TERRA COTTA TEMPLES OF BENGAL - VIII

RECALLING OUR VISIT TO SRIBATI

 The ' Three Temples' - Trimandir - of Shiva.

 Among all the terra cotta temples we have visited , the three Shiva temples  of Sribati hold a special place in my heart. When we visited  Sribati in February of 2010, these three temples were managed without Government aid. The villagers  we talked to did regret this indifference , yet were proud that they kept the site clean, arranged for a floodlight - view it atop the Panchratna temple @ the centre - to protect the cluster against vandalism. 

The Octagonal Temple  on our right.

Inset - Insignia of Lion ( ?) - reminded me of Yali of South India !

'MrityuLata', 'Triumvirate' and other gods , KrsnaLeela, a study of  head-gears and dresses. Wonderful vegetal art too.

The site has been maintained carefully for years. I have seen in a photograph taken by Amitabha Gupta during his September,2014 visit , the site was clean as ever. The stack of hay on the left side of the photo taken by me was no longer there.

মানভঞ্জন -  Husband coaxing wife . A bedroom scene.

                        ( Drama -1)

    Drama between an European woman and 

a reluctant Indian male while his wife dozes off.

                                (Drama -2)

                                                   Beauties and the Saint

                                  (Drama -3)

These temples were built by Chandras , a family of traders, during  nineteenth century. Tucked away from  a main road by at least 15/20 minutes drive , a slightly arduous journey to Sribati - these temples would reward travelers handsomely who visit temples for aesthetics and photography.

Kartikeya in battlefield with Asura-s.

The artists and artisans who worked over here have packed the walls with scenes from Epic and Purana, social scenes full of drama , 'MrityuLata', art of grotesque, armed men, figures with different types of head gears and superior vegetal and ornamental  motifs . A visit here is a photographer's delight . Unfortunately, we had less than two hours of afternoon sun. Several portions of the octagonal 'Deul' on our right-hand was somewhat dark . During 2010, we did not possess a DSLR either. Serious photographers should have at least three hours  for photography & noting.

           'Mrityulata' and vegetal/ornamental art.

Chains of human faces, figures and art of Grotesque.

Special mention need be mentioned of social scenes and art of grotesque. These are what elevate this cluster from many 'Me-Too' wall-reliefs of terra cotta temples.

I share here a few samples of the wide variety of  art displayed on the wall-reliefs.  Surely, visitors to my page will enjoy the same. For those who want to visit Sribati, a few note on logistics :

• By train, reach Katwa. Stay in a hotel, if traveling in the evening. Next morning,  travel to Kurchi More by bus & change to reach Sribati Singhi More.
• By car from Kolkata,  follow the route to Katwa till Kurchi More. Take a turn towards Sribati. Stay watchful about bumps.

   

                                             

As she peeps out of the window !

DURGAPUJA OF "BARISHA UDAYAN PALLY" - 2012 & 2013

MOTIF OF SPIRAL,SKY & THE FALLEN IN TARUN DE'S ART

 

Desert cactus green 'Vasudhara' -

Gate of  2012 pandal of Behala Udayan Sangha.

Motif of tall green robust leaf-like structure rising upwards . 

Spectators enters the 'Gabhagriha' through this structure.

 

Devi was depicted to be in motion in 2012 .

Her path is strewn with lotus . 

Kartick and Saraswati on her  left .

Twister-like spiral stretches from sky to ground level. 

Devi  positioned midway,her children below her level . 

Mahishasura is  at  lower-most level of this twister/spiral. 

Hint of Maslow's triangle ?

Tarun De's style is subtle - not loud at all.Both in Iconography as well as in his installations. Our 1st exposure to Tarun dey's work was through a journalist friend of mine who advised me in 2012 not to miss the Puja pandal of  'Behala Udayan Sangha'. So, we were there on the Panchami night  and were just 'floored'. This year, we were not in need of a reminder. Again, we were there  on the night of Panchami, before the crowd took over.

   Challenge of  Devi's Iconography . 

Tarun De  created completely different facial expression, 

without alteration of setting of eyes, his signature mark  .

 The spirit of  Tarun De's set-up works along a vertical alignment. Sky above. Earth below. The connection can be a spiral. Abuse of nature can be a part of his display. In 2012, the idols exuded a tremendous momentum, as if sliding down a twister-shaped  spiral. In 2013, Devi is standing still.  Same big eyes, yet, her 'dristi' so very different.

In 2012, Taun De allowed  the visitors a view of Devi from the  gate itself.Through slightly slant tall green-panted structure. In 2013, he constructed a hemi-spherical  dome in-between . The exterior is brightly lit,with animals' motif in dark shadows. Inside,  he positioned a   spiral on a cylindrical body under a luminous  figure-filled 'sky'. The photos here are eloquent - I do not have to write many words to explain every bit.

 

In 2013, Tarun De presents a slightly tapering shaft with a spiral 'path' winding up to reach the sky above, placed in a space with hemi-spherical top

equivalent to 'mandapa'  of a Hindu temple .

( Nataraja , creepers and stars adorn the shaft. Inset - Walking up the spiral)

The point here is , when we take photos, the blog is not planned in my mind simultaneously. What attracts notice is captured in the camera. Later,  bits and pieces are stitched together in my mind . As if a clutch of photos will give the viewer a taste of the whole. That  never happens . Somewhere I read, when the scribbler whistles, he hears the music in totality. Likewise, when I copy+paste the photos, I  visualise the pandals  in totality. All that I can convey to the readers is my impression about the artist's work. And... my regret that  we were not attentive enough while making our observation while clicking photos.

Pardon me for all I have missed. And, ... you ... please do not miss Tarun Dey's work in 2014, if you are in Calcutta next Durga puja.

Entrance of 2013 Pandal. 

In front, an abstract shape  reminds us of power of 'trishul' and aspiration  of  a  bird's wings. A hemi-spherical 'mandapam' with bright lights and interspersed shadows lies beyond.

 Yet another view of the spiral inside the 'mandapam'.

A battle-scene on the hemi-sphere of the 'mandapam'.

 Devi rests in a 'sthanaka' posture after Mahishasura is vanquished. 

Her eyes and feet express the tension of the battle between her and the demon which has just ended.

 

 Mahishasura  out-of-balance .

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.

BIRTH OF KARTTIKEYA - THE SLAYER OF TARAKASURA

THE TALE AS TOLD BY VEDAVYASA IN 'MAHABHARATA' 

NOTE : Those, who worship Siva as an ascetic Yogi, or are below 18 years age, are requested to stay away from this blog. 

'

Kartick joins Devi Durga while she is busy slaying Mahisasura.

His peacock is on his right side. 

Kartik the Lord of war arrives in Bengal twice every year - during the days of Autumn festival. He accompanies Devi Durgaa  and again return alone on the last day of the month of 'Kartik' for one day/night. We know him as  the youngest among Hindu gods - a very handsome god who rides an equally handsome bird - a peacock.

When one delves deeper into the mythology of Kartikeya , one learns about his  valour - his defeating Tarakasura who struck terror among gods for years together and  the  complex story of his birth where Siva and Parvati - the most powerful celestial couple in Hindu mythology, Agni, Ganga and the gods played crucial roles. When we follow this tale , we need remember that Hindu mythology is built with layers of allegory and story-tellers from various  sects  colour these tales  with their very own beliefs .

Our story - as told by Bhishma from his bed of arrows to Yudhistir in eighty third chapter of 'Anushasana Parva' in Mahabharata - begins when we find Siva and Parvati , having  traversed a long path filled with death, destruction, long and harsh years of  very severe Yogic meditation,  reached the point where they could enjoy  their conjugal life.

 Siva embraces Parvati while they relax and enjoy in company of Siva's followers - 'Ganas'.

Virupaksha temple, Pattadakal.

As we all know,the beginning of their conjugal life was fraught with distabilisation  by Ravana, whom Siva punished severely through prolonged imprisonment and then, a prolonged battle with Andhakasura. Andhaka was born in Kailasha .Parvati had so severe disliking for the new-born that Siva gave the infant away to Hiranyaksha for adoption. The adopted Asura , when grown up , became an invincible warrior. He blundered by coveting Parvati .Siva got engaged in a fierce and long  battle with Andhakasura and his companion Gajasura. The later was killed and Andhakasura was subjugated - converted to an ardent devotee of Siva , known as 'Bhringee'.*1

 RavanaDamanaMurti of Siva.Parvati clings to Siva as Ravana upsets her and inhabitants of Mountain Kailasha .

Siva punishes Ravana  holding him a prisoner under this hill for years.

Virupaksha temple, Pattadakal.

When all these  were matter of the past, Siva - who is called 'Hiranyaretah' and 'Mahabeeja' *2, the god with golden  and powerful seeds - and Parvati - the Mother of the Universe and embodiment of  'Shakti',i.e. Power -   were engaged  in Divine union, secluded in their heavenly abode. This was when  they heard the wail of the gods from outside :

' Oh Lord of the Gods!

Withhold - oh please do withhold

Shedding your seeds so Powerful !

You are the Super Yogi ! So is Parvati !

We  are so very afraid

You two together  will give birth

To such Power and Strength 

That  would vanquish us - the gods,

Oh ! His * power would not be contained in the Universe -

Alas! All will be singed !'

 Gods outside the abode of Siva -Parvati.

Virupaksha temple, Pattadakal.

Siva was moved by this appeal . He withheld his ejaculation through his power of  Yoga . When he withdrew, his semen spilled  outside Parvati's womb . His Yogic power has been hailed by his devotees when they address him as 'Urddhalinga' - Ithyphallic' - and 'Urddharetah' *2- in control of ejaculation.

I

Ithyphallic Siva.

SriMukhalingam temple.A.P.

Thus interrupted ,Parvati was furious with the gods assembled outside . Deprived of motherhood of Siva's child, she cursed them that they would not give birth to children in future*3. Agni was not present this gathering of gods - so he was not affected by this curse. Siva's spilled semen was collected by Agni which grew within  him *4 .

 Kartikeya on his peacock - he is placed in the gallery of Durga in 5th Century AD.

Siva Gallery, Cave temple at Badami.

Gods were faced with a great dilemma - they needed Siva's progeny to defeat Tarakasura. Very much scared of Parvati, Agni was then in hiding - first within water and then atop an 'Ashwaththa' tree. Gods chased and  hounded out Agni and coaxed him, who had Siva's seeds within him, to father a son in union with Ganga. Agni and Ganga complied  and the gods started waiting eagerly for the birth of the child growing within Ganga.

Ganga  found after a while that she would not be able bear the growing child within her for long . She gave birth to the future Lord of the war - prematurely - on mountain Sumeru . She described the child  to Agni as an infant  with  countenance as bright as that of the Sun, the Moon and Agni, with fragrance of Neolamarckia Cadamba flower and cool like water of a lotus-filled  pond ! With the flow of the river, the infant reached a water-body filled with weeds where he was nursed by six 'Kritikas'. Thus, he developed six heads.

 Siva blesses Kartikeya as he proceeds with his army to fight Tarakasura. 

Kartikeya clutches 'Shakti' in his right hand which has striking similarity with Siva's trident.

SriMukhalingam temple.A.P.

Soon, he grew to be a great warrior god and led an army to kill Tarakasura by an infallible weapon called  'Shakti'. He restored rule of the Heaven to the gods and Indra got back his throne after long years.

 Felicitation of Kartikeya .He sits relaxed and smiling, sans his weapons, in 'lalitasana' as celestial dancers celebrate his victory over Asuras. On top of the alcove, we find Siva-Parvati, 

together with Ganesha,Kartikeya, Ganas and Bhringee.

Someshwara temple,SriMukhalingam,A.P.

The name "Kartikeya' connects him to the 'Kritikas' who nursed him when he was an in infant.His other name "Skanda' connects him to Siva as 'Skanda' means spilling ( in this case ,that of  Siva's seeds ). He is also known as 'Devasenapati', meaning the leader of celestial army as well as husband of Devasena.He is widely worshiped as Lord Murugan in South India and as Katragama Deviyo in Ceylone. The word 'Katragama' comes from 'Karthikamam' . He is worshiped in a few other South Asian countries too.

 Kartikeya on a 'Torana' - a gate - among ruins

among ruins @ Vadnagar,Gujarat.

NOTES :

• One of the meanings of the word 'Skanda' is 'spilling'. If we refer to : http://bhagavata.org/downloads/SanskritDictionary.html , we shall find '
  skanda = a name of Kartikeya, god of war
  skanda = m. anything which jumps or hops (in {tRNa-skanda4}, `" grasshopper "'N. of a man) RV.; spurting, effusing, effusion, spilling, shedding (cf. {a4} and {ghraNa-sk-}); perishing, destruction Gît.; quick-silver L.; `" Attacker "'N. of Kârttikeya (q.v., son of S'iva or of Agni; he is called god of war as leader of S'iva's hosts against the enemies of the gods [1256,2]; 
•  *1 :Please read about the battle between Siva and Andhaksura in http://przmm.blogspot.com/2011/03/tale-of-siva-andhakaura-journey-from.html.
• *2 - Both the ascetic and erotic imagery of Siva is explicitly stated in  'Thousand Salutation to Siva' by Upamanyu, in presence of Vasudeva Krsna. Please refer to thirteenth chapter of   'Anushasana Parva' in Mahabharata.
• *3 - Gods had many sons - I do not understand if our scripture writers had any gender bias - among non-celestial. Pandavas and Hanumana are the most famous among them.
• *4 - If Agni was not among the group of gods outside the abode of Siva-Parvati, how did he collect the spilled seeds of Siva ?