A hidden civilization

 The Vijayanagara rulers, who at a period, ruled the world’s second largest empire, took to the construction of giant granite temples with towering gopuras, to mark their piety and to sanctify their powers; these concentric walled structures would come to define South Indian temple architecture in the future.

It is in one such temple, located in a quaint town in the Deccan plateau, that our mind takes us now. Our structure of interest is situated upon a hillock, overlooking a pond, overrun by algae, the pristine water still reflecting days of a grandeur past. There are boulders upon the hillock upon which monkeys, the kinsmen of Ananjeya play, their hard granite merging with that of the temple walls with their fading red and white paint. The complex is dedicated to Vishnu, a patron deity of the later Vijayanagara emperors, and is massive with a multi-towered gopuram facing north.

Stucco and granite depictions of Puranic stories - the lifting Govardhana, the crossing over to Lanka, the death of Vali - adorn the tower structure. The faces are half decayed with the currents of time, that magnificent weapon in the hands of death, that eats away at youth, turning the lover’s collyrium into the wrinkles of widowhood. The sacred feet of Vishnu, inscribed along with the discus Sudarshana, and the conch Panchachanya adorn the gateway.

The little Telugu children, smelling of pastoral life, cut across, in their games, an adolescent priest wearing the sacred marks of a Vaishnava, a devotee of Vishnu, as well as his sacred thread. He climbs atop the giant stone stairs to reach the sanctum of the presiding deity. Directly across, is the shrine of Garuda, the winged mount of Vishnu, whose eyes appear to reflect the sacred flame in the hands of priest, now inside the Sanctum Santorum, and with-it memories of thousand such offerings in the years past. The flame, representing transformative energy was first used in Yajnas, Vedic fire sacrifices. Later, in the period of synthesis and temple culture, it came to be waved in front of the icon in the dark Garba Griha, as a means to lighten the living presence within ourselves, a reflection of that within the temple. The children stop to watch this display of color with innocent earnest, that which was witnessed by princely governors and foreign travelers centuries ago.

The deity – Sri Venkatanarayana - is 12 feet tall, adorned with a majestic crown, flower like eyes, a bountiful smile and small dimple above the chin. His arms are muscular and hold the Panchajanya, Sudarshana, Kaumodaki, his mace, and a Pushpa, a lotus. His chest is even broader, giving way to that splendid navel, that birthed Brahma, the entity of creation and the Vedas. A wild Tulasi garland adorns his stout neck, its tip touches the top of his brass belt that holds together his Earthen yellow lower garland. His feet are kept as a ‘V’, ever wanting to touch his devotees’ head. The ceremonial sandal crown, the Satakopam, is brought and the senior priest is anointed by it. He is then served some Tulasi leaves, and some sanctified water, Teertha. The left overs are placed on a plank nearby - The processional deities which used to adorn that fortunate wooden object, were taken off by the State Museum department, decades ago, in the name of safeguarding.

Perpendicular, is the shrine of Lakshmi, literally she of the lakhs, signifying the exalted adornment of the supreme state - the consort of Vishnu, whose Sanctum smells of Kumkum; she is draped in a silk -cotton saree with a silver zari or border lining, and holds one hand upward, and the other downward, signifying protection, Abhaya, and boon provision, Varada, respectively. Her ears are like the Sanskrit letter Sri, and she is decked with old jewelry, gifted by the later Zamindars – a silver nose ring, a Jade studded necklace, brass bangles and anklets and a silver toe ring.  her look is he of benevolence for the world, and love for Vishnu. One wonders how many marriages where fixed here, how many farmers poured in Bajra and Sorghum in the offering tank and how many cried for their Divine Mother’s grace in this very spot.

In between the shrines, is the Maha Mantapa, a hall with a hundred pillars and has but a few old clay lamps with some ghee, emitting the odor of burnt wick. It was here that centuries ago Devadasis, temple girls married to the deity, must have spent their hours dancing the Kuchipudi and singing, poems and songs in numerous tongues. The walls of the Maha Mantapa’s pillars are rife with imagery - those of Saints, characters from epics, as well as village life scenery.

Climbing down from the staircase, the sole caretaker, an old woman in a cotton saree carrying a broom stick climbs down. She circumambulates around the temple, sweeping but failing to clear the inconvenient cobwebs, witness to the slow changes around them. She crosses the shrines of Rama’s family - Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Hanuman and Gopalakrishna, situated at the Eastern and Western corners respectively; accumulating through her service, spiritual merit, in this sanctum where Vishnu is said to have taught a Vijayanagara princess the 64 arts. In the Southern corner, directly behind the main complex is a smaller Gopura, closed with a grill gate. The shade from the shadow of the Vimanas towering above the shrines of Vishnu and Lakshmi, almost signifying the protectiveness of the Supreme Being.

Inside, the lone priests ring the temple bell to a guarded clang, close the shines with an embellished curtain, and kneel before the brass flag post, the Dwajastambha, situated at the entrance. Reflected of the brass, the midday Deccani sun spares none. That sun which rose and set crores of times in the history of Andhra, watching the rise and fall of Vijayanagara, the rule of the British, and the declaration of independence - that Supreme Sun, which is the source of the incarnate Vishnu inside, and whose rays, form the trajectories of birds, failing to be shrouded by passing clouds, amidst the light blue sky.

Closing the giant main doors the twin priests and their retinue – the caretaker and the children, cross the Goshala now having but one old cow and its calf, and similarly, lock the shrine of Narasimha the man-lion, patron god of the Telugus. A tiny Mynah bird, flies of the roof of this small shrine, and cuts across the statue of Nammazhwar, the Tamil poet saint in the gopura; termed one of the greatest poets in history by none other than Sri Aurobindo himself. The bird nests across the scroll in the poet’s hand, in commemoration of his ever waiting to hear the recitation of the Tamil Prabhandas, the Telugu Kavyas in the premises. Azwar is a title given to twelve Vaishnava Tamil poet-saints. Tamil Nadu was the state where the Bhakthi movement, that glorified loving devotion over ritual sacrament, finds its origin; and while Nammazhwar is touted as the head of the South Indian Vaishnavas, a special place is given to Andal, the only female amongst the Azhwars. Her collection of love poetry, dedicated to that Supreme being, Vishnu, draws from Tamil Sangam and Sanskrit themes.

Temple records hold that the dilapidated stone structure the Eastern ramparts of this fort like temple, was a shrine consecrated for Andal. Why it stands neglected has no single answer - the Nationalists allege that it was destroyed in the many wars fought with Muslim Kings, the Environmentalists hold that the devastation was due to an Earthquake, but the archeologists press that no repairs should be carried out, in order to preserve national heritage. Legend holds that Amuktamalyada, the Telugu epic poem by the Kannada king, Krishnadevaraya, the greatest star in the Vijayanagara Dynasty, which speaks about Andal’s story was recited during the month of Danurmasa, not a month unto itself in the Telugu country that follows a Lunar calendar, but is one in Tamil country which is the spiritual birthplace of much of India, where it is celebrated as Margazhi. 

And so, an empty shrine of the introverted Tamil maiden elevated to a Goddess by great kings, watches in melancholy and joy, amidst the cry of children and the wing of pairs of lore birds with pearl like wings. But, while the wheel of time cannot be stopped, for it moves slowly but surely with Yama’s Buffalo, poetry and inward meditation take us to realms supreme - across the ravages of time and rise and fall of empires. It is verily a civilization spoken about by the sings of a women farmer folk and the rustling of leaves, the flutter of the wings of doves and poignant sea rains - a civilization beyond temporary civility.

 

Glossary

Garba Griha – Sanctum Sanctorum – inner shrine

Tulasi - Holy Basil

Kumkum - vermillion

Vimana – a tower above the main sancta

Nammazhwar – Satakopa in Sanskrit, whose reception of divine grace, is replicated through the Satakopam, the sandal crown