In the Annual
Brahmothsavam - day 7 is Thiruther – the grand chariot – the bigger one
for Sri Parthasarathi and Sri Thelliya Singar. Ever observed the Temple Car
[thiruther] in close and in detail ! -
it is big, it is massive, it is ornate with hundreds of beautiful architecture
carved in the tree !!
One such bommai – the word would never convey the original grandeur of the
architecture !! – seen at the house of Sri MA
Narasimhan is the subject matter of this post – heard from him
that this is beautifully sculpted piece stood majestically in a Thiruther – this one from Ponneri from a Sthapathi, who renovates or replaces
Temple cars.
Chariots
are impressive - On screen, we have seen many – one got enamoured by the
scene of Arjuna wading through the forces in Mahabaratha - those chariots were quite attractive. Ratha is not only fleet-footed mode during
war, it symbolizes energy and zeal to move forward. The one presently at Triplicane is much
smaller than the one we saw in late 1970s – yet one will realise its grandeur that of rolling
juggernaut, if one were to stand near as the 8 or 9 feet wheel rotates by. Thiruther is a grand occasion of togetherness
of people.
This ornate
piece was never intended to be viewed in a museum
setting. It was designed to be seen while the chariot was moving, accompanied
by drums, nāgasvaram, Vedic chanting, and crowds of devotees. The sculptor
exaggerated the raised foreleg, the sweeping curve of the neck, and the
twisting figures below so that even from a distance the scene would appear full
of energy. This angle suggests probably
three principal foot soldiers, arranged almost like a pyramid. One appears to
be trying to seize the raised leg; one crouched with a weapon and another
looking upward towards the rider.
Horseman
as symbol of valour have been central theme in several religious lore. Greek
art, especially from the Classical and Hellenistic periods, celebrates human
heroism. In most – the rider is the
central hero; horse is powerful but subordinate. Great emphasis is placed on
anatomy. Muscles, veins and movement are
rendered realistically. Battle is shown
as a contest between individual heroes. A
classic example is the Alexander Mosaic,
where Alexander dominates the composition while Bucephalus carries him into
battle. The horse is magnificent—but Alexander is unquestionably the
protagonist.
The
Mayans had no horses before the arrival
of the Spanish in the sixteenth century. Therefore, we do not get to see indigenous Maya horsemen. Their battle scenes
depict warriors on foot.
When
one thinks of the iconic horseman in Indian history, Prithviraj Chauhan (c.
1166–1192 CE) stands strong. He was a fearless Rajput horseman, ruled from Ajmer and Delhi
and achieved fame for his victories against neighbouring kingdoms and, notably,
for defeating Muhammad Ghori in the First Battle of Tarain (1191). He was
defeated and captured in the Second Battle of Tarain (1192), an event that
marked a major turning point in North Indian history.
In
Rajput tradition, the king was inseparable from his horse. Unlike South Indian
temple sculpture, where the horse often symbolizes divine power, Rajput art
celebrates the kṣatriya—the warrior himself. His horse is never merely an animal;
it is his constant companion in battle and in legend.
Moving away
from mythology, history to present – here is a
beautiful example of South Indian
narrative wood carving, created as a
bracket sculpture (போதிகை) as part of a temple chariot (தேர்).
The style is reminiscent of the
Vijayanagara–Nayak period (16th–18th century), though it could equally be a
later traditional reproduction made by hereditary sthapathi craftsmen.
At
first glance, this is a dramatic horseman battle scene, a favourite motif in
South Indian temple sculpture. A richly caparisoned horse dominates the scene,
rearing with one foreleg raised. The rider appears to be either a warrior who
has fallen backwards while still holding on, or a hero engaged in combat. Beneath
the horse are three infantry soldiers, one carrying a shield, another
apparently blowing a curved war horn or holding a weapon.
The
horse is the masterpiece here : elaborately braided mane; pearl-like beaded
harness; decorative breast straps; layered saddle cloth; strong arched neck; large
expressive eye & slightly open mouth. Unlike European horses, this follows
the traditional Indian sculptural convention: the horse is depicted more as
a divine vehicle rather than merely an animal.
Although
carved from a single block, he creates three visual planes: soldiers, shield,
raised foreleg in the foreground; body of the horse in the middle and rider;
rear decorative slab in the back. This
layered arrangement makes the carving appear almost three-dimensional. This seemingly
is a hallmark of Nayak sculpture, where
movement is preferred over symmetry. In the faces, one can observe expressions
such as strain, fear, determination and action. The sculptor relied on deeply
cut eyebrows, sharp noses, and pronounced cheekbones to convey emotion.
Possible
symbolism :
• the triumph of dharma over adharma,
• heroic valour,
• royal military power,
• or simply a celebration of martial
excellence.
Many
temples include such horse-and-warrior carvings because the horse symbolizes
speed, courage, vigilance, and royal authority.
Creating this from a single block requires extraordinary planning. One
incorrect chisel strike could have broken the reins, the raised leg, or the
figures below.
Obvious
it is old and worn-out The sculpture shows ageing. A rich brown patina that
suggests oxidized wood rather than fresh carving. The wear actually enhances its character,
highlighting the hand-worked surfaces. The horse is not merely decorative—it
becomes the central force around which every human figure reacts. The eye
naturally travels from the expressive head of the horse down through its
powerful body to the clustered figures below, creating a compelling visual
narrative.
Its make
- carving in red sanders (செஞ்சந்தனம்) then it is an
exceptionally interesting piece. Red sanders was not the common choice for
temple chariots, most South Indian temple cars were built using durable local
hardwoods such as Vengai (Pterocarpus marsupium), Iluppai, Jackwood, Neem, or
occasionally Teak. These woods offered the right balance of strength,
workability, and availability for large structures. Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) has
several qualities that make it a premium sculptural wood: and presumably this
Master sculptor was clearly working at a very high
level.
The entire
scene was conceived as a single flowing composition rather than separate
figures attached together. The raised
foreleg alone would have required extraordinary confidence. In such dense wood,
a single mistake could have ruined weeks of work.
Horse
panels occupied a special place on many South Indian temple chariots. When
devotees saw the chariot moving, these horses appeared almost alive, galloping
through the streets. The sculptor intentionally exaggerated the neck, lifted
the foreleg, and clustered the soldiers below to enhance that illusion of
motion.
The
patina tells a story ~ the sculptor
resisted the temptation to make the horse the only focal point. Instead, your
eye moves in a deliberate sequence: The expressive head of the horse; richly
ornamented harness; reclining rider; raised foreleg; cluster of struggling
soldiers. The warrior is reclining
backwards, almost horizontal, with his left arm gripping the horse while the
right hand still carries a sword. His posture perhaps suggests the violent momentum of the horse. In every usual "hero astride a
horse" pose found in many Nayak pillars, the prominence is the hero here
the horse is the true protagonist. The sculptor has made the horse far more
expressive than the human figures. The rider almost becomes secondary.
In Greek
and other religious faith - Man masters
nature; the horse demonstrates the hero's power. In Indian religion - Nature
itself becomes divine. The horse becomes
an extension of cosmic order. Even when depicting a mortal king, Indian
sculptors often give the horse a sacred dignity.
Interesting
!
Regards
– S Sampathkumar
6.8.2026
PS:
Acknowledgement and thanks to Mr MA Narasimhan who kindly showed this brilliant
piece of sculpture; allowed it to be
photographed and written about.
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