PALAKKAD: A team led by mural artist Sasi K Warrier from Kochi restored the nearly 150 year old mural at the Paalneeri Shiva temple in Karingirapully.

The painting depicts the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva, the Nataraja, and it is believed to be the third biggest painting of Siva in the state, said Sasi, son of renowned mural painter K K Warrier. The other two Shaivite murals are in Ettumanoor and Vadukkunathan temple in Thrissur, he said.

He teaches mural painting at Ravipuram, Kochi. About the original mural, he said: “This painting, which has faded and peeled off in many places, was probably created around 150 years ago by Achuthan Nair or Pulakkat Raman Nair. These bear resemblance to the murals in the Shiva temple at Kottakal and have been painted in the Guruvayur tradition of ‘rathnakeeredashaili’.”

He completed the restoration work within a week. “The mural depicts Shiva stamping demon Muyalaka, a dwarf holding a cobra. Siva is holding various items in his 16 hands. He has a deer, skull, vanamala, bell, snake, flag mast in his left hands while one of the hands is in the ‘mudra’ position. In the right hands, there are spear, axe, rudraksha mala, fire, small drum, cudgel and crescent moon,” said temple trustee C V Vijayaraghavan.

“Around the Nataraja, Vishnu, Brahma and Indra are standing with other devas celebrating with vadyaghoshams,” said another trustee Janardhanan.

“Usually, Lord Mahavishnu is depicted as playing the Kerala instrument “mizhavu” but in the Paalneeri temple, he is seen with a mridangam while the mizhavu is played by an asura,” said Vishnudas from Alappuzha, a law graduate and Sasi’s disciple. “Sasi agreed to do the restoration work free of cost,” said joint secretary of the committee Sivadas.