Journal of Indian History and Culture JOURNAL OF INDIAN HISTORY AND CULTURE September 2012 Eighteenth Issue C.P. RAMASWAMI AIYAR INSTITUTE OF INDOLOGICAL RESEARCH (affiliated to the University of Madras) The C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation 1 Eldams Road, Chennai 600 018. INDIA September 2012, Eighteenth Issue 1 Journal of Indian History and Culture Editor : Dr.G.J. Sudhakar Board of Editors Dr. K. V. Raman Dr. Nanditha Krishna Referees Dr. A. Chandrsekharan Dr. V. Balambal Dr. S. Vasanthi Dr. Chitra Madhavan Published by Dr. Nanditha Krishna C.P.Ramaswami Aiyar Institute of Indological Research The C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation 1 Eldams Road, Chennai 600 018 Tel : 2434 1778 / 2435 9366 Fax : 91-44-24351022 E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Website: www.cprfoundation.org ISSN : 0975 - 7805 Layout Design : D. Kavitha Sub editing by : Mr. Narayan Onkar Subscription Rs. 150/- (for 2 issues) Rs. 290/- (for 4 issues) 2 September 2012, Eighteenth Issue Journal of Indian History and Culture CONTENTS Bala Narasimha - Two Unique Sculptures by G. Balaji 7 Some Reflections on Buddhist Nun, Monastery in Ancient India by Dr. S. Yasodhamani 13 Buddhist Sites in Visakhapatnam District by Dr. D. Mercy Ratna Rani 26 Contributions of Saluva Narasimha Raya to Tirumala Tirupati Temples: A Study by V. Thimmapaa 37 Cloistered Spaces and Invisible Politics-Harem in Mughal India by Rekha Pande and M.N. Rajesh 48 Rani Attimabbe by Dr. T. Surya Prakash and Dr. Y. Ramachandra Reddy 62 Towards a History of Reproduction: A Study in Agrarian Relations in Medieval Bhagalpur by Y. P. Roy 79 Worship of Jyestha: A Shunned Cult in Tamilnadu by R. Ezhilraman 100 Rural Water-Resources and Irrigated Crop-Production in The Krishna-Godavari Tract: An Epigraphical Analysis from the 9th to 10th Century ce by Sabarni Pramanik Nayak 119 September 2012, Eighteenth Issue 3 Journal of Indian History and Culture Forest Policy of India: Bombay Presidency (1800 – 1947) by Dr. Louiza Rodrigues 135 John Dickinson (1815-1876): A Forgotten Friend of India and The India Reform Society by Prabha Ravi Shankar 158 Mercantile Activities of South Odishan Ports with South Asia (1858-1936 A.D.) by Dr. N.P.Panigrahi 169 Origin and Growth of Indian Nationalism by Dr. Rukmini Nagarajan 188 The Grove - A Heritage Bungalow by J. Sumathi 206 European Women’s Political Endeavour by Dr. I. Princes 213 Economic Policy and Development of Princely Mysore: An Apraisal of Dewan Mirza Ismail’s Role by Dr. K.L.N. Murthy 241 Culture and Creativity: Idol Manufacturing in Western India by Preeta Nilesh 248 BOOK REVIEW Monasteries, Shrines and Society, Buddhist and Brahmanical Religious Institutions in India in their Socio-Economic Context by Birendra Nath Prasad - Dr. Vikas Kumar Verma 266 printed on paper made from bagasse, an agricultural waste 4 September 2012, Eighteenth Issue Journal of Indian History and Culture EDITOR’S NOTE The 18th issue is in your hands. It is a milestone in several respects. First of all, the Journal has come to be known at the all-India level and more so in South India. This is testified by the number of papers received from different regions with Andhra Pradesh topping. Contributions from Western India being notable this time. The quality of most of the papers are good. Few scholars have to realise that writing for a Journal is a lot more serious business than presenting a paper in an annual conference. We would like to thank Prof. V. Balambal, Prof. A. Chandrasekaran, Dr. S. Vasanthi and Dr. Chitra Madhavan for sparing their valuable time for refreeing the papers for the Journal. While inviting high quality papers for the 19th issue, we would like to inform that certain papers could not be accommodated in this issue as the response has been overwhelming. They shall be seriously considered for the next issue. We are grateful to Dr. Vikas Kumar Verma of the Delhi University for sending an excellent book review. In this context, we request our readers to send more book reviews. I would like to thank Dr. Nanditha Krishna, Mrs. Malathy Narasimhan and Mr. Narayan Onkar and other staff members of the foundation for their support. Dr. G. J. Sudhakar September 2012, Eighteenth Issue 5 Journal of Indian History and Culture 6 September 2012, Eighteenth Issue Journal of Indian History and Culture BALA NARASIMHA – TWO UNIQUE SCULPTURES G. BALAJI Research Officer C.P.R. Institute of Indological Research C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation, Chennai There are different sculptural representations of Sthuna Narasimha, Girija Narasimha (Yoga Narasimha), Kevela Narasimha, and Lakshmi Narasimha.1 There was one lesser known Narasimha image found at a few places, that is Bala Narasimha. The Bala Narasimha representation of Vishnu is found at Deogarh (Uttar Pradesh) and Namakkal (Tamilnadu). Both these places are far away from each other but the sculptures are iconographically important to study. The Gupta period representation of Narasimha found at the Dasavatara temple, Deogarh (5th c. CE) is important to note for its iconographic development. The image on a panel projecting in the centre of the doorway is of Vishnu shown seated on a coiled serpent. To his right stands a small human figure with a lion’s head, evidently Narasimha. (Fig.1) In this image Vishnu is shown as Vaikuntha Narayana, seated in sukhasana on the coil of the seven headed Adisesha or Ananta (snake). He has four arms the upper right and left carry the chakra and sankha respectively. His lower right hand is in abhaya and the lower left is kept on the left knee. He is adorned with kirita makuta, kundalas, neckles, armlets, bracelets, and with all other attributes of Vishnu. September 2012, Eighteenth Issue 7 Journal of Indian History and Culture The Bala Narasimha standing on the right side of the Vaikuntha Narayana is a small figure. He has four arms, of which three are visible. The right upper hand is visible without any weapon. The bare hands of Bala Narasimha indicate that he is going to kill the demon without any weapon but with his claws. His lower hands are in anjali hastha (in salutation). He has been shown getting the blessings of the Vishnu before exerting himself. In the other words, Vishnu shows his Narasimha incarnation to the world and tells them how he going to destroy the demon Hiranyakasipu. A small gana is shown standing left of Vishnu and witnessing this event. He holds a sword in his left hand and his right hand is in vismaya (astonishment). The second sculpture is from the Narasimha cave temple at Namakkal (8th c. CE), a historically important city of Tamilnadu. There was one more cave temple for Anantasayana Vishnu. Both these caves were excavated by the Adiyaman rulers of the Kongu dynasty, among the ancient ruling families of south India. Together with the Cheras, Pandyas and Cholas, they are known to us from Tamil Sangam literature dating from the early centuries of this era. Among the most prominent rulers of that early time was Adiyaman Neduman Anji, patron of the renowned poetess, Auvaiyar. The Adiyamans ruled from Tagadur, modern Dharmapuri, and their domain was northern Kongu which included the Salem district. The Adiyamans appear to have been involved in frequent wars with the neighboring kings, and in the days of Neduman Anji were forced to accept Chera suzerainty. We know very little of the fortunes of the Atiya rulers in the succeeding centuries and hear of them again only in the eighth century CE from inscriptions of the Pandya kings and from their own undated records at Namakkal. We may regard it as quite certain that the 8 September 2012, Eighteenth Issue Journal of Indian History and Culture Atiya inscriptions at Namakkal were engraved in the days of independent Atiya rule prior to A.D. 784, since these records refer proudly to the Atiya kula and proclaim the greatness of the ruler Gunasila who was responsible for the cutting of the caves. 2 In the Narasimha cave, we come across three different depictions of the Narasimha avatara of Vishnu. The first one is a narrative relief on the left wall of the ardhamandapa depicting the Bala Narasimha form of Vishnu. The second is the Ugra Narasimha who tears open the chest of the demon Hiranyakasipu with his claws. And the third and main deity (moolavar) of the cave is the seated Narasimha. In these three panels both the seated kevela Narasimha and ugra Narasimha sculptures are commonly noticed. But the Bala Narasimha image within the Vaikuntha Narayana panel was a rare one. In this panel Vishnu himself reveals to the gods the form he will take to destroy the demon Hiranyakasipu. The Vaikuntha Narayana relief panel is beautifully carved with all the iconographic details. It depicts Vishnu as Vaikuntha sitting on the coil of the five headed Ananta or Adhisesha in ease. He is accompanied on either side by Brahma and Shiva. Vishnu is shown seated in maharajalilasana, one leg folded and hanging in ease and the other raised with heel on the seat. He is adorned with krita makuta on the head, makara kundalas on the ears and kankanas on the hands. He has four hands; the upper two hands hold the chakra and sankha. They are shown a little above his fingers standing in the air and the fire tong on the top of each weapon is unique. This feature is to be seen in all the Namakkal reliefs and seems, to some extent, to set it apart from Pallava and Pandya representations. Vishnu’s lower left hand rests on his knee, and the lower right hand is in kataka mudra.