THOSE ASTOUNDING HOYSALA TEMPLES : JOURNEY BEGINS

BLACK-OUTS AT CHENNAKESAVA TEMPLE, BELUR.

Closed door of Gopuram at 7.25 am. Thin crowd started gathering 

on the steps to attend to early morning prayer. 

ChennaKesava temple, Belur.

 During my early days in school, I used to  be teased  as a 'char-chokho' ( person with 4 eyes) , a common term for boys/girls with specs. By an extension of that logic , Ruby and I can be called 'paanch-chokho' (person with 5 eyes) during our travel, the '5th eye' being our camera.

On our 1st day out  at ChennaKesava temple, Belur, both our '5th eyes' went blank , due to  mal-functioning of batteries , though fortunately not at the same time.

 Ruby and her '5th eye', sitting near

 'Swarga Dwara' of ChennaKesava temple, Belur.

 I use a square battery for my DSLR.Ruby uses 4 pencil batteries for Powershot - a Canon s3is. I carried no spare battery. Ruby had  4 spare Duracell  batteries in her suitcase . After 6 clicks, her camera stopped functioning. We were stuck at the Gopuram. We had 2 choices - walk back to the Hotel ( Mayur Velapuri) and collect the Duracell batteries or buy fresh ones from one of few the  shops just opposite to the Gopuram.

 The shop which helped to keep our '5th eye'  functioning !

Opposite ChennaKesava temple, Belur.

I took the easier option - purchased 4 nos of 2100mAH Kodak batteries for Ruby's Powershot. Well, this move saved our day.Not only Ruby  could keep on clicking till the day-end, this shop-keeper came to my rescue when my camera's battery got discharged and gave me successive shocks.

1st shock came after I clicked only 102 shots. It was around 9.30 am. We decided to return to the Hotel for break-fast and charging the battery. On our way back to the Hotel, we found Canon's LP-E5 battery will have no supplier at Belur. I rang our photographer friend Mr Swaminathan Natarajan of Bangalore who confirmed that for  such a battery , I may have to go to Chickmagalur - 90+ km away !

  Coitus ! 
 'Performers'  shed their ornaments away ! 

1st level of Gopuram ,ChennaKesava  temple,Belur.

 Well  - I managed the day with multiple charging. The Kodak batteries did fine with their pre-charge plus 2 hours charging in the morning while we had our break-fast and freshened up. But, I had a difficult day. Twice - during lunch-break ( we had just a fruit-juice each) and once more after that, I sought help from the shop-keeper  from whom we bought the Kodak pencil batteries to bail my camera out. ChennaKesava knows what I would have done without help from from this guy !

 Nataraja Siva , with all his attributes and in his full glory, 

dances on a lotus . Ganas, Bhringee and worshipers around . 

Hoysaleswar temple, Halebid.

At Halebid on 12/11, I stayed cautious - and therefore, selective .I  faced 2 'black-outs'. 1st one was when I was about to complete round-one and ready to embark on a 'cover-the-ones I -missed'. I focused on one of the many 'Dwarpals' and it was a black-out ! I borrowed Ruby's Powershot for the time being, completed round-one and returned to hotel for lunch, though with great disappointment.

  'Ananta-sayane Vishnu'. 

Wall -frieze  at Hoysaleswar temple,Halebid. 

Captured in mobile's camera after 1st black-out .

At the Hotel Mayur Shantala , after my hard prayer, power-cut was restored  while lunch was served. At Kedareswar temple, I chose only the best wall-reliefs and friezes for clicking. In any case , scope for photography was limited as the 'Garbhagriha' was shut and the northern face was almost inaccessible with bamboo scaffolding. Here, the black-out came when I aimed my camera at an interesting frieze !

  Nataraj dances on 'Apasmara' - one of my last shots 

at Kedareswar temple,Halebid.

After I reached Mysore on 12th evening, I breathed a sigh of relief  sensing that in a town like this a squre battery will not be difficult to get. Well, I missed my heart-beat, when on the morning of 13/11, 2 shops turned me away.It was the 3rd shop which gave me an equivalent make with at least Rs 300/- premium or 'opportunity profit' !

DOWN MY MEMORY LANE TO HOYSALA TEMPLES

RECOLLECTION OF  BELUR, HALEBID ... AUGUST 1977.......

NOTE - These scanned  1977 photos have been retrieved  from my wife Ruby's album.Please do not copy.

Kedareshar temple (?), Halebid.

UMA-MAHESHASHWARA.

HOYSALESHWAR TEMPLE , HALEBID.

'Those who have  not seen the temple of Belur have not seen one of the finest in India'  : advised me  Pritish Ghosh, an erstwhile colleague of mine in August ,1977, when I was planning our visit to Bangalore, Mysore and Ooty .On his advise, I added Belur, Halebid and Sravanabelgola to my itinerary. The visits were indeed very rewarding. My wife Ruby and I were charmed by the beauty of the bracketed figures of  the main temple of Belur and the wall-reliefs of Hoysaleshwar temple of Halebid.

SIVA AS  NATARAJA ,DANCING ON APASMARA  & BHAIRAVA. 

HOYSALESHWAR TEMPLE , HALEBID.

I am not a person who  remembers small details of a trip decades ago - the smaller impressions are lost. I recollect that we  started from Bangalore early, reached Hassan and Belur around lunch-time and hung around  till sun-set. We reached Halebid  couple of hours after  sun-set. The only food-stall of Halebid was closed for the night and we could not have even  a cup of coffee. Next morning , we started our day early. We reached the temple before eight 8 AM, after a decent break-fast of tea and toasts. The morning was just crisp! There were very few visitors around. And ... the splendour of Hoysala architecture was in front of us , almost taking our breath away.

 SIVA AS NATARAJA. CLEARLY DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE ABOVE. HE IS  DANCING ON A LOTUS , WITH GANAs JOINING HIM IN REVELRY !

HOYSALESHWAR TEMPLE , HALEBID.

Though I carried my SLR  camera and the accompanying lenses with us, I could not locate any photo of Belur temple in our album ! But thankfully, a few photos of Halebid has survived. I have scanned these photos of my 1977 trip . Surely these will  compliment our future collection during the forthcoming trip of November,12.

VAIRAVA

HOYSALESHWAR TEMPLE , HALEBID.

During 1970s, within the 1st few years of our marriage, we visited temples of Puri, Bhubaneswar, Konark, Belur and Halebid. Those days, we  had no formal or informal exposure to temple art , yet, we realised that  temple art of RajaRani temple,Konark and , Belur  and Halebid need re-visits. I recollect  having visited temples of Belur and Halebid 2nd time  during February,2003. I had a day free from official work while on tour in Bangalore which I utilised  in paying a visit to these great sites. But, I had  no camera and could not bring back anything but memory with me.

 A SECTION OF THE FAMOUS STAR OF

HOYSALESHWAR TEMPLE , HALEBID.

 Our February,12 visit to Bhubaneshwar and Konark was really very enjoyable. We had  good amount of time - but, more studies for preparation and thrice the time we spent at each of the temples would have satisfied me.During the coming visit to Karnataka, I would like to return with a good collection from Kedareshwar temple of Halebid and Keshava temple, Somnathpura.

TEMPLES EXTRA-ORDINARY : OUR VISIT TO TEMPLES OF ORISSA - PART -II

IN THE TOWN OF TEMPLES : PARASURAMESWAR TEMPLE

 Parasurameswar temple. 7th century AD.

 Bhubaneswar is a temple- town. Most of the temples are devoted to Siva.It is not him in 'samhara-murthy' - the divine annihilator - whom we find  here at Bhubaneswar. We see him as the divine source of energy of creation, symbolised by his 'linga' piercing the 'yonipatta'. Those who study temple architecture of India believe that Orissan temples' shape  has been developed imitating the shape of 'Siva Linga'  ++.

 'Koti Lingam', North court-yard,Parasurameswar temple.

Said to have 1001 'lingam' inscribed on the shaft.

Saivites of India  have evolved from sub-sects spread across this vast country through centuries and are of  much diverse origins than the followers of other Vedic gods Simply stated, Siva had his worshipers among various communities of  non-Aryans . Numerous tales of his deeds, which contribute to his characteristics and his imageries, have sources  across this vast country, recounted through the ages. Historians of Art have written pages about the same and will continue to do so. I submit here  in przmm.blogspot.com what I little I viewed through the lenses of my camera.

Eight-armed  Nataraja . Ithyphallic.

Partly damaged lower portion depicts torso of Bhringee

and legs of Nandi.

 To appreciate  the iconography of Parasurameswar temple, it is relevant to  understand the  timeline  of Saiva architecture of the centuries of 1st millennium AD * :

• Virupaksha temple, Pattadakal was constructed by Queen Lokamahadevi in 745 AD.
• Kailashanatha temple , Ellora caves was  started by King  Krishna I of Rastrakuta dynasty - his rule was between 757 - 773 AD.
•  Mamallapuram - developed during 7th century AD.
• Parasurameswar temple -  developed during 7th century AD.

 These years are important to understand  what I shall state in the next two paragraphs.

 Parvati embraces Siva as Ravana shakes Kailash.

Unperturbed Siva's right-hand is in 'Abhaya mudra'.

 Parasurameswar temple  is the oldest among the surviving temples of Bhubaneswar. Its style is remarkable. The temple faces the west, its Jagomohan has a second door which is south-facing , the  door to inner sanctum has 'Asta Graha'( Eight Planets) inscribed on it . The ninth planet - Ketu - made its appearance in later-day temples.North-west side of the temple's court-yard has a 'Koti Lingam'** installed.

A close-up of 'Siva-Parvati in Kailash'. Parvati sitting on 

left-thigh of Siva. Siva ithyphallic.

To me . more important is that this temple is iconography. On the western wall of its 'deul', just above the roof of 'Jagomohan', we see Ravana disturbing the union of Siva and Parvati @ Kailasa. There are Ganesa, Kartikeya, Bhringee and other characters around. Siva is unperturbed but Parvati is not. Now - if we refer to the timeline above, we shall find that 'Ravana lifting Kailasa' of Ellora and Pattadakal - so very well-known - have their predecessor here.

 Revelry of Siva  and his followers . 

Top row : Siva dancing. Lower row : Musicians among his followers.

Parvati getting ready for marriage

This temple's eastern wall has a big wall-relief of Kartikeya , on its top the scene of Siva's marriage, thus bringing in the memory of 'Kumarsambhamam' - 'Birth of Kumar (Kartikeya'), written by the famous poet of Gupta era, Kalidasa,  during 4th century AD. The 'energy of creation' - represented by union of Siva and Parvati -  manifests in  their embrace on the west wall and again on the southern wall , in their marriage scene  and Kartikeya on the eastern wall, in 'Koti Lingam' of the court-yard and the shape of the 'deul'.

 

Very elegant wall-relief of Kartikeya.

On the top band, marriage scene  of Siva and Parvati.

Surya and Brahma on right-side of Siva, 

while Himalaya and Menoka flank Parvati.

Parvati snugs close to Siva - ithyphallic.

 Their respective  mounts,bull and lion, are depicted in the wall-relief too.

 The 'Andhakasura' episode of Siva's mythology was prominent on the mind of  the Savite artists of this temple. We find Nataraja and Bhringee on the south and western walls, 'SaptaMatrika' on the Northern wall. There are other 'Parsa Devata' - gods depicted on the outer walls of the temple. But, significant are  : the marriage procession of Siva-Parvati on the west -face of Jagomohan and Siva - Annapurna on on the southern wall of 'deul'.I have not come across any Siva-Annapurna  during my visit to the temples of SriMukhalingam,Aihole and Pattadakal in February'2011 - I consider this wall-relief quite special.

Siva  holds out an empty pot to Annapurna.

NOTES on Sources : 
++1. A Bengali book on ''Mithuna' Iconography by Late Narayan Sanyal

* 2. Quoted from WIKIPEDIA.
**3. 'KOTI LINGAM' -  Literal meaning  - 10 million 'Lingam'. I have been told by the priest of this temple that there are 1001 'lingam' inscribed. According to a source, stones with Buddhist inscriptions have been converted to 'Koti Lingam'. This is, however, is an unverified staement and not meant to offend any religious sentiment.
I have seen another 'KOTI LINGAM' shaft @ Mahakuta (    near Badami) , Karnataka.

IN PURSUIT OF SIVA ICONOGRAPHY - VI

NATARAJA SIVA - 1: THE COSMIC DANCER

- From 'Bichitra', Geetabitan, RabindraNath Tagore

Loosely translated, this means :

Who is dancing on my conciousness all the while !

His steps in perfect rhythm .

Whose percussion plays along with

His steps in perfect rhythm .

Laughter and tears sway on His head like jewels

Good and Evil too vibrate  in tandem

Behind Him, dances Life,dances Death  with

His steps in perfect rhythm .

Joy abundance ! Oh ! with joy abundance

Dances Salvation,dances Binds

I too follow Him in this flow

His steps in perfect rhythm .

I read Kapila Vatsayan's critique on Nataraja in 'Discourse on Siva' and portions of 'Dance of Shiva' by Ananda K. Coomarswamy  a few days ago.Their writings are on 'Chidambaram Nataraja' whereas the ones  I came across in SriMukhalingam, Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal  are very much connected with Siva's dance after he defeated Andhakasura and slayed Gajasura.

One of the most elaborate depiction of Siva's battle with Gajasura and His dance after Gajasura was vanquished. SriMukhalingam temple. 8th century AD. Built by Kamarnava II of Eastern Ganga dynasty of Orissa ( source - WIKIPEDIA - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mukhalingam ) .

 Nataraja' posture is in equilibrium, in direct contrast with that in GajasuraSamharaMurti. Raised hands hold elephant's skin while the lower right hand touches Devi's chin . Nandi is on His left side. Siva as Nataraja and Gajasura SamharaMurti is ithyphallic.  

The twin wall-relief of Nataraja and GajasuraSamharaMurti on the western wall of temple at SriMukhalingam, photos of which I found in  Ann Mary-Gaston's  book and later in Ravi Putlam's photo-stream in flickr.com,  inspired me to undertake the journey  to the land of Saivites during February,2011.We made our plan during 3rd quarter of 2010 and are  thankful to Siva that the trip went according to plan.

Now, back to the subject.The most well-known  Nataraja's imagery  is Chidambaram Nataraja. Through ages, sages and devotees have added to the myth of this manifestation with layers of interpretation. Siva in perfect balance within a ring of fire, one leg on trampled 'Apasmara', the other raised slightly , crescent moon on his matted hair..... Siva is revered in this manifestation through centuries. Yet,  the Nataraja of  Badami,  Aihole, Pattadakal. Lakundi and SriMukhalingam are different from this imagery. The former is very likely connected with Siva's encounter with the sages  at Deodar forest whereas the later with his battle with Andhakasura and Gajasura. The twin wall-reliefs on the western gate of SriMukhalingam's main temple refer to these battles.

Nataraja at the entrance of the Siva's cave at Badami. 534 AD.

His both legs touches the base, Ganesha dances on His left while 

Nandi stands on His right.

Poses of Nataraja's sixteen arms and his posture  form the basics of Bharat-Natyam. 

There is a duality in these imageries.  Siva , aided by 'Sapta-Matrikas' has defeated Andhakasura in a prolonged battle , converted emaciated Andhakasura  to a devotee - Bhringee - and slayed Gajasura. The time now is to rejoice.He was at his fierce manifestation during these battles. He is the greatest master of dancing too - and - now he dances with abandon. The 'Ganas' and 'Pramathas' , his companions, join him in this revelry. Often, Ganesha  too is among these cosmic dancers !

Nataraja Siva at Ravana Phadi ( also known as Ravala Phadi),Aihole.6th century AD.The wall-relief comprises of three panels  - we see two of these in parts.We face ten-armed Nataraja, Devi on His left side, Ganesha on His right. At the far end,on His right-hand side,stand three of the seven Matrikas.  

Another view of the same wall-relief. Devi and three of the seven Matrikas - including  Varahi - 

stand on the left hand side of Nataraja.

While  the cave temples of Badami and Aihole have large wall-reliefs, exquisitely crafted,temples of Pattadakal have  a very large numbers of Nataraja on the front-walls of the same - but   not  so attractive. These are more like motifs , visible to the devotees from a distance .

The Natarajas of SriMukhalingam are very different in nature. While the one with GajasuraSamharaMurti has serene composure, that on one on the alcoves in the Western wall has  fierce expression with his fangs out !

Nataraja in alcove  at SriMukhalingam temple.He touches Devi's chin with His lower left hand.Bhringee  imitates His dance posture. Nandi looks up. Nataraja is ithyphallic.

Siva is the Master of the art of Dance. The story goes that He was disappointed at the quality of a session where Brahma was giving dance lessons. Siva  gave dance lessons to His companion 'Tandu' - the word 'Tandava' was thus came into being. His dance postures are stated to be the starting point of Bharata Natyam - the famous South Indian dance form, appreciated among the elite across India as one of the purest classical form of dance. More on this subject will be discussed in later blogs. I end  this one here, with one photo of  dancing 'Ganas' from Badami caves.   

TALE OF SIVA & ANDHAKASURA - A JOURNEY FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT !

A  STORY OF POWER,LUST AND ……REDEMPTION

  Andhakasura pierced by Siva's trident and held up in the air.

Siva defeated Andhakasura after a prolonged battle,with help of SaptaMatrika.

ANDHAKAUSURA’s lineage  is not clear to me. It is said :

Siva and Parvati were enjoying a very pleasant day at Mandara  parvat.  Parvati  closed the eyes of Siva playfully and darkness descended on the universe. Parvati was perplexed and her palms were  wet with perspiration. As she removed  her hands from the eyes of Siva, the universe emerged out of darkness. Yet, from the droplets of sweat of Parvati that fell on ground, a child was born and he was blind. He was noticed by the divine couple when he roared . 

Siva gave away this blind child to Hiranyaksha, the Daitya king who was childless and was  doing tapas for a son. This child, very much unwanted among the gods, would one day rule the world as Andhakasura.

What do we learn from  the beginning of this story  ? Andhakasura was  perhaps from an unknown lineage whom Parvati did not find  worthy of her compassion and blessing. Did this child have an easy and normal childhood ? The story-tellers have not told us anything about that. We know that Andhakasura  grew to  be a competent warrior, faced jealousy in the palace and did rigorous tapas to earn  attention of Lord Brahma. He asked for a life of victories . And  a life without death. The second part was not granted. Andhakasura was to die when he would try to grab the unattainable.

Andhakasura  conquered the universe. Nothing  wrong in that. Devas were inconvenienced. So what ! The universe belongs to the hero – Devas lost their ’kingdom’  to Daityas and Asuras  on umpteen occasions.

Vishnu , who  vanquished  Andhaka’s foster father  Hiranyaksha and his brother Hiranyakashipu, was not  successful in his battle  against Andhaka. The pendulum  of success in  battle with Devas - the gods – swung in favour of this hero.

At this point, Andhaka committed the error that would ruin his life and throw him into the jaws of death. He went to Mandar with his friends and possibly a pose’ of  soldiers. He heard from his friends about a Yogi and his beautiful wife. His fate , which took Andhaka from a give-away blind child’s position to pinnacle of success, did a volute-face .Andhakasura wanted to possess the beautiful woman of Mandara  – did he know the woman he coveted was Parvati ? Who could have been his mother !

Now, Siva was drawn into a fierce battle against Andhakasura. He , according to one account, had to go for a long tapas to augment his vigour to the level required while  Brahma, Vishnu,Varahamurty, Indra, Kartikeya and Yama  held fort. Siva, on his return from his tapas, joined the battle. But he found killing Andhakasura was not possible as each drop of blood  from his body that fell on the ground gave birth to another  Andhakasura. In this battle, Andhakasura was helped by Shukracharya , the guru of the Daityas.

  Siva stands in the centre of this wall-relief,surrounded by Yogeswari and SaptaMatrikas.He holds  his trident on his right shoulder.A Matrika  bends  herself to drink blood from a 'Kapala' in his left hand. Siva is ithyphallic.Gajasura is seen on  the upper right-side of this relief.Many figures crowd the relief too.

Temple at SriMukhalingam,A.P.*

* NOTE :- This wall-relief, which sets the theme of this great temple, is nearly invisible from the view of the devotees and pilgrims.It is at the centre of the principal temple, just at the merging point of the Mandapa and the Garbhagriha. One needs a binocular to view the details.I shall analyse a blow-up this wall-relief later if I can add more interesting and important details.

Siva then created a Devi by his divine power – Devi Yogeswari – who was joined by Matrikas created by the  warring seven gods. Each of these Matrikas  was identically endowed as the  god she was representing. Yogeswari and the Matrikas would drink each droplet of blood of    Andhakasura, thus stopping him from multiplying.At the same time, Siva subdued Shukracharya too.

 Sapta Matrika. Collection at Museum , Aihole, Karnataka.

Gradually, Andhakasura was cornered. He  could not multiply further and his retinue's strength started getting depleted.Siva , then, struck his final blow. He pierced Andhakasura's chest with his trident and held him up. After ‘a thousand years’ in the suspended position, Andhakasura  realised his mistake and prayed for forgiveness.  Siva blessed him to lead a  reformed life  among the Pramathas and Ganas who accompany Siva. Andhakasura  was rechristened  ‘Bhringee’ and has been depicted as a human with a skeletal form.

Siva dances with Devi on his left and Bhringee - transformed Andhakasura - on his right.Nataraja touches Devi's cheek.Skeletal Bhringee imitates dance pose of Nataraja - watch his 'Gajahasta' posture.Siva is ithyphallic, with Nandi looking upwards.

SriMukhalingam temple,A.P.

Andhakasura’s story is  the story of a tragic hero, of a very successful person of obscure lineage, of lust for unattainable , of persistence against  divine onslaught  and finally, of realisation of his misdeeds and redemption. Perhaps, in another level, the mythological tale is  reminder of darkness  within us, that multiplies to engulf our  wisdom - only a divine intervention , a big conflict brings light back to our mind and life .  Much has not been written about Andhakasura in our mythology , much less from  his view point. If I were Amish Tripathy, I would have written  about Andhaka’s rise , fall and redemption. And his life  as Bhringee – in servitude of his parents-like Siva-Parvati – one of whom he challenged and the other whom he coveted.

 A view of the gallery showing 'Dance of Nataraja' at RavanPhadi,Aihole Karnataka.Here we find three Matrkas placed at right angle of the main wall-relief. Here, we have a limited view of Ganesha,Yogeswari and right knee of Nataraja. Skeletal Bhringee in the corner strikes a pose too with his right hand in 'Gajahasta' posture.

 A lot of what I have narrated  here has come from various sources in the internet. A few questions arose in my mind :

• Did Andhakasura, in the darkest hour of his lust, know  that Parvati was like her mother ?
• Was his attraction for Parvati  laced with Oedipus complex ?
• Did Andhaka have a resentment against her ?
• If Karna and Andhaka would come face-to-face, how would  they relate to each other’s destiny, actions, beliefs and regrets ?