page_title: Kalyanasundara
section_title: Textual descriptions
hierarchical_section_title: Kalyanasundara / Iconography / Textual descriptions
caption_attribution_description: English: Bronzes of the Chola period / Tamil Nadu, seen here from left, unknown goddess, Parvati, Shiva and Vishnu. Français&#160;: Bronzes de la période Chola / Tamil Nadu
context_page_description: Kalyanasundara, also spelt as Kalyansundar and Kalyana Sundara, and known as Kalyanasundara-murti, Vaivahika-murti and Panigrahana-murti, is the iconographical depiction of the wedding of the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati. The couple are often depicted performing the panigrahana ritual of a Hindu wedding, where the groom accepts the bride by taking her right hand in his.
  The couple, depicted in the centre, are accompanied by a host of divinities and other celestial beings. The god Vishnu and his wife Lakshmi are often pictured as giving away Parvati to Shiva. The god Brahma is shown as the officiating priest.
  The Kalyanasundara icon is not the object of popular worship and is usually used only in the celebrations of the divine marriage in annual temple festivals. However, Kalyanasundara scenes are found across India in caves, sculptures and on temple walls.
context_section_description: The Agamic texts like the Amsumadbhedagama, the Uttara-kamaikagama and the Purva-Karanagama prescribe the iconography of the Kalyanasunadara icon.
  A young four-armed Shiva and a beautiful two-armed Parvati should be the central figures, performing the panigrahana ("accepting the hand") ritual of a Hindu wedding, where the groom accepts the bride by taking her right hand in his. Shiva stands in tribhanga posture, with one of his legs straight and firmly on the ground and the other one slightly  bent. Shiva wears a jata-mukuta (a headdress formed of piled, matted hair) on his head, adorned with a crescent moon. He wears serpents as earrings, as a waist band and as a necklace. Various gold ornaments adorn his body. His back hands carry a parashu (axe) and a mriga (deer). His front left hand makes the varada mudra ("blessing-giving gesture") and his front right hand is stretched ahead to receive the hand of the bride. A dark-complexioned Parvati, adorned in silk and gold finery, stands to the left of Shiva, blushing with her head bent slightly as she extends her right arm to hold Shiva's right hand. She holds a nilotpala (blue lotus) in her left arm.
  The god Vishnu and his consorts Lakshmi and Bhudevi should be represented as taking the place of Parvati's parents in the ceremony. The four-armed Vishnu should be shown in the background in between Shiva and Parvati; in one of his front hands is a golden pot from which he pours water over the hands of the couple, symbolizing giving away the bride to the groom. He holds his usual attributes, the sudarshana chakra (discus) and a shankha (conch), in his back arms. Vishnu's wives, dressed in royal finery, stand behind Parvati and hold her waist, symbolizing the handing over.
  The four-headed god Brahma should be shown seated on the ground in the foreground officiating as the wedding priest and making offerings to the homa (sacred fire) in the kunda (fire-altar). The four-armed god holds a sruka and sruva (sacrificial ladle and spoon) in his front arms and a kamandalu (water-pot) and akshamala (rosary) in his back arms. The presence of the fire also indicates another important ritual of the Hindu wedding, saptapadi ("seven steps") where the bride and groom go around the fire seven times.
  The figure of Shiva should be tallest, followed by that of Vishnu, Parvati and Vishnu's wives. Various deities like the eight guardians of the directions, the eight Vasus, the seven Matrika goddesses, celestial beings such as Yakshas and Gandharvas, sages and siddhas may be depicted standing with folded arms in the background.
caption: A Chola Kalyanasundara bronze: (from right) Lakshmi, Parvati, Shiva and Vishnu.
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