Nātya Sundari (Dancing Beauty) – Lizard chasing a fly in the background
Nātya Sundari (Dancing Beauty) – Lizard chasing a fly in the background
As you can see, this beautiful madanike, popularly known as Nātya Sundari, is dancing with an Indian classical dance move, accompanied by two musicians at the bottom, one playing the tāla and the other playing the dolu. She is unaware of a lizard behind her chasing a fly on a fruit (most likely a jack fruit).
Note: Tāla, which looks like a smaller version of hand cymbals, is an Indian musical instrument made of brass typically played while singing devotional music. Dolu is a drum-like percussion instrument.
Nātya Sundari and her accomplices are on a disc-like base, mounted on a pedestal carved with three layers of lotus flower petals.
This is one of the 38 bracket figures mounted on a pillar attached to the exterior wall surrounding the Navaranga (front portion) of the Belur Chennakeshava Temple. Each sculpture is attached to a bracket placed at an angle just below the eaves, with its base mounted on a pillar slightly below the pillar’s capital.
Check the Navaraga Layout page for the locations of the bracket figures. In this layout, Nātya Sundari is bracket figure number 13, i.e., mounted on the pillar on the right side of the door at the south entrance.
Read more about this and other bracket figures at Belur Chennakeshava Temple: Bracket Figures.
Other Shilābālikes
– Darpana Sundari, Sukha Bhashini, Nātya Sundari, Gāna Sundari, Kesha Sundari, Tribhangi, Nagna Sundari, Kapāla Durga, Koravanji, Nātya Mohini, Betegārthi
Male Bracket Figures
– Flute playing male musician
– Narthaka – Davane playing male dancer
– Davane playing male musician
Hoysala Temples
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Bracket Figures
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Navaranga
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Garbhagriha Outer Wall
– Kappe Chennigaraya Shrine
– Somanathapura Keshava Temple
Badami Chalukya Temples
– Badami, Cave – 1, Cave – 2, Cave – 3, Cave – 4
– Durga Temple at Aihole
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