Can you spot nandi?

I recently came across two old calendar pictures (*) on social media. These are pictures of the bArAt/mApiLLai azhaippu of shivA's marriage. They are attached here, and the question was to identify "nandi" in those pictures.

Anybody who has the slightest clue about these two pictures will identify the riShabha/bull as nandi. Except this is not correct! Some clues were contained in that thread itself, but I decided to do a bit of my own reading and write a note with some other observations on this.

Observation 1: This is one heck of a bArAt with ganAs, pretAs, bhUtas, etc. The terrifying groom is riding a riShabha instead of a horse, and overall it would be a frightening sight to witness in person. Strangely enough, I'll not refuse this wedding invite since I would want to see this procession despite the possibility of being petrified. The two pictures are dripping with bibhatsa rasa. I might hold the same attitude about a "Minas-Morgul-march-viewing-party" if ever there was one.

Observation 2: The two pictures are reasonably consistent. What do I mean by consistent? Many jantus accompanying mahEsvarA repeat in both pictures. The multi-eyed being, one-eyed scorpion tummy, one with the conch, uni-horn one, rishis with "bugles", pretas, kAyas, the vAnarA with the shUla, all appear in both pictures. This shows that they are not random drawings, but have some basis from vedas or itihasas or purANAs. Many of them have specific names and play specific roles. So, if the riShabha is not nandi in this, then who or what is nandi? nandi is described as "chakratuNDa" in the upanishads. This loosely translates into "circular mouth". This description does not fit very well with the appearance of a riShabha, and the definitive answer to this is found in the uttara kAnDa rAmAyaNA. This kANDa devotes very many sargas detailing the origin story of rAvaNA, narrated to rAma by the great sage agastya. There are many beautiful stories about his early exploits along with his clansmen. Let me recount the tale featuring nandi which may not be know to many. 

rAvaNA was the son of vishravas, who was parama pitA brahma's grandson. vishravas fathered kubera from one of his wives and kuberA went on to rule lankA. The kingdom of lankA was built by the celestial architect vishwakarma, and it was turned into a great and prosperous kingdom by kubera. The other wives of vishravas were rAkshasa women, through whom he fathered rAvaNA, kumbhakarNA, vibhIshaNA, shUrpanakA, etc. rAvaNA and his siblings acquired tremendous powers from brahma as a result of great austerities. Overcome with ambition, they then attacked their brother kuberA's lanka and drove him out of lankA. After usurping kubera's kingdom and riches, rAvaNA became one of the most powerful beings in all the lokAs. Through this conquest he acquired one of kuberA's most prized possessions---the pushpaka vimAnA. This vimAna could move as per the wishes of its rider. But once, when rAvaNA was in the middle of a forest, the vimAna stopped moving. rAvaNA and the wise marIcha who was accompanying him at that time were very puzzled about why the vimAnA stopped in the middle of the forest... 

(sarga 16, shloka 8 onwards)

इति वाक्यान्तरे तस्य क्रमः कृष्णपिङ्गलः |

वामने विकटे मुण्डी नन्दी ह्रस्वभुजो वली ||

As they were conversing, the black-brown, short limbed, bald and frightening nandi appeared.

ततः पार्श्वमुपागम्य भवस्यानुचरोब्रवीत् |

नन्दीश्वरो वचश्चेदं रक्षसेन्द्रमशङ्कितः ||

This nandi, who is a constant companion of shiva, spoke to the rakshasa lord without any fear. (The word bhava here means shiva. Remember "bhavAya cha" in rudra prashNA.) 

...

सोपश्यन्नन्दिनं तत्र देवस्यादूरत: स्थितम् |

दीप्तम् शूलम्वष्तभ्य द्वितीयमिव शङ्करम् ||

The lord of the rakshasas saw nandi standing very close to shaNkarA himself. He was also holding a shUla and looked like a second shaNkarA in radiance.

तं दृष्ट्वा वानरमुखमवज्ञाय स राक्षसः |

प्रहासम् मुमुचे तत्र सतोय इव तोयदः ||

But the rakshasa saw nandi's vAnara mukhA and insulted him. He then laughed repeatedly, just like the rain bearing clouds rumble with thunder.

तं क्रुद्धो  भगवान्नन्दी शङ्करस्यापरा तनुः |

अब्रवीत्तत्र तद्रक्षो दशाननमुपथितम् ||

Seeing this, nandi erupted with anger and spoke to the ten headed rAvaNa.

यस्माद्वानररूपम् मामवज्ञाय दशानन |

अशनीपातसङ्काशमषहासम्प्रमुक्तवान् ||

Hey rAvaNa! You have insulted my vAnara form. Your ridicule has struck me like a bolt of lightning.

तस्मान्म्द्वीर्यसम्युक्ता मद्रूपसमतेजस: |

उत्पत्स्यन्ति वधार्थं हि कुलस्य तव वानराः ||

For this behaviour, vAnarAs equal in brilliance to me will be born to destroy your clan.

While it is generally admitted that bAlakANDa and uttarakAnDa are later additions to rAmAyaNA, the chakratunda reference in upanishads and this story give us enough clues about the identity of nandi. It could be interesting as well as challenging to dig deeper into this and find out when and why did nandi and rishabha become the same as we know it today. But now that the background story has been clarified, can you spot nandi in those pictures?

*: Unable to credit the original sources of the pictures but both these will pop out of a google search for "Shiva's marriage procession".