Mrityulata is a vertical decorative
terracotta panel in Hindu temples in Bengal. It contains a vertical series of
humanoid and animal figures, each poised to attack the figure below. But in
some instances the serial figures are not attacking the figure just below, but
displayed vertically one above the other in a peaceful way. Even very rarely
there are copulating human figures too. This justifies the use of the term Kalpalata
or Barsha panel instead of Mrityulata for these panels.
In the Bengali vernacular, there are three terms associated
with decorations of temples in Bengal – ‘Mrityulata’ meaning death vine, ‘Kalpalata’
(difficult to explain, roughly “the vine which fulfills wishes) and ‘Barsha’
meaning ‘lancet’ or ‘javelin’ .
In most of the Mrityulata scenes, we find that certain
unusual creatures are engulfing certain other animals like lion, horses or even
elephants and vice-e-versa. Horse riders with arms are attacking animals.
Tarapada Santra has even described the war between Kali Sena and Shiva Sena.
These are the common phenomena in Mrityulata subject.
Mrityulata scenes are mostly situated in the vertical corner
projection of temples placed longitudinally from the base to the cornice of
temples.
The projections are either triangular or simply flat in 19th
century temples and have been accommodated mostly in the side panels like in
Itonda, Dignagar