Thirunanthikarai Cave Temple – Murals & Paintings
The
murals & Paintings of Thirunanthikarai Cave Temple (now ceded to
Tamilnadu) and Tiruvanchikulam are considered the oldest relics of Kerala’s
own style of murals. In the 9th - 10th c. AD cave was decorated with paintings.
Hindu painters first sketched outlines and then colored powders were sprinkled.
Now only hazy outlines of once beautiful frescoes remain. Drawings are
considered to represent perfect early example of typical Kerala (earlier this cave
was located in Kerala) style which later has been applied in numerous temples
and palaces. At the same time drawings resemble the famous drawings in Sittanavasal
Cave. Technique of drawing resembles Buddhist tradition.
The hall
of the cave is conjectured to have had richly decorated paintings. The frescoes
show scenes from the epic stories Ramayana and Mahabharata. The frescoes or murals in this cave are reported to be
the oldest antiquaries of Kerala style of murals. Natural pigments and
vegetable colours were used in the earlier traditional style of mural art form
which is the Fresco-secco style unlike the Buon
Fresco technique. This art is being
revived by a new generation of artists who are involved in researching and
teaching mural art at
the Sree
Sankara Sanskrit College in Kalady and also at a school supported by the Guruvayoor
Temple.
