are you mentioning about Garuda and Siva at Thirumayam? Certainly Yama, Chitragupta, Garuda (in human form) are all present there… plus of course Bhoomadevi, Madhu, Kaitabha plus the Brahma so painstakingly sprouting out of the nabhi (navel) of Lord Vishnu (Azhagia Meyyar) at Thirumayam. But having seen the temple twice (last year and this one), I can very much confirm to you that there is no Siva at the Vishnu Temple at Thirumayam, but he is there with his consort, sons, great dwarapalas, his ride the Nandi etc. in all their splendour in his own temple at Thirumayam itself and that too adjacent to the Thirumayam Vishnu temple and Siva is called Satyagiriswarar there as opposed to Satyagirinathar (the name for Vishnu Moolavar at Thirumayam Ananta temple) - At least the Vishnu temple is one of a kind with two Moolavars (main deity) and two Utsavars.

working on a post on tirumayam - check your mail for a surprise

vj

regards,

Cheenu

Cant wait to see you sharing your next south trip pictures with us.

rgds
vj

one more point… you say that Madhu and Kaitabha are preparing to assault or attack the sleeping Lord. I think (in case you feel there is any consistency of Kanchi Ananta with Thirumayam Azhagiya Meyyar) these two demons have arrived and are discussing about abducting Bhooma Devi (more than attacking Lord Vishnu - you know why? mainly because Asuras in every age get boons to gain victory over the Devas led by Indra.. but they cannot hope to take on Shiva, Vishnu and Mahesh - the only three GODS in the hindu religion)

Any comments..?

First of all this pose and if you could call it a mini temple, being as it is in a maze of temple building activity at Mallai… this particular (probably the earlier one) theme proves the fact that because of exactly the same theme being carved at Thirumayam, the latter temple is also a grand, great Pallava creation. In the meanwhile savour the larger pose of the Mahishasura mardini cave Anantasyayi through this link and many other great snaps … http://sss.vn.ua/india/tamilnadu/mahabalipuram/mahabalipuram006.jpg

I am again sticking to the fact (firm belief you could say, as explained by the temple priest at Thirumayam is that the lady on the feet of the semi-sleeping Vishnu is none other but Bhu or Bhooma Devi. This is because here too two demons are fleeing who had actually come to capture or abduct (if that’s the right word) Bhooma Devi.

Whats at Thirumayam… there too you have a great, grand Vishnu, one of the largest Ananthasyayi, there the theme being the same… demons Madhu and Kaitabha arrive to abduct Bhu Devi… Vishnu is semi-asleep… the presence of the demons is enough to provoke Anantha (Adi Sesha the couch of Lord Vishnu on whom he rests merrily). Bhooma Devi on the presence of the demons frightens her and she is seen at the feet of Lord Vishnu seeking his protection… But before Vishnu reacts, Adi Sesha or Anantha hisses and is in the pose of releasing poisonous air from his mouth which is sure to kill and burn the demons… So beautifully have the Pallavas captured the entire event at Thirumayam (whenever I see the Mallai pose, my mind goes back to Thirumayam for I have seen that twice and not Mallai). Brahma sprouts out of the nabhi of Vishnu, celestial figures like Yama, Chitraguptan who maintains a book on the fortune and fate of mortals, Bhooma on the feet of Vishnu drawing our pity, the pose is full of Karunai Rasam, Anantha looking fiery with open, gaping mouth and is decidedly looking very aggressive… then on the wall which is nothing but (the entire structure you could say) immaculate carving of living mountain… the poisonous air spit by Adi Sesha having been beautifully carved in the mountain wall moving towards Madhu and Kaitabhan, the two demons are also near the feet of the Lord, in standing posture very close to Bhu devi, but are shown very dramatically to be half turning back so as to avoid the poisonous air (which is in the form of a fire probably) and avoid death, with the theme being that ultimately the fire hits them and the demons die.. though that is not captured, but meant. But an even more startling underlying theme behind the stupendous carving at Thirumayam is that immediately having spit out the fire/air, but having done so without being commanded by his master, Lord Vishnu, Anantha feels guilty, so what has been beautifully captured is Lord Vishnu’s turning of his right hand and placing it gently on the body or person of Adi Sesha, symbolizing the Lord’s approval of his protective/aggressive action.

The only difference at Kanchi is that Yama, Chitra gupta do not seem to be present,, and Madhu and Kaitabha seem to be in an aggreesive and eager ‘arrived’ pose with probably their weapon (is it the gadai or gada?)

One more having seen your observation or explanation (quite unmatched really!!) about the figures above the recline being the weapons of Lord Vishnu, without doubting that.. I have read elsewhere that these are the yog mayas (2 figures of which on the closeup on the site mentioned by me above.. the one on the right looks feminine, though I ain’t sure).. Their job was to alert the semi-asleep Vishnu (supposedly in the process of creation of the Universe) about the presence of the demons and their vicious intentions.. but they in the end (because they are powerless to do anything against Madhu and Kaitabha - who probably have the boon of Brahma) they raise an alarm and it is Adi Sesha who (is about to get into action) takes, in the end the aggressive action. One version of the Kanchi theme is that the persons above the recline are Yog Maya, but your explanation appears more convincing… only that four weapons of the Lord instead of five have appeared at Kanchi.