Orissa Review September - 2009

Cult of in Orissa

Dr. H.C.Das

Varahi, one of the Mother , a legends of ' origin, their iconographic manifestation of 64 and the counterpart features, and their role in the religious life. These of - was created to annihilate the record the names of numerous powerful demons like Chanda, Munda, Sumbha, Matrikas. But the seven mothers have been Nisumbha, Raktavirjya accepted universally, and the tripuravijayi supported by the Mahisasura. The iconographic texts. Varahi associated with the The antiquity of the other mothers-, worship of the mother Maheswari, Koumari, goddess is traced from Vaisnavi, and the Indus Valley assisted Civilization (flourished in Ambika in her combat 4th/3rd millennium B.C). against the demons. Since In fact, the worship of Siva she is linked with other and Sakti in the Indus mother goddesses, her Civilization is proved by origin is also associated the archaeological with them. Worship of the treasures unearthed from goddess in her individual excavations at Harappa form has been prevalent in and Mohenjodaro. While Orissa and other parts of speaking about the religion . of the Indus people, Sir

Similar to other Varahi, Samlei Temple, Sonepur John Marshall (the famous gods and goddesses of the archaeologist and pantheon her origin is traced from the excavator of the sites) remarks that Sakti worship Puranas, the last great authority of Indian religion. was of great antiquity in India; it originated out of The Skanda, , Matsya, , the and was closely connected Brahmavaivarta, Devi Bhagabata, Varaha and with the cult of Siva. The continuity of the Sakti Linga Puranas have lucidly narrated interesting cult since then till the beginning of the historic

80 Orissa Review September - 2009 period is attested by the stray finds and excavation Thereafter, the ferocious goddesses started their at Rajghat, Rupar, Kausambi, Pataliputra and in campaign of destroying the whole universe. the south has retrieved remains pertaining to the Having no other alternative to subdue the Sakti cult. The epics particularly the goddesses Siva prayed to Narasimha who highlighted the Sakta principle. appeared instantly with his claws besmeared with The two , one chanted by the blood of Hiranyakasipu, his tongue flapping Judhisthira and the other by Arjuna in the form of out like the spark of electricity, with the formidable eulogy are considered basically the genesis of fangs sparkling like a thousand Sun. He created Mahadevi-Durga manifestation, which was fully 32 Matrikas who were more terrible than the reflected in the Puranas and Upa-Puranas. On goddesses created by Siva. The earlier mothers the basis of iconographic conception as recorded asked to stay in different parts of the world and in the Puranas, the manifestations of Sakti were look after the human beings and animals as their carved in sculptures and worshipped in the children. This indicates various manifestations of temples. the Sakti conceived iconographically and were Of the numerous Puranic legends, I touch propitiated. To highlight each of them Upa- upon in short, a few of them to signify the Puranas and interesting legends were composed. importance of the Sakti in different forms. The It is pertinent to note that the Matrikas Makandeya Purana (compiled in the 4th century were created as the war goddesses iconic forms. A.D.) relates that the Matrikas were created by They are seated at ease either in Lalita or , Vishnu, Siva, , etc. to Yogasana, associated each with a child on the fight the demons as the assistants of the Mahadevi- lap (except Chamunda who is seated in Durga. Particularly the demons like Chanda, Rajalilasana) and flanked below by their Munda and Raktavirjya were endowed with respective . They bear forms and quality of multiplying into demons equal to cognisances of their male counterparts. themselves in strength and prowess no sooner According to the Markandeya Purana these are their drops of blood oozed out from the wounds the female counterparts who are armed with the touched the ground. To kill the demon same weapons, wear the same ornaments, and Raktavirjya, Siva created from his energy the ride the same vahanas and carry the same banners goddess Yogeswari and similarly the other major as the corresponding male gods do. Accordingly gods created Saktis from their energies. It was Brahmani should be sculpted like Brahma, with the assistance of the Matrikas Mahadeva Maheswari like Maheswara, Vaisnavi like Vishnu, was able to kill the demon Raktavirjya. This story Varahi a short-statured women with the face of a is recorded in different forms in other Puranas. boar (like Varaha-Vishnu ), Indrani like Indra, The account of the Matsya Purana runs that when Koumari like Kumara (Kartikeya) and Siva discharged his Pasupata weapon against Chamunda created from the 3rd eye of Mahadevi Andhaka demon, numerous demons of similar represents a skeleton in appearance-flesh dried stature sprang up from the drops of blood gushing up, bones and sinews shown through the dried out of his body. In order to assist him in the combat skin, eyes sunken and abdomen contracted, with Siva created as many as 132 goddesses of hairs shooting upwards in the shape of flames tied formidable countenance, who drank all the bloods with snakes, with the tongue and teeth protruding of the demon finally killing him in the battle ground. out, wearing a garland of skulls, and a tiger skin,

81 Orissa Review September - 2009 sitting on a deadbody flanked by an owl or vulture evidences prove the prevalence of in and jackals drinking blood dropping from the Orissa from the Gupta period, Viraja being the severed head of the demon. earliest Sakti goddess (in Mahisasuramardini According to the iconographic fearures form). The earliest group of Sapta Matrikas is Varahi has the face of boar and colour of the storm sculpted in the Parasurameswar temple (7th cloud. She wears on her head a karandamukuta century A.D) of . The images here amd is adorned with ornaments made of corals. are seated in Yogasana flanked by Ganesa and She weilds the hala (plough ) and the sakti and . The next in order of chronology is seated under a kalpa tree. Her as well comes Matrikas of Vaital temple (8th century as the emblem on her banner is the elephant. To A.D). Here the images beautifully sculpted bearing this description Vishnudharmottara adds that the art tradition of the Bhaumakaras. They are all she has a big belly. According to this authority seated in ease in Yogasana. They are not she has six hands, in four of which she carries the associated with the child. Chamunda is the danda, khadga, khetaka and pasa. The two presiding goddess locally known as Kapali. Dr. remaining hands being held respectively in abhaya K.C.Panigrahi referring to the grim atmosphere and varada poses. The Purvakarmagama created in the dark cella of Khakhara (Vaital) relates that she carries the saranga dhanu, the temple and a stone yupa in front of the temple hala and the musala as her weapons. suggests the prevalence of Kapalika form of Leaving aside the iconographical worship in the temple. Chamunda was the references we have the archaeological treasures presiding goddess of the Kapalika sect of Saivism. of the Matrikas from the Gupta perod. The It is interesting to note that in Orissa a separate Gangadhar stone inscription of Kumara Gupta order of temple known as the Khakhara was speaks of the Matrikas. In the chronological erected in honour of a form of the Sakta deity. sequence the inscription of the early Chalukya The Vaital shrine is the earliest shrine of this order. ruler, we come across the names of seven We have in Orissa as many as thirteen extant mothers. The Matrikas appeared in the sculptural Khakhara temples in different stages of representation throughout India. In the succeeding preservation. No male deity was ever enshrined period the Sakti cult became so prominent that in such temple. We have a separate Silpasastra in the Mothers appeared in the mainstream of Indian regard to this type of temple along with the religion in some form or other. temples of Rekha and Pidha order. Orissa became a prominent centre of Varahi in the group of Matrikas in the Saktism in Eastern India. According to the Vaital temple is a sow-faced deity holding a fish Hevajra , the Sakta-Tantrism flourished and an exe in her two hands. She may be identified in four major centers of India-Uddiyana (Orissa), as Matsya Varahi. The ceiling of the Mukteswar Purnagiri, Kamarupa and . The Kalika temple( C. 10th century A.D) contains a set of Purana (11th century A.D.) emphasizes that the Saptamatrikas on an eight-petalled lotus, each first Brahmanical tantric pitha in India originated petal having a Matrika. For the first time here and developed in Odra Desa (Orissa), the we find the association of a child each (except presiding deities of which were Jagannatha and Chamunda). Child was perhaps associated with the goddess . The archaeological the mother from about 10th century onwards. All

82 Orissa Review September - 2009 other Matrikas set to be discussed in the In the door lintel (now detached) of the succeeding pages are linked with children. Durga temple at Shergarh in the district of Contemporary to this group there is a set Balasore we come across in miniature form a set of Saptamatrikas on the edge of the of Saptamatrikas flanked by Ganesa and Markandesvara tank in town (assignable to Virabhadra. The temple is of Khakhara order the Somavamsi period) and the Saptamatrikas assignable to 9th century A.D. A set of dancing of Sathalpur near Jagatsinghpur town. Facing to Saptamatrikas is engraved in relief form in a part the temple is enshrined a beautiful image of of the door jamb now preserved in the Balasore Ajaikapada in a separate structure Museum. The workmanship of the images is of signifying the tantric aspect of the Matrikas. The low order indicating their execution in a period of association of Bhairava with the Matrikas decadence. reminds us of the concept of Sakta Pithas. There Yoginis are basically the Matrikas. The is a set of Saptamatrikas in the front façade of 64 temples at Hirapur near Balkati and at the Simhanath temple near Vaideswar (in Cuttack Ranipur Jharial in Balangir district contain the district) on the river Mahanadi. Here the images of some Matrikas. The above survey Matrikas on the door jamb flanked on either side relates the prevalence of the cult of Saptamatrikas by Ganga and is a novel feature in Orissan in Orissa. Of the seven Matrikas, Varahi and architecture. The Saptamatrikas of Khiching in Chamunda became very popular in Orissa as their the district of Mayurbhanj are beautiful pieces of individual manifestations are found in different art of the Bhanjas. Chamunda of the Matrika places. group is worshipped as Kichakesvari, the tutelary A life-size image of Varahi (6 ft. 1 in. high deity of the Bhanjas. The other Matrikas are and 2 ft. 9 in. wide) is enshrined in the temple of preserved in the Khiching museum. At Belkhandi her name at Chaurasi in Prachi valley. She is in in the district of Kalahandi there is a group of perfect state of preservation. Seated in lalitasana Saptamatrikas (only lower portions are available) on a cushion placed on a plain legged seat with belonging to the early Somavamsis ruling from her hanging right leg resting on a life-like crouchant Sirpur (now in Chhattisgarh). buffalo, the figure holds in her right hand a fish The Orissa State Museum preserves four and in the left a blood-cup. Decked in finger rings, beautiful Matrikas from Dharmasala. From the point anklets, valayas, armlets, two kinds of necklace, of view of artistic imagery these are the best images large ear studs and a tiara over the hair which so far discovered from Orissa. These images may rises upwards in spiral coils, the three-eyed deity be assigned to the late Somavamsis or the Gangas. is pot-bellied and is clad in a dhoti. The plain Similar in style and workmanship are the two sets halo is oval, and the back side of the figure is cut of Matrikas at Jajpur. The Matrikas of colossal out of the oblong back-slab. The temple enshrining stature kept in the compound of S.D.O's residence the image of Varahi comes in the order of are by far the biggest sculptures of this order in Khakhara and bears resemblance to the Gouri India. In broken stage they look terrific, but elegant. temple at Bhubaneswar. On stylistic ground the Another group of Matrikas (seven) is enshrined in temple and the image are assignable to the early a modern structure on the Dasasvamedha ghat on part of 10th century A.D. In the Jagamohana of the Vaitarani. the temple are seen two loose sculptures of Varahi

83 Orissa Review September - 2009 seated in Maharajalilasana, having a skull cup People of the locality were not aware of them. and a fish in two hands. The other is four armed The deities while wandering in the forest thought holding in the lower left a skull cup, in the upper the way to receive homage from the people. They left a rosary, a water-pot in the lower right ( upper caused blazing fire in the jungle at night. People left broken) associated with the mount buffalo and were terrified to see such unusual fire continued kneeling devotee. These two images were for days together. The Raja of Kanika was probably enshrined in some other temples in the informed of the happening. At last under the orders locality. of the king the jungle was cleared. Surprisingly An image of Varahi (3 ' 6 " by 2 ' 2 '') in the fire extinguished. The goddesses told the king chlorite stone, two armed, seated in in a dream to worship them. A temple was Maharajalilasana holding a fish and a wine cup constructed and worship was introduced. is enshrined in a modern temple in the village, However, this is a very important Sakta-tantric Bonchuo in Anandapur Sub-Division of Keonjhar centre of Orissa. district. She is worshipped as a pitha devi and is An image of Varahi (two armed holding considered as important as Tarini of Ghatagaon. a fish and a wine cup) is worshipped in Balisahi A colossal sculpture of Varahi (in broken state of Puri town. Her workmanship is bold and measuring 8 ft. in height) at Narendrapur of similar in style to that of Varahi of Chaurasi. Bhadrak district is the biggest image in Orissa. The above survey reveals that Varahi not Narendrapur of Bhadrak district is famous for only flourished with the Saptamatrikas and 64 Patani Mangala who is enshrined in a modern Yoginis but also rose to eminence as an temple built by the Raja of Kanika. independent cult. Most of the individual images Orissa has the distinction of having a of Varahi were carved and installed during the shrine of Panchavarahi at Satbhaya. Out of five Bhauma cultural epoch (736-940 A.D.). This cult one is lost and is replaced by an image of some alongwith other Sakta-tantric cults developed with other goddess. All the existing four images are of the spread of Tantrism. It was during the Bhauma the same stature, seated in Rajalilasana holding period Saivism, Saktism and Buddhism were a skull-cup and a fish each. Stylistically these amalgamated with tantrism resulting in creation sculptures are assigned to C. 11th century A.D. of gods and goddesses of tantric character based J.N. Banerjee is of opinion that the cult of on the . Panchavarahi flourished only in Orissa as no other such shrine is seen anywhere in India. The images are locally named as Batakumari, Panchurai, Vimalai, Kamalai and Janjali. This shrine has no history but is associated with a legend. Initially Plot No.- 4918, the goddesses acted as the protectress of the Tankapani Road, forest clad area in the previous Kanika state. Bhubaneswar-751014

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