Icons of Shasta, Buddha and Ayyappa: Paradigms of Paradoxical Identifications and Sectarian Associations
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Icons of Shasta, Buddha and Ayyappa: Paradigms of Paradoxical Identifications and Sectarian Associations Ajit Kumar1 1. Department of Archaeology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – 695581, India (Email: [email protected]) Received: 18 August 2019; Revised: 28 September 2019; Accepted: 25 October 2019 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7 (2019): 233-251 Abstract: Icons of Shasta, Ayyappa and Buddha are found from ancient Tamilakam (Kerala and Tamil Nadu) in large numbers. Religious biases, beliefs, and ignorance of iconography have often resulted in the paradoxical identification and divergent sectarian association of these divinities and their icons. This paper attempts a reappraisal of images of Shasta, Buddha and Ayyappa with a view to dissect and present their individualistic iconographic temperaments. Keywords: Shasta, Ayyappa, Buddha, Icons, Mural Paintings, Sabarimala Temple, Kerala Introduction Shasta etymologically means ‘a ruler or guardian of a country or land.’ Shasta, as a deity, is not found referred to in any early Sanskrit texts (Rao 1914: 485). He was a minor deity in Tamilakam and finds mention in Devaram hymns dating to 6th-7th CE (Sarkar 1978: 109). Seated idols of Shasta, without consorts and elephant dating to as early as the 8th -9th century CE, are found from the premises of a few temples in Kerala (Sarkar: 108-111). Later, texts like Sri Bhagavatam, Amsumadhbhedagama, and Suprabhedagama cites Shasta as Hariharaputra, a progeny of Shiva and Vishnu. Buddha idols contemporaneous to Shasta idols found from Kerala are seated in Padmasana and Dhyana mudra. Shasta and Buddha idols have no iconographic or stylistic similarity with each other though Amarakosha assigns the name Shasta to Buddha as a synonym (Kumar 2019a: 51-58). Ayyappa as a deity finds no mention in Puranic, Sangam or other literary texts and possibly is an aboriginal ancestral deity associated with hunting. Due to his native popularity, he got assimilated into the Brahmanical fold, as an incarnation of Shasta or Hariharaputra. Iconographically, Shasta and Ayyappa are represented differently in idols and paintings, till 18th century CE. Subsequently, their names and personality started getting swapped by myths and fables, resulting in these deities getting paradoxical identifications and associations. Attempted here is a brief reappraisal of a few Shasta, Buddha and Ayyappa images with a view to highlight their general philosophical and iconographic characters. ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7: 2019 Shasta Sculptural Icons in Stone In Kerala, the sculptural and temple activity, is divided into Early (CE 800-1000), Middle (CE 1001-1300), and Late (CE 1301-1800) phases (Sarkar 1978: 97). Texts like Sri Bhagavatam, Amsumadhbhedagama, and Suprabhedagama mention of Shasta, but these references to him are later than his idols. Stone icons of Shasta dating to 8th -9th CE are found placed in some Kerala temple complexes possibly as protective or guardian deity. The guardian nature of Shasta is obvious from the reference in Keralolpathi, a late literary work. This work refers to construction of Shasta temples on eight mountain tops of the Western Ghats and Devi temples along the coast to defend Kerala’s people from evils and misfortunes (Rao 1914: 485; Aiya 1906: Vol. 1. 217). Shasta images from the early phase (CE 800-1000) have been reported from Vizhinjam (the capital city of Ay dynasty, located in Dist. Trivandrum) (Figure 1) and from Ramanthali Narayankannur temple, Ezhimala, Dist. Kannur, (Figure 3) (the capital city of the Mushika dynasty) (Sarkar 1978:106, 182). At both these sites, the images were kept in the open and not enshrined. The Shasta image from Vizhinjam is now in the premises of the Devi temple close to the fishing harbor (Figure 1). He is depicted seated on a pitha with his left leg hanging down and right placed horizontally on the pitha. He is two-armed. The left hand is on the lap, and the right holds an indistinct object. He has jatas or matted curly hair. The ears adorn almost similar looking patra-kundala, and he also, wears a necklace, upagriva, keyuras and kataka-valayas. His lower garment and waistband are quite clear. There is an old Shasta idol kept along with Naga images under a Peepal tree in Kazhakootam Mahadeva temple (Figure 2). This idol depicts Shasta seated on a pitha with his right leg placed horizontally along the pitha and with feet placed on the pitha and leg raised upwards. On the knee of this leg rests the elbow of the stretched left hand, the palm of which is oriented downwards. The right-hand holds an unidentifiable object. The image is quite eroded; however, the sacred thread, an udharabhanda or a band along the stomach and a wristlet on the left hand is clear. The Ramanthali image is seated on a pitha in padmasana (Figure 3). This image is two armed, while the left hand, finds place on the lap, the right holds an indistinct object. The image has the characteristic jatamukuta, hara, upagriva, keyuras and kataka-valayas. Following the iconographic recommendations, one ear is adorned with a patra kundala and the other with a ratna kundla. The stomach band is present in the Ramanthali image but absent in Vizhinjam image. The Shasta images from Vizhinjam, Kazhakootam and Ramanthali, seem to predate the Shasta image from Maniyur (Figure 6) dating to 12th Cent CE (Sarkar 1978:195 Plate XXXI B). One of the best-carved images of Shasta comes from the premises of Varyath Subramanian temple, Mangalam (90 19’ 58.49’’N; 760 37’ 33.09’’E), near Chengannur, Dist. Alappuzha (Figure 4 a and 4b). This beautifully carved Shasta icon is kept in the open. It depicts him seated on a pitha with the left leg folded and placed horizontally along the pith and the right leg raised with the feet resting on the pitha (lalitasana). 234 Kumar 2019: 233-251 Figure 1: Sastha, Figure 2: Sastha, Figure 3: Sastha, Vizhinjam Kazhakootam Ramanthali Figure 4a: Sastha: Mangalam, frontal view Figure 4b: Sastha: Mangalam, rear view He holds an unidentifiable object in his right palm resting on his knee, and the left hand rests on the lap. He adorns a jatamukuta, and its curls tastefully and artistically carved as vertical plaits in five tiers. He wears ornaments like hara, upagriva, yagnopavit, udharabhanda, keyuras and kataka-valayas. Artistically and beautifully depicted patrakundala projects out of the left ear. The lower garment is tied over with a waist- band also carved faithfully on the rear. The slender physique, the oval face and the sharp nose of the idol recall Chola style and artistry. A Shasta image of excellent craftsmanship and almost in similar style and disposition comes from Mrindaga Saileswar temple, Dist.Kannur (110 55’18.50” N; 75041’ 28.17” E) (Figure 5). The Shasta 235 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7: 2019 image in the compound of Maniyur Subrahmanya temple, Dist. Kannur is stylistically similar and dates to the 12th Cent CE possibly (Sarkar 1978: 11; 195) (Figure 6). Figure 5: Sastha, Mrindaga Saileswar Figure 6: Sastha, Maniyur, district Kannur temple (Courtesy mywordsnthoughts) (After H. Sarkar) By the 17th CE, Shasta icons are depicted seated on a pitha with the left feet placed on the pitha leg upraised and fastened with a yogapatta. There is a Shasta idol in the Padmanabahapuram palace museum of this style and date (Figure 7). An idol of Shasta in the internet (pulivahanan.wikifoundry.com) (Figure 8) has a Tamil inscription at the base dating to 1536 Saka or 1614 CE (Pers. comm. Krishnamurty S, ASI). Idols, similar in the iconographical and stylistic idioms, are also installed in the Shasta temple at Padmanabhaswamy temple complex, and Ulloor Sree Bala Subramanya Swamy temple complex, Thiruvananthapuram. Inscriptions, art, and architectural idioms, from various sites, indicate that Shasta icons with left leg raised and fastened with yogapatta become stylistic norm only during the 17th century CE. Reported from Kerala and Tamil Nadu are a few late icons of Shasta in bronze and stone with consorts. One bronze specimen is on display in Saraswathi Mahal Museum, Thanjavur (Figure 9). Shasta images in stone with his consorts Poorna and Pushkala seated to either side is noticed enshrined in a subsidiary shrine in the Ramaswami temple complex (90 42’ 04.76” N; 760 23’ 25.91” E), TV Puram, Vaikom, dating possibly to around 17th- 18th CE. There is also an image of Shasta with consorts in Achankovil Sree Dharma Shasta temple. Late idols of Shasta riding an elephant occur from Kerala and Tamil Nadu (Figure 10). The Veeranakavu Sree Dharma Shasta Temple, (80 31’ 13.08” N; 770 07’ 10.35” E) and the Kakkadu Kandan Sree Dharma Shasta temple opposite 236 Kumar 2019: 233-251 Ayurveda Medical College in Dist. Trivandrum, stone elephants are placed facing the sanctum or on platform surrounding peepal trees (Ficus religiosa) near or within temple compounds. The elephants either personify Shasta’s vehicle or as Shasta itself (Figure 11). Evidence from various temples indicates that Shasta’s enshrinement in independent temples probably commenced largely during the late phase of temple art and architectural activity in Kerala (CE1301-1800). Figure 7: Shasta image Figure 8: Inscribed Shasta image Pandmanabhapuram (Photo: R. S. Kumar) (Courtesy: pulivahanan.wikifoundry.com) Figure 9: Shasta with consorts, Figure 10: Shasta on elephant, Thanjavur Valuvur (after T. K. G. Rao) 237 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7: 2019 The general features noticed in the early sculptures of Shasta discussed above are that, nearly all find a place in the open and not installed in separate shrines. It indicates that during the early period, Shasta possibly carried a demi-god status as a protector of a temple or land.