Kiritamukuta

The Kiritamukuta (Sanskrit: किरीटमुकुट, romanized: Kirīṭamukuṭa) is a crown generally attributed to Vishnu in Hindu iconography.^[1][2] It is also depicted to be worn by the avatars of Vishnu, such as Rama.^[3] Vishnu is depicted with the Kiritamukuta in some of his earliest icons, identified from the region of Mathura.^[4]

15th century sculpture of Vishnu wearing the Kiritamukuta, Government Museum, Chennai

Description

Referred to as the 'highest of all crowns',^[5][6] the Kiritamukuta resembles a conical cap ending with an ornamental top, its centre featuring a pointed knob. It bears jewelled discs either on the front or on all of its sides, as well as jewelled bands present around its top and bottom. Among the gods, according to T. A. Gopinatha Rao, the crown is said to be exclusively attributed to Vishnu, while among humans, those who occupy the roles of emperors or superior governors are allowed to don it.^[7]

The sun god Surya is also represented with the Kiritamukuta in his iconography.^[8]

Iconography of Vishnu wearing the kiritamukuta has been found in Thailand.^[9]

References

1. N.Y.), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York; Lerner, Martin; Kossak, Steven (1991). The Lotus Transcendent: Indian and Southeast Asian Art from the Samuel Eilenberg Collection. Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-87099-613-9.
2. Vishnu in Art, Thought, and Literature. Birla Archaeological & Cultural Research Institute. 1993. p. 117.
3. Choudary, D. Kiran Kranth; Udayalakshmi, C. (2006). Rāmāyaṇa in Indian Art and Epigraphy. Harman Publishing House. p. 105. ISBN 978-81-86622-76-6.
4. Blurton, T. Richard (1993). Hindu Art. Harvard University Press. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-674-39189-5.
5. Jansen, Eva Rudy (1993). The Book of Hindu Imagery: Gods, Manifestations and Their Meaning. Binkey Kok Publications. p. 27. ISBN 978-90-74597-07-4.
6. Ross, Leslie D. (2009-06-04). Art and Architecture of the World's Religions [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 283. ISBN 978-0-313-34287-5.
7. Rao, T. A. Gopinatha (2020-04-06). Elements of Hindu Iconography: Volume I - Part I. BoD – Books on Demand. p. 29. ISBN 978-3-8460-4767-5.
8. Elgood, Heather (2000-04-01). Hinduism and the Religious Arts. A&C Black. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-304-70739-3.
9. Jacq-Hergoualc'h, Micheal (2002). The Malay Peninsula: Crossroads of the Maritime Silk-Road (100 Bc-1300 Ad). BRILL. p. 383. ISBN 978-90-04-11973-4.