali, the right one, was provided by Sree Krsna. The features to note and compare are Bhadrakali’s attributes.

When it comes to Nataraja, it is worth noting that in this case, his right leg is lifted and crosses over to the left. The usual depictions show the left leg being lifted and crossed over to the right. This iconography, raised right leg, is from Madurai. See the photo on our right. This photo is from the Internet. In this pose, he is called Kaal Maari Aadiya Nataraja (loosely translates to Nataraja dancing with changed leg).

Another interesting feature is the overall composition. The photo below, taken from Wikipedia and attributed to RSP3282, shows Nataraja and Bhadrakali dancing (central panel). Parvathi (to our right), Ganesha, and Skanda (to our left, the middle cell) are watching the dance. This dance was performed for the benefit of Karaikal Ammaiyar, one of the Nayanmaars. This sculpture is a Kosta Vigraha in the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple. The similarity is striking.

In one lamp, the sculptor has caught the unique iconography of Madurai Nataraja, the essence of Bhadrakali from Kerala and a timeless dance of Nataraja. Amazing.

The photo below is me with the lamp…Do I not look thrilled?