Lord Ayyappan is a popular deity in South India. Legend has it that He is the son of Shiva (with Mohini) or Harihara. He is worshipped as a great brahmachari and protector of dharma. The Ayyappan murti that you see on this page is a fine bronze sculpture. It borrows heavily from the art of the Hoysala period.
Hoysala art refers to the aesthetics that took shape in the 10th-14th centuries under the patronage of the Hoysala dynasty rulers. The Ayyappan murti that you see on this page conforms to the traditional, Hoysala-era iconography. It depicts the Lord sitting in the perfect malasana, hips and heels touching.
A high plinth that is one-third the stature of the work. Crown and halo framing a youthful yet wise face. A Vaishnavite tilaka on the midbrow. Sumptuous adornment, especially the thick garland reaching all the way down to Ayyappan’s feet, are a deeply Hoysala influence.
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