In Part 3 of our series on Unique Motifs in Indian Art by Shefali Vaidya traces the history & meaning of the unique motif of 'Kirtimuka - Face of Glory'.
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A Unique Motif In Indian Art- Part III: Kirtimukha
Shefali Vaidya September 4, 2021
All art in ancient India was spiritual in natural and catered to the religious needs of the people. Every motif used, every sculpture carved had a deep spiritual meaning, as all art was seen as a divine creation. This close relationship between art and religion manifested itself into all aspects of artistic creation. Ananda Coomaraswamy has described the nature of Hindu art in the following words,
‘
there is no hard line drawn between the secular and the religious things in life; religion is not so much a formula, as a way of looking at things, and so all the work of life…may be done as it were unto the Lord’.
This is the reason why you see the same motifs recurring across art forms, from literature to temple sculptures to folk culture. Nowhere is this fusion of art and spirituality more evident than in the figure of the
Kirtimukha or ‘face of glory
’ that you find in temple architecture all over India and Asia.
The
Kirtimukha first appeared in the Indian art scene as a sacred Shaivite symbol and transformed itself into a decorative element that is
seen in all temples everywhere from the threshold of the
garbhgriha to the top of the lofty
Gopurams.
Origin Of Kirtimukha
The
Kirtimukha or ‘Face of Glory
’, is a motif that is depicted as a fierce-looking lion face with bulbous eyes, matted hair and a gaping mouth displaying huge fangs. There is a
Puranic story behind it. The
Kirtimukha is a grotesque creature that is said to have been born out of Bhagwan Shiva’s wrath as per a story from the
Skandapurāna .
As per legend, Jalandhara, the powerful king of Asuras sent his emissary, Rahu, to Lord Shiva with a message that Lord Shiva should drop his plan to marry Goddess Parvati, as she was destined to be Jalandhara’s queen. Foolishly, Rahu conveyed the message to Lord Shiva, and called him a mendicant unworthy of Devi Parvati. Infuriated by this insult, Bhagwan Shiva created a terrible creature from the spot between his eyebrows, the
Ajna-Chakra. The creature had a terrible countenance, and a face like a grotesque lion. It roared and started pursuing Rahu. Joseph Campbell has described the creature thus in his book, ‘
Myths To Live By’
‘
The body of the monster was lean and emaciated, symbolising its insatiable hunger, yet its strength was resilient and irresistible. The apparition’s throat roared like thunder; eyes burnt like fire; the mane, dishevelled, spread far and wide into space.’
When Rahu saw the terrible creature chase him, he realised his folly and fell at the feet of Lord Shiva, seeking his forgiveness. The compassionate Shiva forgave Rahu. Rahu was saved, but the creature that was born out of Lord Shiva’s wrath was hungry. Unable to control its insatiable hunger, the creature began to devour itself, starting from its feet and arms. Finally, only the face remained.
Impressed by the creature’s ability to endure pain and to sacrifice itself, Lord Shiva addressed the creature as
Kirtimukha, and blessed him with the boon that the ‘Face Of Glory’ would be present on the threshold and lintels of all Shiva temples to devour the sins of the devotees who visit the temples. Hence the
Kirtimukha began to be carved on the lintel of doorways to Shiva temples and on the threshold of the door leading to the
Garbhgriha.
According to Stella Kramrisch, the presence of the
Kirtimukha on the threshold of the
garbhgriha signifies the transcendental passage of the profane into the profound. It is the threshold where the devotee is supposed to shed his ego, desires and sins for the
Kirtimukha to devour them, and enter the garbhgriha as a pure soul focused only on the experience of the
Darshana.
Kirtimukha in Literature
There are many references to the
Kirtimukha in Sanskrit literature. According to V.S. Agrawala, the
Kirtimukha was believed to be the motif that makes the temple structure stable, and its destruction in any manner would cause the collapse of the whole edifice. In the
PadmaPurana, Prabhu Shri Ram is advised to break the
Kirtimukha that crowns Ravana’s palace in Lanka with his bow in order to bring down the whole edifice.
Kirtimukha in Temple Sculpture
Initially meant to adorn the threshold and lintel of temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, the
Kirtimukha soon became a popular decorative motif in temples dedicated to all deities. The
kīrtimukha is depicted as a fierce lion like face with stylised horns, a gaping mouth with protruding fangs, frowning eyebrows, bulbous eyes, matted hair flowing in all directions and fan-shaped ears.
In
śilpaśāstra texts like the
Mānāsara, the Kirtimukha is described as a protective motif that can be carved on all parts of the temple like the pillars, the
Shuknasi and the layers of the
jagati. Sometimes, the
Kirtimukha is associated with the
makara (crocodile) motif, especially in South-East Asia and Odisha.
The
Kirtimukha is also known as
Kalamukha, as it symbolises time that devours everything. According to O. C. Ganguly, in iconography, the
Kirtimukha began to appear first in Siva’s
jatamukuta or crown of matted hair as a protective motif. By sixth century CE, the motif became so popular for its perceived power to bestow protection and ward off evil-eye that it began to be
carved on the top of the aureole or
prabhavali of sculptures of all deities.
In Kalinga architecture, the
Kirtimukha motif is known as
vajra-mastaka and is depicted on the
gandi or spire of the temple. In Kalinga architecture as seen in the temples of Odisha, the
Kirtimukha motif is depicted with pearl or Rudraksha strings dripping from its mouth, a symbolic representation of the wealth and devotion of the king who is building the temple.
In Dravida temple architecture, the
Kirtimukha is found on the door-lintel of the main shrine, on the
vimana, at the base of the pillars as well as on a separate layer of
Kirtimukhas at the base of the outer walls of the temple. In Hoysala temples particularly, you see the
Kirtimukha motif carved everywhere, from the base of the outer layer of the temple to the Shuknasi, or beak like projection at the base of the Shikhara of the temple.
In the Maru Gurjara architectural style found in Gujarat and Rajasthan, this motif is called
Grasamukha while it is called as
Rahu-Mukha in Bengal. The motif is known as
Kalamukha or
Bhoma in South-East Asia. It is also known as
Simhamukha.
Kirtimukha in South-East Asia
The
Kirtimukha travelled to South-East Asia from India, and is seen on temples built in Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia as well as in Sri Lanka. In Cambodia, the
Kirtimukha motif is commonly used as a decorative element adorning the lintels of the doorways.
In Indonesia, the Kirtimukha is called
Kala or sometimes
Banaspati. It is often depicted with the Makara motif sprouting from it and is known as
Kalamakara Torana. In Borobodur, the gate to the main stairs is adorned with a giant
makaratorana. In Bali, the motif is called
Bhoma and is perceived as the guardian deity warding off evil.
Kirtimukha in Indian Art and Crafts
Because of its perceived powers as a guardian deity that wards off evil, the
Kirtimukha is a very popular motif in jewellery as well as in paintings of a religious character like the
pattachitra of Odisha and the
Thangka scroll paintings of Tibet, Sikkim and Ladakh.
Kirtimukha in Contemporary Culture
In recent years, the
Kirtimukha has proved to be a very popular motif in body tattoos as it is believed that the
Kirtimukha tattoo will protect the person from any harm and keep him/her safe and healthy. Kirtimukha motif has also been used in Kosa sarees woven in Chattisgarh state.
Symbolic Meaning Of The Kirtimukha
Why is the
Kirtimukha motif so popular in temple architecture? It is meant to be a visual representation of our thoughtless pursuit of pleasures, that some day will devour us.
The
Kirtimukha is the ‘face of glory’. Glory is an attribute of the ego, as it is the ego that constantly craves glory. It serves as a reminder that our ego sustains itself by consuming our mental peace. Hence, when we enter a temple, we are supposed to shed our ego at the threshold and enter with humility.