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Mirroring Yaksha - Yakshi in Kerala: Inscriptional Perspectives

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Mirroring Yaksha - Yakshi in Kerala: Inscriptional Perspectives Mirroring Yaksha - Yakshi in Kerala: Inscriptional Perspectives Sandhya M. Unnikrishnan1 1. Department of History, NSS College Manjeri, College Road, Manjeri, Malappuram, Kerala – 676 122, India (Email: [email protected]) Received: 17 August 2019; Revised: 13 September 2019; Accepted: 25 October 2019 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7 (2019): 463-470 Abstract: Inscriptions are historical source material and also useful to know the language, script, taxation, administration, religion and social life during the early period. Studies are conducted about Brahmin settlements, and the temple oriented societies and agrarian developments in the medieval Kerala society, but not many studies were made about the sramanic religion and their institution in Kerala society. The Jaina order, the development of Jaina settlements along the trade routes, the decline of these centres, the re-appropriation and assimilation of their pantheon and deities, etc. are the areas left behind by most of the historians. The present paper is an attempt to trace out the evidence about the Jaina Sasanadevatas – Yaksha and Yakshi found in the temple inscriptions, rock inscriptions and copper plates from the ruins of Jaina bastis. Keywords: Inscriptions, Jainism, Sasanadevathas, Yaksha, Yakshi, Brahmin Settlements, Kerala Introduction Archaeology and epigraphy can be considered as the two hands of history. Other than legends and literary evidence, archaeological and epigraphical sources are dependable. In the history of Kerala, the temple records engraved on the walls, stepping stones and base stones throw light on several factors that mould history. Most of them were written in old vattezhuthu or in Tamil-Malayalam mixed language. It was very difficult to read this old language and to collect details mentioned in the epigraphs. It was Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai who ventured into this task for the first time (Puthussery 2007). He can be considered as the first scholar who utilized the temple records for writing history. Later, Dr. M. G. S. Narayanan followed his foot- steps and deciphered many inscriptions for historical purpose. Dr. M. R. Raghava Warrier has also made valuable contributions to the study of epigraphs. The temple epigraphs speak about the donations and land endowments made by the rulers, local chief, merchants, merchant guilds and groups to the temples. During the Chera period, the temples had assumed great significance as the centre of socio- economic and political integration. K. A. Neelakanda Sastri has stated that the temple ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7: 2019 was not just a religious institution, but as social institutions it seems to have filled in the past a considerable place in the economy of the National life (Sastri 1932). The focus of political and economic power had clearly shifted from Brahmin settlements to temples during the 9th and 10th centuries. The expansion of agriculture, rise of Brahmin settlements and developments of agamic temples led to the formation of temple centred society. The further expansion of temple culture was stimulated by the Bhakthi Movement. Some of temple inscriptions display the names of traders and trade guilds that supported the activities for the progress of the temples. Together with the socio-economic activities, factors regarding the religious life of Kerala are also available from the epigraphs. The archaeological and epigraphical references point out that even before the establishment of Brahmin settlements, there flourished Sramanic religions and their strong holds in Kerala. How these strongholds were erased; what were the accommodations, assimilation, acculturation and appropriations that occurred in the religious realm of Kerala are to be analysed to find out the eradication processes of the Sramanic institutions, especially the Jaina vestiges and their deities. The Sasanadevathas of Jaina Tirthankaras - Yakshas and Yakshis - were completely disappeared from the minds of the common people; but their reflections are seen in the archaeological and epigraphic relics of Kerala. The present paper is an attempt to find out such reflections in the inscriptions from Kerala temples. P. B. Desai has stated that the cults of Sasanadevathas or Yakshis were introduced in the Jaina pantheon, as an attempt to attract the devotional mind of the common people (Desai 1957). The Yapaniyas, a section of Jaina monks were, behind this attempt. As a part of this, they introduced Tantrism, alchemy, Rasasiddha, Mantravada, etc. in the Jaina order. The Yaskshi-Yakshas cult is introduced for the sake of getting material benefits and to achieve the desires fulfilled (Shah 1987). The spread of Jainism and the cult of Sasanadevathas in Kerala had occurred in the northernmost part from Karnataka and in the southernmost part from Tamil Nadu. With the decline of trade, the travelling traders did not come in large numbers. The Jaina temples were located along the trade routes and they had received huge donations for the maintenance and for the day to day expenditure of the temple. But, as there was a shortage of income to these temples, most of the temples were either transformed into Hindu temples either by purchasing or by confiscation (Padmakumariyamma 1995). The Wayanad region has many structural evidence like ruins of temples, sculptures, inscriptions, etc. Sometimes there may be inscriptions referring to the offerings to Sasanadevathas hidden among the ruins of the dilapidated temples. The Thalakavu stone inscription of 850 AD contains reference about a Yaksha to whom the Nalpattennayiravar constituted a lamp. Some land property was also allotted for perpetuating the lamp. Thalakavu was a Jaina Yaksha temple that had depended on the long-distance traders and the local agriculturists (Gurukkal and Warrier 2018). This may be the only reference to a Yaksha temple and the inscription mentioning offering to Yaksha. This inscription was unnoticed until K. K. N. Kurup discovered it from 464 Unnikrishnan 2019: 463-470 Thalakavu, Poothadi village in south Wayanad in 1970 (Kurup 1974). It is deciphered and published by Dr. M. G. S. Narayanan. The Varadhur Jaladhara Inscription of 1684 AD found on a copper tablet states about certain gifts of gold, silver, bronze and copper to five chaithyalayas of Wayanad. It was given by Lalithappa of Aramana Basti from Karkala. There is another reference for providing twelve kasis for the Sasanadevathas of Aadinatha, Chakreswari and Gomukhayaksha but no images of the Sasanadevathas are found out from among the ruins. Raghava Warrier was the first to read and publish this epigraph (Warrier 2009). The Ay-rulers of the seventh century AD had the influence of Jaina establishments like Chitaral, the famous centre of Jaina Yakshi cult and kings like Vikramaditya Varaguna had connections with the Jain monks like Achananti and Uttananti (Gurukkal and Warrier 2018). A record of the 28th regnal year of Vikramaditya Varaguna states that Gunatangi Kurattiyar, the disciple of Arattanemi Bhattara of Perayakkudi has given some gold ornaments to the Bhattariyar (Goddess) of Thirucharanattumalai (Rao and Aiyer 1920). The inscription contains some more names who made donations to Thirucharanattu Bhattariar. This list includes Achananti, Uttananti Adikal of Kattampalli, Veerananti Adikal of Malaippalli and Varaguna, a disciple of Thirucharanattu Bhattariar (Rao and Aiyer 1920). One of the south Indian inscriptions has a reference to a lady ascetic by name Thirucharanattu Kurattiyar (Sastri 1925). A vattezhuthu inscription carved on a rock in the southern side of the temple states that the construction of the srikoil of Thirucharanattumalai (Chitaral) was made by a priestess named Mattavala Narana Kurattiyar (TAS I). The same devotee had offered a metallic lamp stand and a golden flower to the Goddess. Another inscription carved on the stone mentions about an offering given to the temple. Now this stone has been made a stepping stone to the pond in front of the temple. As per this inscription, one Vijayachandra Vipaschit made a stone entrance to the temple. This inscription mentions the deity as ‘Varasundari’ (Padmakumariyamma 1995). This epithet is connected with Ambika Yakshi, the most popular Yakshi worshipped in Tamil Nadu. The inscriptions of the early period speak of the Goddess as Thirucharanattu Bhattariyar. But the later inscriptions mention the Goddess as Thirucharanattu Bhagavati. A Tamil inscription is found on the boulders of the temple describing the provisions made for the requirements of the temple. In this inscription, the Goddess is saluted as Thirucharanattu Bhagavati. The date of this inscription is 1250 AD. Hence, the appropriation of the Jaina Goddess to Hindu Bhagavati has already been over by 12th century AD (Padmakumariyamma 1995). The Hindu temples also had records and inscriptions describing the offerings given to Goddess Yakshi. The Huzur treasury plates belonging to the Vishnu temple Thiruvalla is having a reference to the expenditure incurred for the special offering to Mayi Yakki (Mahayakshi), the Upadevata of the temple. Sixteen nali paddy is set aside for the offering during the festival of Onam (Rao and Aiyer 1988). This reference is showing 465 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7: 2019 that the ethnic Goddess Yakshi has been approved and consecrated as the upadevata in the structural temples of Kerala. Kanyakumary inscription (Rao and Aiyer 1988) of Veera
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