This article documents the creation of a traditional Yoga Narasimha Tanjore painting, also known as a Thanjavur painting, commissioned by the Sree Ayyappa Swamy & Sree Yoganarasimha Swamy Temple in Melbourne, Australia.

The painting was created by Senthil Vel, founder of the International Indian Folk Art Gallery (IIFAG) along with his students, over a period of just over 18 weeks, from 30 April to 4 September 2026.

The project involved traditional drawing and composition, stone work, raised relief, gold work, jewellery and stone setting, colouring and detailed finishing. Because the painting was being created specifically for worship, those directly participating in the artwork also followed a sattvic discipline throughout the project.

because of the sacred nature of the commission, considerable research was undertaken throughout the project. This included studying traditional temple representations of Yoga Narasimha, consulting priests in India, examining the deity’s iconographic attributes and referring to Sanskrit descriptions received through the Kerala Namboothiri tradition.

The objective was not simply to create a visually impressive Tanjore painting, but to understand and represent the traditional form of Lord Yoga Narasimha with the care and respect appropriate to an artwork intended for worship.

Some paintings begin as a personal idea. This one began with a very special responsibility.

The Sree Ayyappa Swamy & Sree Yoganarasimha Swamy Temple in Melbourne commissioned me to create a traditional Tanjore painting of Lord Yoga Narasimha for the Temple.

Creating a painting for a temple is very different from producing an artwork for a private collection or exhibition. A temple painting is not simply intended to be visually attractive. Once it enters the sacred space, devotees will stand before the image and worship the deity for many years.

For me, this means the artist’s responsibility extends beyond craftsmanship. The iconography, posture, expression, hands, divine attributes, ornaments and other details need careful attention.

There is also another dimension that I consider equally important: the manner in which the sacred artwork itself is created. Once the composition was established, physical work on the painting commenced on 30 April 2026.

What followed was an 18-week journey combining traditional craftsmanship, sacred-art practice, research, teaching and devotion.

When a Tanjore painting is created specifically for a temple or prayer room, I believe the sacred purpose of the image should influence the entire process of its creation.

For this reason, throughout the Lord Yoga Narasimha project, I asked everyone who participated directly in creating the artwork to follow a sattvic (sāttvika) discipline.

From the commencement of the painting until its completion, those participating in the artwork were expected to maintain this discipline, including refraining from non-vegetarian food while involved in the project.

This was not simply a rule for the workshop.

It reflected my understanding that an image being created for worship should be approached differently from an ordinary decorative artwork. Drawing the deity, building the relief, applying the gold, setting the stones and finally colouring and detailing the image were approached with cleanliness, respect, discipline and devotional intent.

In my practice, I believe a sacred Tanjore painting should be approached during its creation with the same respect that will eventually be given to the image when it enters a temple or prayer room.

This was also an important part of what I wanted my students to learn. Traditional Tanjore painting is not only about learning how to create relief work, apply gold or set stones. When creating an image intended for worship, students should also understand the values, discipline and responsibility associated with creating sacred art.

The completed Lord Yoga Narasimha painting therefore represents more than 18 weeks of craftsmanship. The process itself became a period of artistic and devotional discipline, from the first work on the board to the final details.

Yoga Narasimha is traditionally represented with four arms. The upper hands carry Lord Vishnu’s Chakra (discus) and Shankha (conch), while the lower hands are associated with the meditative posture. The Yoga-patta, together with the position of the hands and legs, ornaments and facial expression, further helps identify this particular yogic form of Narasimha.

For me, this became especially important while creating the Yoga Narasimha Tanjore painting. It was not sufficient to create an impressive image surrounded by elaborate Tanjore gold work. I wanted to understand why these particular iconographic features were present and how they contributed to the identity of the deity.

The more I researched Yoga Narasimha, the more meaningful this contrast became to me: the Lord who appeared with tremendous power to protect Prahalada and destroy evil is now seated in complete control and stillness.

It brings together devotion, protection, strength and peace within the same sacred form.

As the painting progressed, this understanding influenced the way I approached the Yoga-patta, Shankha and Chakra, hand and leg positions, ornaments and, importantly, the facial expression. Rather than simply reproducing these elements visually, I wanted the finished Tanjore painting to reflect a deeper understanding of the traditional iconography of Lord Yoga Narasimha.

Narasimha represents divine strength, courage and protection, while the form of Yoga Narasimha shows us another dimension of the Lord. After the destruction of Hiranyakashipu and the restoration of order, Narasimha is represented in a calm and meditative yogic posture. The tremendous power is still present, but it is now expressed through stillness, control and peace.

Lord Narasimha is an avatar of Lord Vishnu who appeared to protect his young devotee Prahalada and destroy his father, the powerful ruler Hiranyakashipu. Hiranyakashipu believed himself to be virtually invincible because of the special protections he had received from Lord Brahma. Despite his father’s attempts to stop him, Prahalada remained unwavering in his devotion to Lord Vishnu.

The story of Narasimha is therefore not simply about the destruction of Hiranyakashipu. At its heart, it is also a story of Prahalada’s devotion, divine protection and the restoration of dharma. Lord Vishnu appeared in the extraordinary Man-Lion form of Narasimha to overcome the protections granted to Hiranyakashipu, protect Prahalada and restore order. The traditional story of Prahalada and Lord Narasimha provides further background to this important episode.

Narasimha represents divine strength, courage and protection. The form of Yoga Narasimha, however, reveals another dimension of that same divine power.

In this form, Lord Narasimha is represented seated in a controlled yogic posture. The tremendous power associated with Narasimha has not disappeared, but it is now expressed through stillness, discipline and peace. This contrast between strength and serenity is what I find particularly fascinating about Yoga Narasimha.

Yoga Narasimha represents another dimension of that same power. In this yogic form, Narasimha is traditionally represented with four arms. The upper hands carry Lord Vishnu’s Chakra (discus) and Shankha (conch), while the lower hands are associated with his meditative posture.

For me, this is what makes Yoga Narasimha particularly fascinating, the Lord who appeared with tremendous power to protect Prahalada and destroy evil is now seated in complete control and stillness. It brings together devotion, protection, strength and peace within the same sacred form.

The dramatic manifestation of Narasimha represents tremendous divine power and protection.

Here, Narasimha is represented seated in a controlled yogic posture. His power has not disappeared, but the body and expression communicate composure, discipline and stillness. This combination of strength and serenity was one of the most interesting aspects of creating the painting.

It was not sufficient to produce an impressive Narasimha surrounded by elaborate Tanjore gold work.

The Yoga-patta, Shankha, Chakra, hand positions, leg posture, ornaments and facial expression all contribute to identifying this particular form as Yoga Narasimha.

As the painting progressed, I wanted to understand these details more deeply rather than simply reproduce them visually.

During the project, I was fortunate to receive Sanskrit recitations from Dr. Vijay, Sree Ayyappa Swamy & Sree Yoganarasimha Swamy Temple in Melbourne, Australia escribing the iconography of Yoga Narasimha in the Kerala Namboothiri tradition.

This became particularly interesting because the descriptions referred to many of the same features we were physically creating through drawing, relief, gold and colour.

One recitation describes Lord Yoga Narasimha bearing the Shankha and Chakra, adorned with ornaments and seated in the prescribed yogic posture with the Yoga-patta.

Sanskrit

शङ्खचक्रधरं चैव [Śaṅkha-cakra-dharaṃ caiva]
सर्वाभरणभूषितम् । [sarvābharaṇa-bhūṣitam]
सर्वावयवसम्पूर्णं [sarvāvayava-sampūrṇaṃ]
सर्वसिद्धिकरं शुभम् ॥ [sarva-siddhikaraṃ śubham]

चक्रं च दक्षिणे हस्ते [Cakraṃ ca dakṣiṇe haste]
शङ्खं वामे न्यसेद्धृतम् । [śaṅkhaṃ vāme nyased dhṛtam]
योगपट्टसमायुक्तम् [yogapaṭṭa-samāyuktam]
आसीनं सम्यगासने ॥ [āsīnaṃ samyag-āsane]

हस्तयोः कूर्परं न्यस्य [Hastayoḥ kūrparaṃ nyasya]
पादजानूरुसंस्थितम् । [pāda-jānūru-saṃsthitam]
श्रीभूम्यां समुपेतं [Śrī-Bhūmyāṃ samupetaṃ]
ब्रह्माशङ्करसंयुतम् ॥ [Brahmā-Śaṅkara-saṃyutam.]

English Meaning

The passage describes Yoga Narasimha as bearing the conch and discus, adorned with ornaments and complete in all his features. He is described as auspicious and as the bestower of spiritual attainments.

The Chakra is held in the right hand and the Shankha in the left. The Lord is seated in the appropriate yogic posture and supported by the Yoga-patta.

The description also refers to the arrangement of the arms, knees and legs and to Sri and Bhumi, together with Brahma and Shankara.

For me as an artist, this was significant because the passage was not simply praising the deity. It also described aspects of Yoga Narasimha’s iconography that could be related directly to the artwork we were creating.

Note: These Sanskrit passages were transcribed from traditional audio recitations received during the project. Certain words have been retained as heard. The transcription should therefore not be regarded as a critical edition of an original Sanskrit text.

One of the distinctive features of Yoga Narasimha is the Yoga-patta — the band associated with supporting and maintaining the seated yogic posture.

In an elaborate Tanjore painting, it could easily be mistaken for another decorative element.

It is much more than that.

The same applies to the arrangement of the knees, legs, elbows and hands.

Working on this painting reinforced something I have learnt repeatedly during more than three decades of practising traditional Indian art:

In sacred art, a detail may be beautiful, but it is rarely there only for beauty.

These details form part of the visual language through which a particular manifestation of a deity is identified.

A Second Traditional Description of Yoga Narasimha

A second Sanskrit recitation describes another important aspect of the Lord:

Sanskrit Mantra

सिंहासने समासीनं [Siṃhāsane samāsīnaṃ]
नानाभरणभूषितम् । [nānābharaṇa-bhūṣitam]
प्रसन्नवदनं सौम्यं [prasanna-vadanaṃ saumyaṃ]
योगपट्टेन वेष्टितम् ॥ [yogapaṭṭena veṣṭitam]

जान्वोर्न्यस्तकरद्वन्द्वं [Jānvor nyasta-karadvandvaṃ]
शङ्खचक्रधरं विभुम् । [śaṅkha-cakra-dharaṃ vibhum]
श्रीभूमिसहितं देवं [Śrī-Bhūmi-sahitaṃ devaṃ]
नृसिंहं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥ [Nṛsiṃhaṃ praṇamāmyaham.]

Roman TransliterationEnglish Meaning

The verse describes Narasimha seated upon a lion-throne, adorned with various ornaments and possessing a serene and gentle countenance.

He is encircled by the Yoga-patta, with his hands positioned upon his knees, bearing the conch and discus and accompanied by Sri Devi and Bhumi Devi.

It concludes:

“I bow down to Lord Narasimha.”

One expression became particularly meaningful while I was working on the face:

Prasanna-vadanaṃ saumyaṃ

A serene and gentle countenance.

Narasimha naturally represents tremendous divine power. However, in the Yoga Narasimha form, I did not want the expression to communicate only ferocity.

The face needed to retain the unmistakable strength of Narasimha while also communicating the serenity appropriate to his yogic state.

Finding that balance was one of the most important aspects of creating this painting.

A traditional Tanjore painting, also known as a Thanjavur painting, is created through a series of carefully sequenced stages. What makes this art form distinctive is that the painting is not simply created with colour on a flat surface. It is built gradually, layer by layer, combining drawing, relief work, stones, gold and painting.

In the traditional method that I learnt and continue to practise, the process begins with preparing the wooden canvas or board. Traditionally, cotton cloth is fixed to the wooden surface using a tamarind-based paste. The surface is then prepared with additional layers, allowed to dry and carefully polished until it is suitable for drawing. This preparation alone can take several days.

Once the board is ready, the complete composition is drawn and transferred onto the prepared surface. For a sacred image such as Lord Yoga Narasimha, this is a particularly important stage. The proportions of the deity, facial features, hands, ornaments, weapons, seated posture, Yoga-patta and surrounding architectural elements all need to be established before the decorative work begins.

This is followed by one of the defining features of traditional Tanjore painting — the raised detailed & intricate relief. The raised work creates the jewellery, garments, decorative patterns and architectural details that eventually sit beneath the gold.

This stage required considerable patience.

At one point, defects were identified in portions of the relief work.

Rather than proceeding to gold simply to maintain our original schedule, we stopped and corrected the affected sections.

The gold work had to wait momentarily to fix minor corrections

For the students involved, this provided an important practical lesson:

If the foundation is not right, the next stage should not begin. Relief, Gold and Stone Work in Tanjore Painting

The transition from relief work to gold is one of my favourite stages of creating a traditional Tanjore painting. Students also loved this process.

Until then, much of the work is structural.

Once gold is applied over the raised relief, the visual character of the painting begins to change dramatically.

The crown, jewellery, ornaments and surrounding architectural details begin reflecting light, while the dimensional quality of the relief becomes much more apparent.

We then moved into designing the jewellery and setting cubic zirconia stones.

The stones were not simply placed wherever space was available.

My students and I discussed colours, combinations and positioning, considering how individual stones related to the surrounding gold and the overall composition.

These discussions became an important part of the learning process.

Students Working on a Real Hindu Temple Art Commission

Although I remained responsible for the commission and final painting, I made a conscious decision to involve my students during different stages of the project.

Some participated in stone work. Others assisted with relief work, gold work and jewellery.

Students generally worked in small groups so that I could supervise the work closely.

For them, this was very different from completing an individual painting during a class.

It was being created for a Hindu temple in Melbourne.

Every section they worked on would eventually become part of an image before which devotees would worship.

That introduced another level of responsibility into the learning process. The sattvic discipline followed during the project was therefore just as much a part of their learning as the technical skills.

I wanted my students to understand that creating sacred art involves not only what we do with our hands, but also how we approach the work itself.

Passing Traditional Tanjore Painting to the Next Generation

This part of the project was particularly meaningful to me.

I began learning traditional Tanjore painting in 1992 under Shilp Guru Sri Venkatesa Raja.

More than three decades later, I found myself standing with my own students around a major temple painting, discussing relief work, gold, stones, colours and iconographic details. The knowledge I received as a student was now being practised by another generation.

This is central to what we are trying to achieve through the International Indian Folk Art Gallery (IIFAG) in Australia. Traditional art cannot survive simply because people admire old paintings. The knowledge of how those paintings are created, the meaning behind their iconography and the values associated with creating sacred art must also survive.

• Someone has to teach it.
• Someone has to learn it.

And someone has to continue practising it.

More Than the Students Holding the Brushes:

the project involved more students and friends than those who physically worked on the painting. Students and friends also generously contributed towards the expenses involved in creating the work. Some are in Melbourne. Others are overseas or may not be able to attend the eventual Temple handover.

I consider all of them part of this project. When somebody sees the completed painting, they see one finished image.

When I look at it, I also remember the process behind it, students working on individual sections, conversations around the painting, choosing stones and colours, correcting relief work, solving problems and sometimes simply standing back together and deciding whether something looked right.

Those contributions may not be visible on the finished surface, but they remain part of the history of the painting.

Colour brought another major transformation.

One challenge with a highly ornamented Tanjore painting is ensuring that colour complements the gold rather than competing with it.

Gradually, the deity, background, ornaments, pedestal and surrounding elements came together.

As the painting approached completion, attention increasingly shifted towards small but important details.

The face mattered.

The fingers mattered.

The astrams mattered.

The leg posture mattered.

The closer we came to completion, the more conscious I became that this painting would soon leave my studio and enter a sacred space.

That changes the responsibility of the artist.

Before the work was considered complete, Dr Vijay and Raja Uncle and family from the Temple visited to review the painting.

They carefully examined the face, astrams, fingers and leg postures and confirmed that the representation was accurate.

They were very happy with the completed work and expressed their appreciation for the devotion and support of everyone who had contributed to the project.

After months spent concentrating on individual areas of relief, gold, stones and colour, receiving that confirmation from representatives of the Temple for whom the painting had been commissioned was particularly meaningful.

Yoga Narasimha Tanjore Painting Completed – 4 September 2026

The Yoga Narasimha Tanjore painting was completed on 4 September 2026.

From the commencement of work on 30 April to completion on 4 September, the project extended over just over 18 weeks.

There were periods when progress was immediately visible and others when several hours of work changed only a very small section.

There were corrections.

There were delays.

There were decisions that had to be reconsidered.

That is part of creating traditional art by hand.

Looking at the completed painting now, I think not only about what can be seen, but also about everything beneath the finished surface — the original drawing, layers of relief, corrections, gold, stones and the many individual hours contributed by different people.

There is also something that cannot be seen in a photograph: the sattvic discipline maintained by those participating directly in creating this sacred painting.

For me, that too is part of the finished work.

What is a Yoga Narasimha Tanjore painting?

A Yoga Narasimha Tanjore painting depicts Lord Narasimha in his seated yogic form using the traditional techniques associated with Tanjore or Thanjavur painting, including raised relief, gold work and decorative stone setting.

What is the difference between Narasimha and Yoga Narasimha?

Lord Narasimha is the Man-Lion incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Yoga Narasimha represents Narasimha in a controlled yogic posture. Features such as the Yoga-patta, positioning of the limbs, Shankha and Chakra and the expression of the deity help identify this particular form.

What is the Yoga-patta?

The Yoga-patta is a band associated with supporting and maintaining a seated yogic posture. It is an important element in the traditional iconography of Yoga Narasimha.

Is Tanjore painting the same as Thanjavur painting?

Tanjore painting and Thanjavur painting refer to the same South Indian painting tradition, originating from Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. “Tanjore” is the older anglicised name for Thanjavur and remains widely used when referring to the art form.

What is special about a Tanjore painting created for a temple or prayer room?

In my practice, a Tanjore painting created specifically for worship is approached differently from a decorative artwork. In addition to maintaining iconographic and technical standards, I expect those directly participating in the creation process to follow a sattvic discipline, including refraining from non-vegetarian food while involved in the sacred artwork.

How long does a large traditional Tanjore painting take to create?

The time depends on the size, composition and complexity of the painting. This particular Yoga Narasimha temple painting took just over 18 weeks, from 30 April to 4 September 2026, and involved drawing, stone and relief work, gold work, jewellery and stone setting, colouring and detailed corrections.

Where was this Yoga Narasimha Tanjore painting created?

The painting was created in Melbourne, Australia, by artist Senthil Vel and his students for the Sree Ayyappa Swamy & Sree Yoganarasimha Swamy Temple in Melbourne.

Can traditional Tanjore painting be learnt in Australia?

Yes. Through the Gurukulam learning platform of International Indian Folk Art Gallery (IIFAG), I teach traditional Tanjore painting in Melbourne and outside Melbourne, with an emphasis not only on technique but also on understanding the traditional processes, iconography and cultural context of the art form.