Chandesanugrahamurti

A benevolent form (anugrahamurti) of the Hindu deity Shiva, in which he is depicted bestowing his blessings upon his devotee, Chandesa, one of the sixty-three nayanars (canonical Saivite poet saints). In iconographical representations, Shiva –– with his consort Parvati seated to the left –– is shown tying a flower-garland around Chandesa’s head, who bows with folded hands before him. A sculptural depiction can be found at the Gangaikondacolisvaram Temple in Tamil Nadu, while a mural of the scene is part of the Lepakshi Temple in Andhra Pradesh.