Gadhegāls from Goa, India Harshada D. Wirkud 1 1. Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, Yerwada, Pune‐ 411 006, Maharashtra, India (Email: [email protected]) Received: 30 August 2017; Revised: 09 October 2017; Accepted: 04 November 2017 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 5 (2017): 201‐211 Abstract: Gadhegals/Gadhegāls, a unique type of land or such grant stones, generally, are inscription (inclusive of the Gadhhegāli i.e. the ass curse) bearing stones with a sculptural panel depicting sodomitic copulation between a donkey and a woman. It is from this panel that they are termed as Gadhegals (Gadhe: Donkey and Gal: Stone).Thus, Gadhegāl Stambha or simply Gadhegals are prepared, mostly unifaced stone pillars or blocks either dressed or undressed usually with three panel divisions, with one panel informing readers about the gift/donation made by a King/Ruler to a Brahmin or such worthy person/s and imprecatory verses cursing the person who dares oppose that which has been informed on the pillar, a typical scene of bestiality depicted in another panel and a sacred Kalaśa panel with sun and moon symbols denoting eternity. The depictive panel which pictorially represents the curse in toto, is perhaps a phenomena observed for the first time in case of direct correlation with the inscription. Gadhegāls of such description have been found mainly in Maharashtra and also from various others states namely Gujarat, Hyderabad, Bihar, Goa etc though with variations. In this paper the author will be discussing instances of Gadhegāls from the state of Goa namely from temple complexes and museums in colligation to the art historical details, stylistic variations and similarities with those from Maharashtra. Their provenance and other pertinent details will also be discussed. Keywords: Gadhegal, Ass‐curse Steles, Maharashtra, Goa, Museum, Nagueshi, Zarme Introduction The state of Goa surrounded by Maharashtra in North, Karnataka in the east and south along with the Arabian Sea in the west, has derived cultural influences from both Maharashtra and Karnataka throughout the ages. The various dynasties which ruled the state of Goa up until the Portuguese period have also helped shape up Goa as we now know though maintaining its own identity and individuality. Several scholars, researchers and explorers have helped in establishing the antiquity of Goa and brought to light many evidences in the form of iconography, architecture, sculptures as well as literary and epigraphical sources. All these play an important role in rational understanding of the socio‐economic, religious, literary and cultural history of the period and their influence if any on the current scenario. One such extant source is the corpus of Gadhegāls/Ass‐curse steles. ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 5: 2017 The Gadhegāls are grant bearing (sometimes stating laws); generally standalone; three panelled stone steles with a curse inscribed for the miscreants who oppose or disputes the express grant and or law. The curse is explicit in the sculptural panel that follows the inscription. The curse inscribed along with the grant states that as a punishment the miscreant’s mother will be copulated with a donkey and this is depicted in toto in the graphic panel though not essentially always. The first panel consists of sacred Kalaśa sun and moon which denote sanctity and eternity (of the grant). Many a times there are images like a Shivalinga or an ascetic or some religious or such icons denoting the faith of the donor. There are also instances where only inscription is present sans the depiction, the other way holds true too. In case of Gadhegāls with only the depiction may have been like bespeaks. We have certain Gadhegāls where only a donkey is depicted with or without the inscription.eg; BISM, Pune (Wirkud, 2013). We also have a Gadhegāl wherein the Curse image has been carved at a later stage even at the cost of cutting in the inscription and obscuring it thus signifying the importance and the probable requirement/need e.g. Koregaon, Satara (Wirkud and Dalal, 2016). There are permutations and combinations in the stylistic and inscriptional constituents thus leading to variations. As per the research and explorations conducted by the author over the last few seasons as well as per the ongoing one mainly in Maharashtra and other states as ancillaries like Gujarat, Goa etc, the author has come across several regional variations as well thus indicating the ingraining of the local cultures and beliefs. The presence of Ass‐curse either in inscription or graphically or both is what has given the name to these steles. The following flow chart (Figure 1) explains the types and subtypes of Ass curse steles and the regional variations. Figure 1: Flow Chart Explaining the Types of Gadhegals with Regional Variations 202 Wirkud 2017: 201‐211 In this paper the Ass‐curse steles from Goa will be discussed. The Gadhegāls from Goa do fulfil these set criteriaʹs however there are some additional specifications which can be attributed as aforementioned to regional variations. Ass‐curse Steles from Goa As discussed earlier there are many variations observed as obtained from the comparatively miniscule data from Goa in comparison to the exhaustive data obtained from Maharashtra of around 120 till date (Wirkud & Dalal, 2016). However it is more ministrative and adjuvant in understanding and conceptualizing the phenomena of Gadhegāls at large. The Gadhegāls discussed here form the data set obtained during a small exploration and museum visits in the State as a part of ancillary data collection done to denote the Gadhegāls found around Maharashtra so as to understand the phenomena in a better light and to estimate the stretch of the same occurrence if limited only to Maharashtra or whether it is a Pan Indian one. We have collected around more than hundred such instances of Gadhegāls from across Maharashtra. Also as discussed earlier we have recorded much data from Gujarat, Hyderabad and Goa. This probably signifies that Gadhegāls are a Pan Indian Phenomena though with slight regional variations, however certainty can only be established with further exhaustive work on the same through further research. Thus it is possible that further and thorough exploration in the state may provide us with more quantifiable and hopefully more valued data. For convenience the Ass‐curse steles are discussed using two subtypes namely, those from Museums and those from temples. Ass Curse Steles from Museums Sé Cathedral Complex, ASI Museum: There are two Gadhegāls that are in the safekeeping of the museum which is under the aegis of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). They both were brought from Velus, Goa to be kept in the Museum. They were obtained in the vicinity of a damaged Shiva Temple dedicated to Lord Ravalnath and were first reported by Pandurang Pisurlekar. Velus Sattari Mahal Inscription of Vijayanagara Sangama Harihara II (Date: Saka 1324: 1402 AD; Language and Script: Marathi and Devnagari): The inscription (Figures: 2 and 3) is carved on a roughly hewn stone. The sun and moon sans Kalaśa and the inscription form one panel. The Ass‐curse panel is carved in relief .It depicts two scenes as per the inscription per se the usual graphic donkey‐women copulation where the woman is shown lying on her back facing the donkey and another where a Brahmin appears to be killing a cow (Go‐Hatyā).This is the only one example of this type of depiction till date may probably be a warning to the Brahmin who is not the donee and is told not to interfere with grants given to others. As of now this seems to be only plausible explanation though through conjecture, thus probably alluding to the feud 203 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 5: 2017 between the different types of Brahmins during the period (Mitragotri, 1999, 45‐63). S.G Tulpule (1963) has described this stele in his work Pracheen Marathi Koriv Lekh albeit he informs that there is a horse carved along with the ass‐curse scene and does not mention the Go‐Hatyā depicted thus creating a doubt whether this is the same stele attributed to Harihara II, 1402 AD. However on inspection of the estampage and cross‐ referencing the same and images obtained it is confirmed that this is indeed the same one belonging to Harihara II. The inscription informs the grant given to the Temple of Ravalnāth (Tulpule, 1963, 302‐ 305). It mentions the currency of Gadyāna and Tankā. It also mentions the practice of Vethi (manual labour) which later was an atrocious practice in the feudal order. The curse mentions that one who breaks the law stated by the grant will be guilty of Go‐ Hatyā (Killing of cow), Brahmāhatyā (Killing of a Brahmin) and Bāl‐hatyā (Killing of a child) and also that his mother will be copulated with a donkey and a horse. Figure 2: Gadhegāl of Vijayanagara Figure 3: Gadhegāl Graphic Panel of the Stele Sangama Harihara II of Vijayanagara Sangama Harihara II Velus Sattari Mahal Inscription of Vijayanagara Sangama Devaraya I (Date: Saka c. 1330: 1408 AD; Language and Script: Marathi and Devnagari): This inscription (Figure 4) too is carved on a roughly hewn stone. The execution of the stele seems to be lacking premeditated thought. The stele is also damaged hence losing part of the inscription and part of the carved moon. There is no differentiation in panels. The moon and sun are carved at two ends with the inscription in between. The graphic details include a Brahmin and a collared donkey. This depiction too is one of a kind. Part of the inscription seems to be carved on the donkey’s side (Viewer’s Right) as well as below both the figures.