Riding into the sunrise

There are many functions to mark New High stakes Year’s Day but probably two unique Now about the annual tonga race in which events were the Kulkuain or pigeon- participants were from Delhi, Mathura, fancying competition and the tonga race Agra, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, Aligarh, from Mathura to Agra or Mathura to Firozabad and Kasganj. The stakes were Delhi. The most famous pigeon-fancier high and the winner got a hefty amount had some 2,000 pigeons, which he took and a safa or ceremonial turban tied to his from Delhi to Agra via Mathura and then head, usually by the District Magistrate or flew them in 10 lots at Akbar’s tomb in Superintendent of Police of Agra district, Sikandra, where the main Kulkulian while for the local race in Delhi this was competition took place on January 1. The generally done by the Lt-Governor amidst chaudhury of the tonga race was much applause. People lined up at the Mohammad Qureshi Pehalwan, who ran starting and ending points of the race with an eating house in the Jama Masjid area garlands and whatnot, some of them and owned several fancy racing tongas, keener than the others because of the different from the usual ones as they bets they had made-and these ran into were lighter built and could seat two thousands of rupees a long time back, persons, though a third one could also when the buying power of money was squeeze himself into it. The horse was a much more and there were no ₹2,000 and full-bred, strong and not emasculated like 500 notes. But a hundred-rupee one was the one seen in the street-run tongas and enough for a lower strata family for a ekkas. week and ₹ 1,000 more than enough for a

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month, with rice and wheat at ₹1 a seer barely 40 miles from Agra. The first fell (flour is ₹240 for a kg now), mutton ₹130 after doing less than 25 miles and the a seer and vegetables dirt cheap other 28. Perhaps, it was too much to compared to present day prices when expect the horses to cover the distance of even potatoes cost ₹ 25-30 a kg, and 40 miles at one stretch in the heat of an onions also that much, Chana dal 4 annas October afternoon; for even though the a seer, with the one given to horses just race began early in the morning, the about an anna or two. So the tonga race horses were reported to have been racing winner became a lakhpathi in one go in for five hours. After Mathura, the next those cheaper times. stage was to have been Palwal and the By the time of the prize giving ceremony last Delhi. the crowd grew manifold, joined by those Punishing pace returning after the New Year service from The Mughal emperors used to ride the the Sikandra church, where once the 18th distance. But it was in easy stages, with Century printing press pioneer, William change of horses every few miles. The Carey worshipped and later the two many monolith Kos Minars on the Delhi- “Wolf-Boys”, rescued from the jungles of Agra road are said to have marked the Bulandshahr and Mainpuri, one of them staging points. named Dina Sanichar as he was found on a Saturday. It is said that a drummer was posted atop each monolith and would start beating his One can cover the distance between Delhi drum as soon as he saw the emperor’s and Agra on horseback no doubt if in this entourage approaching in the distance. age of cars, trains and planes one cares to. No doubt, horses were often driven hard At a leisured pace, in stages, it might even and sometimes to death then, but to ride be enjoyable if the sun is not too hot. But horses at a gruelling pace for a long to make a race of it would be killing. And stretch for no reason, except a bet is that was what it was, when two Delhi foolish and cruel. horses, one owned by the hotel owner in Jama Masjid and the other by a resident As for the pigeon-fanciers, even now in of Bazar Sita Ram, ran the course from the Walled City of Delhi there are several Agra. The bet was reported to be ₹ 10,000 mohallas where the kaboortarbaz, as they for the winner and there were are called, make the morning and evening transactions running into 10 times the ring to cries of “Aah” to call back the air- figure. borne pigeons. However, there was a time when, like the patangbaz or kite-fliers, they too went to open spaces near the Leaving the usual margin for exaggeration Yamuna bank to engage in kulkulain or common to such occasions, it was without competitions after feeding coarse grain to doubt a heavy wager. But nobody seemed their flocks. Now, because of to have reckoned the odds. The horses, encroachments on the river bank and beautiful specimens both, died before consequent lack of space, the pigeon- covering even the first stage to Mathura, fanciers compete only from their

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rooftops. There’s even a Kabootar Bazar recognise the breed of a passing-by where pigeons are sold and exchanged. pigeon by just examining its droppings. Hafiz Mian was a great kabootarbaz in the Dennis Bhai had greenish eyes, just like last century and his main rival was Deen some of his pigeons, and when he married Badshah. Each of them had pigeons, both he found a Muslim girl with the same kind of Indian and foreign breed. There were of eyes, making a friend remark, ‘Wah Russian, Turkish, Afghan and Burmese, Dennis, dulhan bhi khoob chuni hai. and some other South Asian breeds, and Aankh se aankh mila di,’ (Bravo, you have of course, those from all over India. Their found a bride with matching eyes). Dennis cost even then was great, with the Bhai is dead but his dulhan, Kesar still acrobatic Lotan kabootar occupying place survives as a tall, fair, slim pretty lady of pride in the kabootar-khana or specially ageing with grace, whose eyes glow with built wood and wire mesh cages, with excitement whenever she sees a flock of pigeon-holes for the birds to roost. The pigeons darting across the sky to the greybaz was also a highly prized bird like frenzied whistling of a rival kabootarbaz. the Kabuli. Dennis Bhai’s old father, Elias Source: http://bit.ly/2TNUowb Sahib used to say that his son could

Moving recitals at Urs

Such as Christmas comes every year Baghdadi (Raz), the 31st descendant of coinciding with the music season in Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and the 19th Chennai, the second Urs of Qutubul descendant of Baghdad’s patron saint Akhtab Hazrath Hafiz Syed Habeeb Hazrath Abdul Khader Jeelani (Father of Mohammed Hasan Moulana Khadiri

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Khadiri order and leader of Aulias), was but following a rhyme pattern, both held at the Dargah on December 13. subtle and smooth, this poem is a As the ancient clock at the heritage masterpiece in Arabic literature. Joining structure struck 10, H.Habibullah Shah, the chorus was Dr. Mohammed Sajjad-e-Nasheen and Muthavalli began Salahuddin Ayub, the Chief Khazi to the the proceedings with zikhr majlis. The Government of Tamil Nadu, who was names of Allah were chanted and soon among the ulemas and dignitaries who the congregation joined in the recital of attended the Urs. poems and hymns in praise of Prophet The traditional flag hoisting ceremony, Mohammed. Childhood friends Afzal Bijli, which marks the beginning of the Urs was Tahir, Ameen, Yousuf Qureishi and held on December 8. H. Habibullah Shah, Samiullah rendered the salaam (salutation who authored the biography of the saint to the Prophet). (Hayat-e-Qalandari), said, “The sufi saint, In this age of technological revolution, it who was born in Baghdad came to was heartwarming to see the oral culture Hyderabad to propagate the spiritual being preserved through the recitals of aspects of Islam. Having gained training Qasidas (Burdah and Ghousiya). The from his mentor, Hazrath Syed Saleh beauty of Qasida Burdah, a poem written Maulana Madani of Colombo, he was by Imam Busiri in praise of Prophet conferred Qutubiath (highest order in Mohammed, is that each verse ends with Islamic spiritualism). Spreading the Arabic alphabet mim in a style called message of peace and love, the saint was mimiya. revered by the people of Chennai in general and the locals of Mannady in On the other hand, Qasida Ghousiya particular.” establishes a spiritual connection between the reciter and Hazrath Abdul Khader Source: http://bit.ly/2RO6xPr Jeelani (a gifted saint crowned with the crown of perfection). Longer than a ghazal

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Find the missing ‘you’

A mudra is a kind of “seal” in that its So what did the sages understand from this purpose is to seal a thought in our mind. simple mudra? The index finger is the Yoga mudra is also called cin mudra or individual — the self or the ego. The thumb jnana mudra. There is a well-known story is the Divine. The other three fingers are the behind this mudra. Siva, representing the three qualities of the mind and nature Divine, once took the form of a boy of (sattva, rajas and tamas). When the mind sixteen. Seated, absorbed in meditation, moves away from the flux of these qualities with an aura of deep calm, and radiant in and reaches stillness, the individual is appearance, he was approached by sages united with the Divine nature within. who saw through his disguise and This mudra is called cin mudra because the recognised his true nature. word cit (which becomes cin when joined The sages asked with reverence, “What is with the word mudra) means the essence of the Vedas and all spiritual “consciousness.” It says let go of the ego of teaching?” Siva gave no answer but showed the mind, and you will experience the true them this simple mudra — he raised his nature of consciousness. palm toward them and brought his index This mudra is also known as the jnana finger down to join its tip to his thumb. mudra, the word jnana meaning “to know” The sages understood what he was saying, — to know one’s true nature or the nature though he had never said a word! The of the Divine, that is. Classically, the guru’s discourse was silence, but the explanation of this mudra involves the students’ doubts were dispelled. Divine and the idea of joining with it. While the anjali mudra is useful to define the

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attitude of humbleness in the practice, this passing sage came upon them and asked yoga mudra points to the goal that is at the them what the problem was. end of the practice. “Alas, sage!” they cried. “One of us is From the ancient yoga texts, we learn of the missing, lost in the treacherous waters of experiences of those who achieved these the river!” heightened states of awareness. The The sage smiled and said, “Let me count.” fundamentals that these sages have And he found ten. Of course, each person described come from empirical knowledge, who was counting included everyone but from their own experiences. The role of the himself. Only with the intervention of the guru is to help us understand the teachings sage, or the guru, were they able to find and guide us in our practice. themselves! But a key point to note here is There is a famous parable that illustrates that the sage did not bring the tenth man this. A group of ten men on a journey with him. He only pointed out what was reached a river on their path. They already there. The realisation was not from managed to cross the river, and emerging outside, but from within. on the other side, they wanted to ensure all The guru is only the catalyst. The student is ten had made it safely. the practitioner, the one who has to seek The last one to cross began counting and and undergo the transformation. If we look found only nine men. He was alarmed and within ourselves, we will find the one who is alerted the others. Each one counted in missing! turn and found only nine! As they were in Source: http://bit.ly/2RjThCS tears, mourning their missing companion, a

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Glimpses of Bangalore in London

The total area of Old London is about one convey the message of religious harmony. square mile and that of old Bangalore or Like in Londonium, here too, everyday Pete is about two square km. But old business runs to crores of rupees. But the London has transformed completely. Today, financial considerations have not it is the centre of many multinational banks completely wiped out the true tradition and and other trading companies who have built culture of old Bengaluru a large number of modern multi-storey The comparison of these two cities cannot buildings. Yet, some historical monuments be confined to their formative stages only. like London wall, Fire Monument, London There are many more aspects, wherein Museum do exist among these skyscrapers. Bangalore reverberates in London. A But, such transformations in Bengaluru Pete remarkable instance to prove this fact is the is minimal. To a larger extent, the charm of presence of Bangalore street in London City. old Bangalore has been retained. It is in Putney area of Wandsworth Borough, Particularly on some festival days, the South West London. It isabout a kilometer surroundings of city market exhibit the true long street and has a row of beautiful, color and fervor of bygone Bengaluru. traditional, British style residential buildings Street names like Gundopanth street on either side of the road. At the beginning Basetty Galli, Kilari Raste and many more and middle of the road, two plates display such names of lanes and bylanes remind us the name Bangalore Street. An old building of native nature of this place. Hundreds of also has the name on the wall. At the end of years old worshipping centres, belonging to the road a house has this name inscribed on various communities co-exist here to its entrance.

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There is a Heritage Service Centre of the After 1890, in Bangalore, famine and plague Battersea library in Wandsworth Borough. It outbreak led to the formation of new and contains all the names of the streets and well-planned extensions like Chamarajapet, locations that come under London County Basavanagudi and Malleshwaram. Simlarly, Council Administration. On page 48 of this in England, the Victorian period between book published by the Council it says that in 1837 to 1901 was an era of development 1898, Bangalore as a name for that and expansions. The countryside of London particular street was sanctioned. was widened with newer localities to build a A file in the same centre has a letter greater London. Contracts were given to approved on May 20, 1901 given to a construct new roads and buildings. This builder to construct 27 houses in a row. The British Builder from Bangalore must have blue print of this project has a road named obtained the sanction to build a few Bangalore Street. residential lanes in Putney of Battersea. He showed his love and liking for Bangalore by Apart from these details we do not have naming a road as Bangalore Street. any other information about why it was named so, that too, to be precise, 120 years In the same Borough there is also a Mysore ago in a far off European city like London. Street named in 1894. A foot note just says Mysore is an Indian State. This could be the logical explanation: The British came to Bangalore in 1800. They Anyone who wants to do a thorough study were given a vast space near Halasuru to of various aspects of Bangalore city, British build Cantonment. Gradually, the family Library on Euston Road, London is a right members of the army personnel also choice. Here, the India Office section of Asia arrived and settled down leading to the African studies located in third floor has development of a small township also called more than 35,000 files pertaining to a large by some as ‘Little England’. But later it was number of departments of this city. Even, officially named as Civil and Military Station. just to glance through this list on line, it In addition to Army personnel, many other requires two or three days. Another set of Britishers living here were engaged in 500 files contains pictures, maps, drawings different professions. and other materials with reference to Bangalore. When Plague broke out in this region in 1898, many of these people went back to Close to British Library, near Russell Square England and continued their avocation is School of Oriental and African Studies there. (SOAS ) of London University. SOAS has an amazing collection of photographs on One such person was a contractor or a Bangalore taken in the last century. They builder who had worked in Bangalore for are given to SOAS either by the quite a long time and had developed a liking photographers themselves or their and regard for the city. In 1898 he returned descendants for preservation. With prior to his home town London. permission, these pictures can be

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photographed free of charge. Lalbagh Glass front view of Atthara Cucheri (now High House with only three wings, Saint Mary’s Court) taken from Cubbon Park and Church in Shivajinagar with a vast open field hundreds of such photographs are really a around, the unveiling ceremony of Queen treat to view. Victoria Statue in 1906 at Cubbon Park, Source: http://bit.ly/3aDSZi4

The great leveller: How Urdu blossomed in the 19th century

Delhi and Urdu have been entwined in an jingo rhymes like “Laila-ki-pasliyan” (the all-embracing affair right from the time of ideal Persian beloved’s ribs) and “Majnu-ki- Aurangzeb, when poets of “Zaban-e-Goya” ugliyan” (fingers of her passionate lover). All or the language par excellence began to this is brought out beautifully in Saif emerge, though the initial foundation was Mahmood’s recently-released book, laid by Amir Khusrau in the mid-13th “Beloved Delhi”. century, when he advocated Hindavi, a Then came the First War of Independence mixture of the local idiom, Persian and in 1857 and the twilight of the Mughals, Arabic. After a long journey of nearly six who were the enthusiastic patrons of Urdu, centuries, Urdu flowered in the 19th with Bahadur Shah Zafar himself emerging century when, to quote littérateur as a shair of pessimistic verse that Rakshanda Jalil, “Everybody from the king portrayed both his plight and that of the down to the impoverished vagrant singing shabby grandeur of the once exalted “Qila- in the koochas and bazaars was smitten e-Mualla” into which his kingdom had with poetry”. Even the koonjars who sold shrunk after its capture by the British East vegetables were infected by the scenario India Company. That annus horribilis and sing-songed their wares with “latkas” or

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became so volatile that the poets could only One side-product of Khusrau’s Hindavi was decry the cataclysmic events that had the birth of qawwali, derived from the word changed their lives and the fortunes of their “Qaul” of Hazrat Muhammad and adopted city forever. This was naturally reflected in at the khanqahs of the sufis – the Chistis, heart-wrenching verse. Suhrawardis, Naqsbandis and Qadris - that But even before that, says Rakshanda, affected Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti’s chief “there existed a body of poetry known as disciple, Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki’s Sher-Ashobor or misfortunes of Delhi on the spiritual heir, Baba Fareed so much that he social decline and in turmoil, portrayed by took great pains to popularise it in Punjab, Jafar Zaatalli (1658-1713), encompassing after that it spread throughout Hindustan virtually the entire reign of Aurangzeb. and now abroad too. Zaatelli’s criticism of the decadent Mughals Braj was the language most widely spoken angered Emperor Farrukhsiyar so much that in the long-time Mughal capital Agra before he sentenced him to death. The crumbling Delhi became the seat of the empire with social order later found an echo in the Persian as the court language at both works of Hatim, Sauda and Mir Taqi Mir, the places. “But it was a voice from the Deccan best chroniclers of the plight of Delhi in that changed this radically. The man who verse. brought this about was Wali Dakhni, who They were in a way carrying on the came to Delhi in 1700 AD while Aurangzeb traditional journey of Hindavi of Khusrau was still on the throne. Delhi was at that out of Delhi – “From battlefields, camps, time home to several eminent poets of shrines, marketplaces and work sites to Persian, Hatim, Abroo, Arzoo and Bedil night-shelters or caravanserais”, where the among them, who swore by the Persian poetry of Saadi, Hafiz, Jami, Khaqani and weary traveller could find both refuge, with board and lodging, and an outlet for his Urfi. It was in this milieu that Wali Dakhni merchandise. The poets who epitomised introduced his poetry, written in Dakhani, this owed a debt of gratitude to Amir called Rekhta (language of the marketplace) Khusrau, the best known exponent of that became Urdu as we know it today. Mir and Hatim who mostly wrote in Persian Hindavi that unfortunately got divided into Hindi and Urdu. Both shair and sufi used earlier, took to Rekhta too. Incidentally, the Ram as a synonym for God, which was also mazar of Wali Dakhni was razed during the adopted by Nanak and Kabir and made Gujarat riots of 2002 and a road built on the Daadoo Dayal, the 16th Century Bhakti poet site overnight as though that could diminish of Gujarat exclaim, “He who doesn’t the enormous literary contribution of Wali. oppress or consume what is prohibited is a In 1713 was born Mohammad Rafi Sauda, Momin (Believer) and will go to heaven”. who has come to be known as Mughal Delhi’s first classical Urdu poet. The city’s Urdu, however, had an atypical flavour, Genesis of qawwali different from its Awadhi or Deccani sisters.

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Before Sauda it was Sheikh Zahuruddin his simple diction and adopted the same (1699-1792), later known by his takhalus style. Incidentally, Daagh’s mother, Wazir (pen-name) Hatim, who patronised the new Khanum, alias Chhoti Begum, “who had an trend. He was followed, besides Sauda, by eye for men”, married Marston Blake, an Mir Dard, Mir Taqi Mir, Zauq, Ghalib, English officer at the age of 16 and had two Momin and Nawab Mirza Daagh Dehlvi, the children from him. Blake was unfortunately Casanova of Urdu poetry. Daagh later killed in a riot in Jaipur in early 1880. migrated to Rampur and then to The begum’s later admirers were the Hyderabad, where he died in 1905 at the Nawab of Loharu, Nawab Shamsuddin Khan age of 74, making his pupil Benjamin of Firozepore Jhirka and the British Resident Montrose “Muztar”, an Indo-Scot, cry out in at the Mughal court, William Fraser. She anguish : “Ek Daagh tha so who bhi tau married Shamsuddin Khan, who fathered Muztar guzar gaya/Baqi bacha hai kuan ab Nawab Mirza Khan Daagh Dehlvi. Hindostan mein”. Shamsuddin was later hanged for complicity Adopting simple diction in the murder of Fraser, while Wazir Khanum wed her third husband, Turab Ali. Daagh, commented Pandit Anand Mohan She finally married Mirza Fakru, Bahadur Zutshi, better known as Gulzar Dehlvi, was Shah Zafar’s son and died after him in 1879, the one who made Ghalib what he was. leaving Daagh disconsolate. Initially, Ghalib used to write difficult verse that did not find much admirers but then he Source: http://bit.ly/37sOS6u noticed the popularity of Daagh because of

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Odisha's patachitra art comes to Chennai

In one corner of Forum Art Gallery, an hand-picked collection of fine Odisha elderly man sporting a waistcoat and a patachitra’. dhoti, sits on a charpai. He is busy at work. The walls are crowded with works that are The fine outlines of a half-done figure of replete with many small elements that Krishna, with tiny loops and other similar catch one’s eye only when observed closely. elements of line drawings, garner my Patachitra on coconuts bobs along the attention to the small canvas. The man walls, resembling balls of varied sizes with stoops over the canvas, blissfully unaware colourful patterns. Ganesha, who basks in a of his surroundings. His hands move with brownbackground with inklings of black all the dexterity of an experienced over, has many intricate interpretations of practitioner, a simple brush made of the elephant god within the larger figure. “A squirrel hair, fastened tightly to a straight form within a form — this is a usually seen twig in tow — the work too doesn’t say concept in Patachitra. This is the work of otherwise. This is Sharat Kumar Sahoo, a 50- Bijay Parida,” says the curator, Suguna year-old National award winning patachitra Swamy who has also extensively worked artist, at work. Around him, perched on the with the artists in Raghurajpur. Despite the walls, are works of 11 artists — all from numerous elements present on the cloth Raghurajpur, a tiny hamlet in Odisha — canvas, the primary figure of the Ganesha which together make for ‘Jagannatha: a doesn’t get lost. His modak, trunk and tusks

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— all remain as highlighted as the other “As you walk through the streets of elements. Raghurajpur, people stand on either side The cycle of seasons, Radha and Krishna inviting you into their homes,” says Suguna revelling with gopikas and the various adding that most of the young artisans stages in a woman’s life — these are prefer to involve themselves in marketing recurring themes in the artform. “The idyllic their ancestors’ works to tourists. For the life in a village, mythological narratives, a entire hamlet of 120-odd families, woman’s elaborate adornment rituals also patachitra is a means of livelihood. feature quite often in their works,” Consequently, the artistic value gets buried continues Suguna pointing to another more in mass production meant only for earning a colourful work depicting a woman as she steady income. goes about her daily chores. In different Sahoo’s typical day starts at 4 am and goes panels, each stage is detailed carefully, on till 9 pm. At night, table lamps come to bringing out a narrative quality when his rescue. Occasional breaks excluded, observed as a single work. At the farther most of his time goes into working on the end of the gallery, the overpowering black piece, which he does sitting on the floor catches my eye. As I move closer, the without the help of magnifying glasses or Konark pillars, the sun and other motifs stencils. He had started out when he was 13 from the the Konark temple can be seen years old. And what are his favourite intricately drawn and etched in black. subjects to work on? He doesn’t have an The artists mostly use vegetable dyes and answer. He mumbles shyly , “I get colours extracted from minerals. The challenged only by very intricately detailed shades in this case, take on a softer tenor, work.” Though the older artisans, who have traditionally inherited the skill, prefer to which soothe the eyes with their pastel hues (black and earthy shades dominating). stick to the common subjects, the younger However, acrylic colours too make an generation seems to be open to change. appearance rarely, when the subject “Most of the tourists come here because of demands it. The canvas, on the other hand, the traditional value of the art. But we would be happy if we get the chance to is prepared by coating a cotton cloth with a mixture of chalk and gum extracted from introduce changes,” 29-year-old Prasanta tamarind seeds. In addition, they also use Moharana chimes in as he etches out two palm leaves that take on the form of a figurines of women, on a bookmark. He foldable manuscript. then, dunks a piece of cloth in black ink and swipes it across the figurines — they Means of livelihood emerge black as he wipes out the extra ink. Source: http://bit.ly/2Rt7xJT

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No more strings attached

Tholu Bommalata artisans keep their changing times have forced the artists to traditional art alive by shifting their puppet- innovate. So from making puppets, the making skills to other contemporary works artists now create lampshades, wall of art. hangings, paintings and bookmarks. S Gangadhara appears to be inhabiting his Gangadhara’s family has been puppet own world where none of the surrounding makers for years and years. He and Radha noise, conversations and laughter reaches are from Nimmalakunta in Anantapur him. He is focussed on his colour palette district, where the art is a hereditary from where he selects a shade to apply on occupation. “Though our main profession is his half-finished leather lampshade. He puppetry, we have started making other carefully paints the petals of a flower and if things as puppetry no longer fetches us at all some customer interrupts him with a enough money to fend ourselves. We question, he looks up, responds politely and attended workshops that were held by gets back to the job at hand. various organisations, which taught us to Gangadhara accompanied by his wife Radha experiment with the art form and help us are at the Saras Development of Women earn a living,” he says. and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) Bazaar Through various fairs, exhibitions and stores . They display their brightly coloured lamps that sell handicrafts, today, their artwork and wall hangings in their stall. has reached households not just across the Gangadjhara is a practitioner of the country but around the world. The State traditional art of Tholu Bommalata. While government and several other NGOs conduct workshops regularly and this has traditionally, Tholu Bommalata was associated with leather puppetry, the helped artisans to improvise, innovate and

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keep up with the times. “There are over 200 audience. Not straying too far from their families in our town that are involved in this puppets, what these artists depict on their profession. However, none of them is solely lampshades and wall hangings are also dependant on this and practise alternative mythological figures and animals. Peacocks professions like agriculture,” says and elephants make a frequent appearance. Gangadhara. Puppetry was a popular form Goat hide and sheepskin are moulded into of art and entertainment where puppeteers lamps of various sizes and shapes. These are travelled around village to village staging then decorated with intricate designs and stories with their leather puppets. Episodes vibrant oranges, reds, yellows, blues and from the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha greens usually derived from vegetable dyes. were enacted to the delight of the Source: http://bit.ly/3aCSp49

Is there a classical Indian way of dancing?

Miti Desai, a Mohiniattam dancer gave a Indian classical dance?”. The purpose of lecture demonstration in studio Swastika, Indian Classical Dance, she stated, is to last Saturday titled, “The Centre from which “reach the formless through form”. it all spins – Mythology, Belief and Explaining the philosophical underpinnings Transcendence”. She begins by asking, of classical dance, she implied that while “What is the Indian worldview?, What is the each dance has its form, its shape and Vedic worldview? What is the purpose of geometry it is not a mere physical exercise,

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it is meant for the dancer to experience crisis was posed by A.K. Ramanujan, “Is something beyond the form. The poetry on there an Indian way of thinking?.” He posed which dance is choreographed, is also this question to the world in the form of his similar. It seeks to evoke visual forms of seminal essay that goes with the same title. mythological gods and goddesses – This question, has been re-introduced describing the image of Krishna or that of multiple times in the context of different Shiva. However, she states that the purpose disciplines and activities– Is there an Indian of even this imagery/ visual form is to way of film making, of designing or even enable the artist or the audience to eating. His essay, while posing a question experience something intangible and also offered a method to reflect on this formless. Form is only symbolic of the question i.e. asking the same question formless. multiple times with a stress on different words. For example - “Is there an Indian way of thinking?” could be interpreted to Her dance sharings were preceded by an mean is there one or many ways of Indian explanation of the symbolism in each of the thinking. “Is there an Indian way of choreographies. She would tell the thinking?” implies if there is a certain kind mythological story and decode the symbolic of thinking that could be branded as Indian? meaning of Hindu mythical gods – Krishna Or “Is there an Indian way of thinking?” and Shiva. This narrative of “reaching would be a question about the existence of formless by engaging with form” resonates such a thing as Indian thinking. In with the dominant Vedic worldview in approaching this question, one begins to Hinduism, that idol worship is a means to understand that what constitutes “Indian” experience god in his or her formlessness. or “Indian thinking” is very elusive. She also traces the roots of classical dance to Vedic philosophy and “Shastras”. By Applying the same method to classical situating her dance sharings in this socio - dance, we could ask “Is there an Indian cultural rubric and decoding the meaning of Classical way of dancing?”. Framing it as a the poetry and the choreography, she made question modifies a cultural assumption into a thought experiment. For starters, we her dance cognizable and accessible for the audience. The intimacy of the space, the can safely say that there is more than one proximity with the artist allowed one to way of dancing the Indian classical. Firstly, appreciate the performance from a because each dancing body dances perspective very different to the one we differently. Then, there is no Indian Classical experience in auditorium. dance in the absence of the different forms that have been identified as classical. However, when we invoke the term “Indian Hence, when we speak of Indian classical Classical Dance” we are faced with a crisis dance, we have to speak in terms of which or a problem question,“What is Indian form. It is the early 20thcentury Classical Dance?”. A similar question with reconstruction which seeks to create a roots in the same post-colonial identity

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common past for all these dance forms. Kerala and its socio-cultural practices and to Asking this question shakes (atleast a little) only situate the form in the singular the typical potted identity of classical dance overbearing narrative of classical past is which traces itself to the principles of turning a blind eye towards the regional. Natyashastra, to an itemised repertoire and Even if we were to speak of a shared to a few key figures who institutionalised purpose of all the classical forms, it the form. This need for a homogenised becomes important to acknowledge how singular identity decontextualizes the form, this purpose gets instituted. When classical erasing its more immediate regional dances are a modern reconstruction of context, language and landscape it is region specific community practices, could connected to. the purpose of “reaching formless through So when Miti Desai spoke of the purpose of form” be an age old transfer of knowledge Indian Classical Dance, the absence of the among all forms? regional spoke louder. Mohiniattam, the Source: http://bit.ly/2tFqQGM dance of the enchantress, emerges from

Art and the bliss within

It is significant that certain words have no Moksha or liberation, also a state of bliss. If exact opposites. One of them is Ananda or there is any term opposed to them, then it Bliss. We have unhappiness for happiness or has to be an amalgam of both happiness hate for love but there is nothing, and misery. Those who have been blissful, exclusively opposed to Bliss. Similar is may never be able to articulate the state,

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well enough or as it is. Only the one who The five-fold stages as enumerated by tastes it, will know it, making it commentators are physical, mental, Anirvachaneeya or indescribable. There are emotional, imaginative and transcendental, two variations of bliss — one that is that lead to the absorption into the ONE positive, dynamic and creative and the ‘CIT-EKARASA.’ This is called Samvit other that is negative, passive and Vishranti/beatitude, by Trika Shaivas. It is dissolving. The former represents the considered nothing short of Brahma- fullness and the latter the void. Aswada — Sahodara, a brother of the divine There are also three broad means to experience of super consciousness. The acquire Ananda, according to Sastras — symbiosis of consciousness with aesthetics Kamananda, that arises out of the predates Abhinava Gupta in the Vijñāna enjoyment of all that is desired and Bhairava, Siva Sūtras, Tirumandiram and achieved, Dharmananda, out of others that variously assimilate the broad philosophical rationalisation of the esoteric performance of noble deeds giving tremendous satisfaction and finally science of energy — Tantra. Trika stands for Mokshananda. The last one is the baffling accepting divine existence as Bheda, truth that, bliss AS IT IS, is within ONESELF. Bhedabheda and Abheda — dual, dual and It permeates EVERYWHERE from this point. non-dual and non-dual or ONE. This Aananda does not necessitate any Natya believes that the form and formless action whatsoever, in search of bliss but are part of one unified reality, exemplifying rests in essence, in the eternal Being that the conception of the supreme personality pulsates within. Constantly meditating upon of God, as the Universal Self, beyond ‘Satchidananda’ — Bliss I AM — gets Purusha and Prakriti — the WHOLE. Every reflected in every necessary will, thought manifestation that mirrors this is equally and action. The grace simply flows out of true, albeit relatively from the ultimate such a Being. view. It is Yogaja Marga that integrates the This throws light upon a similar but special supreme and the worldly as against an aloof and incomparable experience, that of RASA. Vivekamarga that segregates the illusive Maya from the transcendental Brahman. In drama, the Vibhavas, Anubhavas, Vyabhicahari and Sattvika Bhavas With the force of art, comes the discovery purposefully evoke the predominant Sthayi that this Jiva is Siva-Sakti. An egoistic ‘I’ can Bhavas, leading to Rasa, contemporaneous re-unite with ‘I’ the Brahman. with every worldy aspect and Pratyabhijna, the philosophy maintained by corresponding moral lessons, that is being Bharata, a Trikasutrakara, when applied to dealt with. This means that Kamananda and Rasa, is a recollection of the blissful self that Dharmananda are both present, rather you are but has been forgotten by you. It is ‘represented’ while Mokshananda, is also a vibrating self-recognition of the ONE REAL within the grasp. subject, brought about by reduction in identity with THE MANY objective realities.

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The catalyst in this is another person or set in motion, the universe. It is called event (the actor/drama before you in this Anahata, unstruck, uncaused, ceaseless and case) that brings you face to face with THIS I spontaneous. This undifferentiated throb is AM. symbolised as the primordial mother and Enacting several roles, the artiste travels father, dancing inseparably united. from third person to second, then to first It is the one Varna in the form of Nada person and finally, NO PERSON. Like the (sound vibration) in which lie all Varnas self-realised yogin, one experiences oneself (letters) latent, in undivided form. A as a sheer actor in the drama of life, in revelation of such mystical experience various roles of outer being but remaining through the world drama — one moment in absolutely detached from the entire play. LAYA, is unique, whereby both the Iccha, Gnana and Kriya Shaktis are the phenomenal and the noumenon are known. pathways to open the door to Siva who In a nutshell, the dancer and spectator blissfully rests with his Swatantrya Shakti. participate in Siva’s Bliss of Sakti. Spanda is the term for this Aananda which Source: http://bit.ly/2tW34WO

Threads of tradition

The Crafts Council of Telangana which To make them self-sufficient recently honoured craftsmen and women Satish Nagender Poludas, (designer and chosen from across the country with their craft entrepreneur, Studio Kora) was the ‘Sanmaan’ Awards. A few artisans share first person in his family to enter the world their journey in the field: of design. “We are a typical Telugu family

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and my brother is into software,” he shares forms and narrate mythological stories with a smile. He took a fancy to design and through these stringed forms. “My mother joined the National Institute of Design. has travelled abroad doing many such “Only after passing I realised it is all shows,” he says with pride. hardcore and one has to start from the A self-taught artist, he did not get any grass roots.” With an interest in handicrafts formal training. “I used to watch how elders and handloom, he has been working as a worked and just learnt from seeing,” he design consultant with Uzramma for many states. Hailing from Nimmalakunta in years in creating Malkha fabric. Anantapur, Chinna Ramanna has been His team works with NGOs across the travelling across the country with his country. “We connect with farmers through leather puppets for the past 20 years now. our work on khadi,” he states. The team The leather puppets tell stories from travels across villages and helps in creating different episodes of Ramayana. Some of work for the villagers. “We work with them include: Sundarakanda, Mahi Ravana farmers who grow indigenous cotton and Charitra, Lakshmana Moorcha, Sati work on their requirements; it could be a Sulochana, Indrajit Charitramu, Ravana loom for ₹30,000 or even a meagre ₹50 for Vadha and Sri Rama Pattabhishekam. a spindle. We give them ideas so that they Interestingly Chinna Ramanna never does a can start earning. We don’t have a big set sketch; he draws directly on leather to up or studio. We work with villagers in their create his form. I never considered it tough. houses and set up things to make sure they If you think something is tough, you can get work.” never do it,” he states. Satish has dreams of setting up a village His dream is to create a Padmavyuham near Vizag where artisans from across the (from Mahabharatha) through his leather country can learn how to create and puppets. become self-sufficient. “Now I have many clients and have to travel a lot to earn my Khadi splendour bread and butter. In a few years from now, I Hailing from Srikakulam district, Maavuri will work to make my dream come true.” Alivelu (Khadi Weaving at the state level) Stories through leather puppetry carries forward the weaving heritage. “My grandfather and father were known for Dalavai Chinna Ramanna (Excellence in their weaving, especially dhotis,” she Craft, Leather Puppetry at the state level), shares. She belongs to the traditional who’s getting the award for his creation of a weaving community and has been carrying temple gopuram shaped floor lampshade is forward the legacy. “After my husband the torch-bearer of his family and continues passed away, my sister and her husband the rich tradition of leather puppetry. He have been helping me run the looms,” she grew up watching his grandfather and says. parents create unique leather puppetry

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For the past 11 years, she has been working themes like showing a city life in with the jamdani style on khadi. “I am Kondapalli.” currently working on weaving a sari with Of stories and shadow puppetry jamdani design of Radha Krishna and hope to bring it to the awards function,” she Rajeev Pulaveer, (Leather Puppetry at the informs. national level) belongs to the 13th generation of traditional shadow The weavers face a lot of hardships, she puppeteers in Kerala. “Shadow puppetry is says. “It is not so tough physically but there an art form, a ritual in Kerala temples,” he is a lot of strain on the eyes; one has to be informs. The traditional shadow puppetry in extra careful while weaving.” temples is Ramayana-based. He is very busy Swachh Bharat in Kondapalli between January and May when he The Swachh Bharat campaign gets a new performs every night from 10 pm to early morning in temples of the Malabar region. depiction in the Kondapalli toys of Moguloju Venugopal (educational and craft “The story of shadow puppetry is that proficiency). Currently pursuing his Bhadrakali was busy fighting demon king education in Polytechnic college, the Darika asura when Rama-Ravana war youngster came up with the idea of creating happened, hence she misses out being a a new theme with the traditional wooden witness to Ravana’s death. When she toys of Kondapalli. expresses her wish to watch it, Shiva replicates the scenes through shadow The theme shows a model village with clean puppetry and hence this form has become a air and greenery. He learnt the craft from ritual performed in temples,” he explains. his artisan father Moguloju Srinivasa Chari, When performing outside temples, he takes who has been working in the field for the past 20 years. “My father does traditional up different themes; Indian freedom themes like Dasavataram and I have struggle, Panchatantra stories, contemporary ideas,” he states. The family Shakesperean dramas all told through lives in Ibrahimpatnam in Kondapalli and he shadow puppetry. “Our new story is Story travels to Vijayawada for his college. After of the earth. We talk about its history, college, he is at home honing the skills from present scenario and future.” his father. “I love to do more modern Source: http://bit.ly/2tSp05h

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Stitching ties, crafting ideas

Sharing each other craft techniques is the edition of the Crafts Bazaar at Dilli Haat on best possible way for artisans to grow in January 14. their field of specialisation as well as imbibe Cheerful and diligent, potter Bregas is each other’s culture. Like in the case of enjoying every bit of his work at Dilli Haat. Indonesian troika of Bregas Harrimardoyo, He is grabbing eyeballs from art aficionados Caroline Rika Winata and Yuvita who are for his work in pottery pieces. “I am using working in tie-dye and pottery in a seamless Indian clay and glaze and mixing it with the and harmonious way with their Indian Indonesian technique. Usually, I make counterparts in the fortnight-long mela at patterns on pottery pieces with graffito Dilli Haat. Just like crafts of the host technique. It is like surface carving. I country, the texture of the Indian cuisine normally do it in the Indonesian stoneware also arouses their curiosity as they take a technique. Here I am using Indian terracotta break from work and partake kidney beans, clay. So I will glaze red terracotta and Kashmiri rista and Lucknowi biryani. combine it with black patterns to create Organised by Dastkari Haat Samiti, the mela new designs, colours and patterns.” marks 70 years of diplomatic relations He rues that Indonesia does not have the between India and Indonesia and celebrates same quality of clay as found in India. “We 25 years of Dilli Haat. All of them have do not get the red terracotta clay which can brushed up their skills in indigenous craft produce such fine cups and bowls. I am techniques. And the pottery and household using both Indonesian and Indian patterns.” items that will come from this constructive collaboration will be on display at the 33rd Apart from the work front, it is his partnership with master artisan Harikishan

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that he cherishes more. “We have been For Carolina, learning the Indian intricate working together like brothers for more patters of Bandhini, a part of tie-dye than a week.” textiles, is fascinating. “I find the whole Both of them share the same passion and process interesting yet complex. As dedication for crafts but have had different Bandhini patterns are so small, it is a experiences in their respective careers. challenge to make small motifs like Abdul “Our techniques and designs differ but this does. The Indonesian style of tie-dye is with work at Dilli Haat has been extremely repetitive pattern of block print style, while productive as we have shared new design Indian artisans have a painting style.” ideas and techniques which we were Working next to her, Abdul says the duo will ignorant about.” make a shawl, two sarongs and one lamp. Impressed with his commitment to craft, “We have to work with adequate light as Harikishan says Bregas loves to work with there are so many tiny dots that we have to him . “When we both open the kiln after construct in Bandhini,” he adds. firing, it feels so good to see the results of Indeed, Bandhini dates back to the Indus our common work,” he adds. Valley Civilisation. It is done in Rajasthan as “It is like we have been given birthday well as Gujarat. Abdul, hailing from Gujarat, gifts,” comments Bregas, with a broad smile says Kutch’s Bandhini is special as on his face, as he shows some of the traditional designs are still intact in their samples. pure form. “Its popularity can be gauged from the fact that big names like Tarun Similarly, the innovative work done by Tahiliani, Ritu Kumar and Abraham and Caroline Rika Winata with Abdul Wahab Thakore have worked with us.” Khatri in tie-dye is there to be seen at Dilli Haat. It is a win-win situation for both as Abdul too is learning the Indonesian version of tie- Learning experience dye. “So far, we have made a joint piece While they are jointly making lamp shades, with scripts in both languages.” they are also striking conversations and Jaya Jaitly, founder of Dastkari Haat Samiti, thereby sharing knowledge of each other’s says: “Both are tie-dye but there is a technique. They have used indigo dyes in a difference. The Indian version is about manner that the shades reflect the colours creating small dots in big numbers. It is finer of the sky. and elaborate, whereas the Indonesian tie- Carolina says: “I am an expert in the dye is simpler and bigger and is about Indonesian tie-dye technique. Here I am creating textures.” collaborating with Abdul Vahad Khatri, an Dissecting their work as a craft revivalist, expert in Bandhini. It has been a thoroughly Jaitly, says: “One scarf has Indian festive enjoyable experience working with such a kites floating in the Indonesian Mega- talented artisan .” Mendung, which means thunder clouds in

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the Indonesian language but in India it richest in crafts. But we want mutual means clouds. This collaboration will lead to progression.” creative artworks that will integrate the two Giving an example, she says: “Take batik for cultures.” example, it could have gone from here to Common heritage there or vice versa. It is so old and the On the need for jugalbandi between the relationship between Indonesia and India is two Asian nations, she says, South Asian so old that it does not matter from where it nations are preferred because they have is. It is part of our common heritage. been maintaining the culture of crafts. “The Similarly there are skills which are more West and the highly industrialised nations developed. So it takes invigoration; one’s have simply lost it. From Africa to Japan, own repertoire and long standing people- craft is still alive. We are probably the to-people relationship.” Source: http://bit.ly/30XCybQ

Dotted canvas of memories

Apart from kites, bhogi and routinely deal during this festival. Festive patterns are reminiscing about the real beauty of the different from what is done regularly at harvest festival in villages, Sankranti also south Indian homes. Of late this practice is brings out the artists in many households. on the decline with the chore being Muggu, the beautiful patterns at the delegated to the househelp. entrance on doorways of homes, is a big

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In Hyderabad, the tradition of muggu at Sagar isn’t the only one who takes pride in homes reaches a peak during Sakranti his culture and draws inspiration from his season. At the break of dawn (earlier, it childhood memories for his art. Well-known used to be by the first cry of the cock) the artist Thota Laxminarayan’s art celebrates ladies prep the ground by cleaning it and village life. His signature cows in most of his giving it a fresh coat of light cow dung paste work represent his connection with them. or spraying the slurry. When it is still slightly “Having been born in a family of farmers, I moist (not wet) rows of dots are put in cannot think of a life without cows. No quick succession, with limestone powder or power tiller, no machine can replace them. rice flour and then connected to form Having lived that life I cannot detach myself aesthetic patterns. Digital artist Sagar from them. My colours and strokes are Rachakonda shares, “As a kid I was dedicated to my background and that keeps mesmerised at how these patterns were me happy,” he says. made and I learnt them. Now I love doing Sankranti or Ugadi, Thota’s canvases are them. Over the years I lost touch with the vibrant and shows the life one leads in practice until one day at a friend’s place, villages. Some of his work celebrates rural another friend pulled out a muggu pattern games, the everyday scene of young boys that dated back to her great grandmother. walking cows to the fields, feeding them or My friend handed me the pattern and said even flying birds that peck at ripe paddy, ‘do something’. Thus began my work. clearly a reflection of Thota’s memories. Currently I am not working on them “Honestly, a lot of people connect with my because I am writing a movie script. I am thoughts. Come Sankranti the cows are not the traditional muggu artist. I do digital treated in a special way, village folks engage muggus which have flexibility and can be in games, the scene there is so lively,” he used in any way. I am digital artist and work adds. Would he want to switch his muse? to create patterns that can be printed on “How can I? There is no way I can detach any size with any colour,” says Sagar myself from my roots,” he insists. Rachakonda. Sagar’s works are big in size and he takes pride in creating new patterns Source: http://bit.ly/30WBJjl which have also found place in an exclusive kolam website — www.ikolam.com

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The rise and fall of the crazy star

Among the most colourful Britishers in Delhi understanding of Indian culture, Ochterlony in the 19th Century was Major-General rose through the military ranks, serving David Ochterlony, nicknamed “Loony under Lord Lake in the battles that released Akhtar” or crazy star because of his Emperor Shah Alam from Maratha eccentricity, on whom a treatise has been influence. Ochterlony was appointed the written by ex-CRPF Addl. Director-General first British Resident at Delhi, responsible Jasbir Singh Gill. for the protection of the Emperor and the David Ochterlony was born in Boston on 12 safety of the city. He successfully defended February, 1758, the eldest son of Capt. Delhi in 1804 against an attack by Jaswant David Ochterlony of Scotland and his Rao Holkar, a Maratha chief, and for his American-born wife Katherine Tyler, a niece services was bestowed with the Mughal of Sir William Pepperell. After Captain title of “Nasir ud-Daula” (Defender of the Ochterlony died insolvent in 1765, the State) and appointed permanent Resident family moved to England where Katherine at Delhi. One of his favourite summer married Sir Isaac Heard, who was both a retreats was Shalimar Bagh, Delhi, where he caught a fatal chill. father-figure and close confidant to Ochterlony (Jr) throughout his life. Ochterlony’s greatest success came in the Sir Issac used his influence to send Anglo-Nepalese War when he commanded Ochterlony to India as a cadet in 1777. Due one of four columns under General Hastings to his determination, negotiating skills and that destroyed Kaji Amar Singh Thapa’s Gurka army in 1815. Ochterlony used his

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knowledge of the terrain and intercepted retainers. His favourite wife was Mubarak- letters to wage a skilful mountain warfare. al-Nisa, an ambitious woman who gave He also employed his diplomatic skills by herself many titles including “Begum enlisting former enemy troops. For his Ochterlony”. He had six “natural” children success, he was created a baronet. When with two or more of his Indian wives, but he the government of Nepal refused to ratify feared that they would not be fully the Treaty of Sugauli, Ochterlony swiftly accepted by either English or Mughal moved against it, forcing an immediate society. His children were part of a new ratification of the treaty and bringing the class in India known as Anglo-Indians. war to an end on 5th March, 1816. For his His only son was Roderick Peregrine services, he was Knight Grand Cross of the Ochterlony, born in 1785. Roderick had Order of Bath. both an English and Mughal education. In In 1825, Durjan Sal tried to seize power in 1808, he married Sarah Nelly, daughter of Bharatpur after his uncle Baldeo Singh died, Col John Nelly of Bengal at Allahabad. leaving his infant son Balwant Singh as Raja. Mubarak Begum, Sir David Ochterlony’s Ochterlony supported the rightful heir and favourite wife, fought against the British issued a proclamation for defence of the during the great Indian rebellion of 1857, Raja that was however repudiated by Lord demonstrating the drastic breakdown in Amherst. Amherst’s lack of confidence is British-Indian relations caused by racism, said to have left Ochterlony feeling segregation and oppression. By then the “abandoned and dishonoured” and to have India that Ochterlony had made his home hastened his death in Meerut on 15 July no longer existed. The Begum built a 1825, and was buried there at St John’s beautiful little mosque in Lal Kuan, Delhi, Church, though he had built a mausoleum which is known as Mubarak Begum-ki- for himself at the Mughal Mubarak Bagh in Masjid. Delhi. Incidentally, two months after his Neemuch was a British Cantonment demise, Ochterlony’s action at the established by Ochterlony after taking the Bharatpur was vindicated by the Governor- land from Maharaja Scindia in 1818. General in Council on the persuasion of Sir Construction of a fort was also started in Thomas Metcalfe, his great friend and 1819 which was completed in 1837. He built admirer. a British Residency at Neemuch which was It is said that Sir David Ochterlony took the known as “Ochterlony House”. This was his evening air in Delhi followed by his 13 official residence for three years. A plaque wives, each on her own elephant. It was not on it in English, Urdu and Hindi reads: “This unusual for British officers serving in India house was built by Maj-Gen Sir David to become comfortable in Mughal- Ochterlony Bart. GCB The First Resident in Hindustani culture. Ochterlony’s courtly and Rajputana and Malwa who established his diplomatic manners earned him the trust headquarters at Neemuch and occupied this and admiration of Shah Alam and his

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house as his official residence from 1822 to “During my basic training, I and other 1825.” officers used to dine in Ochterlony House The Cantonment was disbanded in 1936. In since it was the CRPF Officers’ Mess. Finding 1939, all the barracks and other buildings ourselves in a totally new environment, I including Ochterlony House and Neemuch dug out details of the history of Neemuch Fort were taken over by the Crown and Ochterlony House. I again visited Representative’s Police which was raised at Neemuch in 1981 and 1983 for some Neemuch on 27th July. Neemuch is the courses but the curiosity existed to know birthplace of the CRPF and one of its most more about the place and Ochterlony’s important stations. Since 1961, officers’ exploits,” says Gill who was again posted basic training is also being conducted there. there from 2003 to 2005. Ferreting out facts Source: http://bit.ly/37tcOXa

In Manto, we trust

Black Margins or Siyah Hashiye is one of forgotten. Published in 1948, after Manto Saadat Hasan Manto’s most searing had migrated to Pakistan, the writings were compilations, and it contains terse prose the glowing embers of disenchantment that pieces in Urdu, some only a few lines long, had lodged themselves deep in the writer’s that capture, in just a breath or a gasp, grim psyche. Nandita Das’ eponymous film images of Partition that continue to depicts a gloomy shadow cast over unsettle the reader long after the words are Mumbai, even if it largely escaped the

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rioting that took place in other parts of the session by Narendra Mohan that will country. critically analyses the text, and a dramatic Test of time performance directed by Sunil Shanbag. Given the source material, brevity will likely Hearsay or rumours, or personal be of the essence. testimonials of survivors, had created an atmosphere of festering dread that Siyah Over the years, Manto’s works have Hashiye collates. Some experiences might provided prolific fodder to the theatre have been first-hand accounts that had fringe without any letup. His writings were exchanged many hands, other the re- never written for the stage, although he had imagining of horror. Even in their pithiness penned several radio plays, but when they smack of strong reportage. Manto’s delivered with a certain rigour, they provide tendency to focus on human nature gone challenging excursions for conscientious awry did not endear him to sections of the actors. The solo performance circuit, if Pakistani literati, depicted as stone-faced there is such a thing, is littered with and cold in the film. The collection was discharges of anguish that had first found dismissed as overtly ‘sensational’ by a expression on his pages. Gravitas gives way reviewer. The test of time has served it well to declamation at times, and deadpan though. In Manto’s embracing of the reflection to melodrama, but in the end, underbelly and the stories lurching within it, Manto’s punches land with characteristic there is a stark revulsion certainly, but the élan. gaze is empathetic, and the outlook secular, Big ticket ventures into Manto’s dark turf long before such a term had gained include the plays by Neelam Mansingh currency. Chowdhry — Naked Voices, Dark Borders Writing with conscience (also based on Siyah Hashiye) and Bitter Fruit. In the latter, the director’s penchant This week, on Manto’s 64th death for a ‘theatre of images’ combined well with anniversary (January 18), Studio Tamaasha scenographer Deepan Sivaraman’s own has announced a tribute to Siyah Hashiye. fecund visual proclivities. In Chowdhry’s Manto - A Black Margin will take place at Manto pieces, there is a sensuous beauty to the Mysore Association in Matunga. It’s a the proceedings brought alive by actors’ rare sojourn away from their usual hideout bodies conditioned to both sprightly in Aaram Nagar, but the new venue will movement and verbal expression. The plays allow a larger audience. Of late, Tamaasha are often a photographer’s delight. The events have been growing in popularity, devising of metaphors from sand or cloth or and often cannot accommodate all who tarpaulin are aesthetically charged, and the turn up for their events. The event will set-pieces sometimes too dazzling to the consist of a melange of cultural activities — eye but, in a visceral sense, the an exhibition of paintings, stand-up grotesqueness of human nature as sketches, a contemporary dance piece, a

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observed and recorded by Manto comes filmed — the film is interspersed with through. dramatic enactments of Manto’s tales. Intense performances At any one point, there’s always a Manto In contrast, Atelier Theatre’s foray into piece being performed in some part of the Manto with Kuchh Afsane, attempts to city (and Delhi is no exception). This week work with ugliness directly, foregrounding a apart from the Tamaasha tribute, there are rawness of presentation and a roughness of plays like Mujeeb Khan’s Ismat Manto’s performance. The interplay between men Jugalbandi and Manto ka Deewanapan; and women in enactments of pieces Mudit Singhal’s Manto ki Roomaniyat, likeThanda Gosht or Boo, comes across as Mohit Sharma’s solo performance Toba Tek unseemly rather than potent. These Singh; and Jashn-e-Qalaam: Manto Bedi and versions veer from one end of the aesthetic Chughtai at the Harkat Studios; all jostling spectrum to another, but perhaps it is Das’ for space in a crowded arts calendar. film that manages much more in terms of Source: http://bit.ly/2tJBGLV how a Manto story might be staged or

Weaves of Kashmir come alive in Chennai

An Omar Khayyam poem finds itself on a it, is a 100-year-old rug made by prisoners, 150-year-old rug from Balochistan. Beneath sprawled across the floor. Stacks of neatly

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rolled rugs with varied patterns, colours, with weavers from Central India, especially finish, and excellent craftsmanship, lean on Badouli. walls. On the farther end, a lone weaver, Project Haath equipped with a sickle-like tool (called ‘khour’) sits in front of a wooden loom, his “In Kashmir, weaving is not community- hands moving swiftly through the array of specific. It is mostly dependent on threads, knotting and un-knotting. A typical economic background. Once they are day at RugWeave is all this and more; the educated, people tend to move on to other handmade rugs store, at the basement of jobs because weaving rugs is labour Eldorado building in Nungambakkam, intensive,” says Zeeshan, adding that the intrigues collectors and art enthusiasts craft is passed on through generations. alike. However, the advent of machine-made rugs and demand for modern designs started Nisha Tariq and Zeeshan Tariq are third- affecting the industry badly. “The decline in generation enthusiasts of carpets: thanks to the number of weavers ultimately led to the the family business that inspired them to steady increase in costs as well,” continues explore rugs. The business, which was Zeeshan, an ardent collector who also originally started by their grandfather, was studies carpets. taken over by their father SM Tariq, who settled in Chennai 35 years ago. Zeeshan, That the craft is labour intensive leaves the who once went to Kashmir to collect some weavers with no incentive to continue, adds orders his father had placed, was touched Nisha. Soon, the duo plans to organise on seeing the plight of the weavers. On workshops to understand the craft; an sharing this experience with Nisha, the duo antique rug gallery might also take shape. decided to act on it. “We always saw They also plan to introduce a collection for weaving as a commodity and never as an the colour-blind by the end of 2020. art. Despite being in the business for these Now, the store houses a loom from Kashmir many years, we never tried to understand to show people the work that goes into the working behind it,” says Zeeshan. making a carpet. Yusuf Mohammed, a third- This later led to Project Haath, an initiative generation weaver from Ganderbal, weaves to rehabilitate weavers across the country in the store when he is not doubling up as a (especially in Kashmir and Central India) and salesperson. “But the latter is what sustains revive the near-extinct art. “Now, Project him, not weaving. This situation needs to Haath has about 650 weavers under its change,” says Nisha. wing. We provide them as much support as The loom and the art possible by selling what they make and also The wooden loom, equipped with metal creating awareness about their plates that hold the threads taut, stands community,” says Nisha. RugWeave is upright against a wall. Yusuf sits at the directly collaborating with weavers from loom, the ‘khour’ in one hand and a ‘punch’ Kashmir and through other intermediaries in another. Beside him, lies a paper, bearing

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a burnt-out-brown tinge, with done,” says Yusuf recalling the days he measurements and instructions; these helped his brother during winter, because come from the designer. He is now working his school was closed. on a silk carpet which would take him at “About 15 years ago, over 60 % of people in least a couple of months to finish. my hometown were into weaving. Now that Yusuf has been weaving for 20 years now. has reduced to about 20-25 %,” explains the Following the footsteps of his elder brother weaver. As he prepares to get back to his who initiated him into the art, he moved to ‘taleem’, he says, “If the art is not Chennai to work at the store six years back. recognised, future generations would not “During harsh winters back home, people carry on in this field.” take to weaving when no other work can be Source: http://bit.ly/38FbHnw

Veerbala: feats of four female historical figures encapsulated

The epoch-making queens of yesteryears – Kathak, though four different forms would Kittoor Chennamma, Rudrama Devi, Rani have been more welcome from the Lakshmi Bai and Razia Sultan – were played audience point of view. out in geographical pattern starting from Historical events like the queens’ defence in south of India to the north, chiefly through protecting their chosen regent and defiance two dance forms of Bharatanatyam and

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to British ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ were the Through brilliant footwork patterns to jatis crowning glory that brought these women (mnemonics) the dancer showcased the to the forefront of history, barring Razia martial skills of queen Rudramma of Sultan, who had other political issues to Kakatiya dynasty, from horse-riding to tackle. Trying to recreate history, especially sharp-shooting to sword and spear fights. that of constant protest and war, in a solo Her mime to rhythmic utterances was dance format within a short time-frame is eloquent. So was her (the fierce queen) no cakewalk for any artiste, but how the changed demeanour as the affectionate four dancers managed to do so in their queen and guardian grandmother watching medium is something to write home about. her heir apparent wielding the sword, Vidha Lal as Razia Sultan came out in flying through a small window slit of her tent. The colours in more than one aspect. Her most memorable and touching sequence costume and change of headgear in was Dakshina’s convincing abhinaya to the queen being attacked by a weapon in her accordance to the tone and tenor of the sequence of events was admirable. Kathak abdomen region; her changing expressions being more a show of virtuosity and less of of wrath, followed by valiant and then an drama, the artiste struck a fine balance of expression of shooting pain and the two without ever allowing it to be an spontaneous tears as she holds her bleeding chest and struggles to draw out the weapon appliqué work. The lyrics and the abhinaya with sanchari were given equal importance before she falls to the ground was superb and moulded beautifully within the confines even as it fulfilled the artistic norm of the of footwork presentations. She was able to navrasa (here it was raudra, veera, karunya, capture the various facets of queen Razia’s shanta respectively). The artiste was able to persona – the delicate beauty of her draw a complete personality of the queen physical being (phool kamal si komal Rudramma as a young heroic warrior, an kaya...), her fiery tiger-like spring when able administrator who ushered a number confronted with a combat and her love of social welfare schemes for her people; a story. Certain details like emulating Razia maternal mentor to her grandson, the riding a horse and bringing it to a halt would-be king of Kakatiyas. The regent cannot be missed – they underlined Vidha’s succession issue as opposed to the British artistic creativity. doctrine also figured here, very briefly. Young and energetic Dakshina Subadrakumari Chauhan’s lilting poem on Vaidyanathan Baghel fit the role of Jhansi-ki-rani went for a toss with being Rudrama Devi to a T. She very cleverly adapted to a slow music and rendition as customised the martial dance of Telangana Kathak artiste Poorna Acharya tried to (Prerini Shiva tandavam) to suit her medium portray Manikarnika (queen Lakshmibai’s of Bharatanatyam which gave her a larger maiden name) through her childhood, scope to use her footwork and gestures marriage, widowhood and later taking up with rigour to suit the warring queen. reigns of Jhansi with her minor son, refusing

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to yield her kingdom to the British. Poorna’s Doctrine of Lapse was depicted by attire and her change of scene like marriage Bharatanatyam dancer Shivaranjani Harish. denoted with a red chunari are worth a The artiste had more to convey in abhinaya mention. The stick dance where she literally rather than dance per se. The nadai (gait) took a prop (stick) to show a fight was she adopted was the only Bharatanatyam impressive just like the abhinaya of tying element without props, that was her child to her back before mounting her prominently displayed and striking too like horse! The mime of riding her horse looked emulating the slow trot of a horse to rather ridiculous as was the dancer’s Kung- mnemonics. The martial exercises ( la Fu stances adopted by the warring queen as Kalaripayattu ) she adopted in the format of she takes on her enemies! The optimum her dance seemed theatrical. The live footwork to dance was good in bits and orchestra with Vasudevan on the vocal was pieces. excellent. Curated by Usha RK, ‘Veerbala’ was hosted at India Habitat Centre. Kittoor Chennamma, a popular queen of Karnataka who also fought tooth and nail Source: http://bit.ly/37G4aVD for her adopted regent opposing the

Hyderabad’s Chowmahalla Palace, fit for the Nizams once again

While Hyderabad’s heritage structures and for grabs, the restoration of the sites are being seen as prime real estate up Chowmahalla Palace to its age-old

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grandeur, putting it on top of the city’s hint of the life of royalty. The other must see bucket list, is a silver lining. buildings are also being restored in stages,” “This has been the most extensive effort to said Kishen Rao, director of Chowmahalla restore the Palace to the state it was when Palace, who has been involved in the it was built. We have restored the original project right from its inception. colour after trying out 500 samples and “We used a lime-friendly product and colours,” said Anuradha Naik, conservation matched it to the original colour. We architect, working on the project. The scraped off layer after layer and found the structure dates back to late 18th century original colour. We used a 20% darker when construction began in 1750. It was shade as lime fades as it sets in. The real completed in the mid 19th century during challenge was marbling the front pillars, the reign of Asaj Jah V. which was done for the first time. It took us Once spread over 60 acres near the city’s six months of trial and error and close to Mecca Masjid, the palace complex with its 500 samples to get it right,” recalled Ms. eight buildings is restricted to just about 12 Naik. The result is a stunning acres now. A big moment was the transformation in which pillars appear to coronation of Mukarram Jah Nizam VII in have a glaze of newness. 1967 after the demise of his grandfather Bright finish Nizam VI Mir Osman Ali Khan. Inside, there is a subtle change in the colour schemes and a more resplendent finish to After 1976, however, the palace complex the walls and ceiling with delicate daubs of was left untended and uncared for till colour on the intricate stucco work that dominates the building. Princess Esra, former wife of Mukarram Jah, stepped in to begin restoration efforts in “This is an ongoing process. The upper floor 2000. of the darbar hall has been carefully “For nearly seven years, a team lead by restored taking care of the steel spans and Rahul Mehrotra, Marthand Singh and Najib beams,” said Princess Esra with a hint of pride. Jung worked to carefully catalogue, ideate and curate a unique experience that gives a Source: http://bit.ly/2TZ07j1

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How the Kerala floods unearthed a site filled with ancient terracotta figures

On a sunny day last August, a few men were Sukumaran, academics, historians and fishing in the river Pamba in Kozhippalam enthusiasts soon got together and near Aranmula town in Kerala’s approached the government. Things moved Pathanamthitta district. Like most villages in fast. Kerala’s Department of Archaeology the area, Kozhippalam was devastated last swung into action within a matter of weeks. year in the biggest floods to hit Kerala in What till then had been just a ‘riverfront living memory. Most houses in the village plot’ owned by ‘someone settled in were empty, as people were scared to Mumbai’ suddenly became a hotbed of move back into homes that had been activity. subsumed by the Pamba so recently. Down history lane But that day, the Pamba was calm, and the The narrow lane at Anjilimoottil Kadavu — floods seemed to belong to a bad dream, just wide enough for our SUV to pass except for the trees lying uprooted on the through — ends at a plot with a rusted gate, river bank. Suddenly, one of the fishermen half open, reluctantly allowing in history saw some terracotta figures peeking at him enthusiasts interested in a glimpse of the through the filaments of the roots. excavations in the adjacent compound. The Wondering if the floods had unearthed a floods that had wreaked havoc a couple of piece of ancient history, the fishermen months ago had pulled down the informed C.N. Sukumaran, a fellow villager. compound wall that separated these two And the rest, as they say, is history — quite literally in this case.

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plots, and thus made the excavation site discoveries drying in the sun, is a surreal accessible by road. sight. A bygone era returning to life. Inside, the trenches baked in the heat of the Iconographic studies and sun, and the coconut palms and banana thermoluminescence dating (TL) of the plants shone an even brighter green in pieces are expected to tell us more about contrast. The artefacts in the trenches were their age and the lives of people who lived partially visible from the outside, but were here and worshipped these gods. Who were still held tightly by the soil that had they? Were they natives or settlers? When protected them for centuries. did they live? What did they eat? Was this a Under the sun holy place of worship of a lost civilisation along the Pamba? What has been Unearthing these figurines under the hot discovered so far appears to be only the tip Kerala sun is just the beginning. They also of the proverbial iceberg. need to be cleaned of the mud they have been covered with for centuries. The fallen Serendipity is not alien to archaeological compound wall has now become a platform discoveries. While the team was busy to dry the hundreds of terracotta faces, excavating these figurines from a couple of limbs, and torsos dug out so far. They will hundred years ago, another story was now need to slowly be joined together and waiting to be told across the Pamba, in brought to life, a task that could put a Vellangoor. Rajeev Puliyoor, a Malayalam Ravensburger jigsaw puzzle to shame. Once teacher in the College of Teacher Education put together, the pieces will hopefully in nearby Elanthoor, brought some of his become characters in a historical epic of the students to the Anjilimoottil Kadavu site. area. One student called Gopika saw the idols and said, “This is nothing. There are bigger such Among the artefacts discovered were idols buried in my house.” Puliyoor, who is of mother goddesses (Sapta Matrika), naga working closely with the excavations, (serpent) idols, and many figures of men. immediately informed the archaeology Each one tells a story. In the coming team and they went to the student’s house. months, experts will examine these and the pottery shards to understand their origin Mysterious stones and the period they belong to. Some of Mathesseril Gopalakrishnan Nair, Gopika’s them, , like the stylized naga caressing the father, runs a palm leaf plate and bowl upper half of its face with its tongue, have manufacturing unit. Very matter-of-factly, never before been discovered anywhere in he took the experts around his land and Kerala, says K. Krishnaraj, lead showed them the various pieces lying archaeologist, as he gently brushes mud off around. There have been long cuboidal the eyes of one of the faces. The site, with stones, obviously manually shaped, lying its trenches waiting to be excavated and its about his land for as long as he can remember. His family had never bothered

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to discover what they were. As a teenager, Meanwhile, Nair has more practical Nair had tried using the stones to build the concerns. “I am going to wait for the house he now lives in. Fortunately for the compensation the government will offer world, the stones were too fragile for before I move out,” he says. construction. As for Aranmula, the cultural capital of When the team revealed that the stones what’s often called the Pamba Valley were part of cist burials from the Megalithic Civilisation and famous for the metal mirror age, Nair was hugely surprised. The slabs he and the annual boat race, it has just added had treated so casually were part of 2,500- one more feather to its cap. year-old graves, shaped by people adept at Source: http://bit.ly/2tHJsWB stone-cutting. The archaeologists believe more slabs lie under the earth.

Once upon a canvas: Ramayana as told by Raghupathi Bhat

Dressed in the traditional white panche, or Chamundi Hill in Mysuru. He makes a few dhoti, paired with a salmon pink kurta and final strokes in chalk on the terracotta angavastram, artist Raghupathi Bhat is background and the scene comes magically intently painting the scene of King to life: Dasharath, placed at the centre, Dasharath’s putra kameshti yagna (ritual towers above his entourage, who sacrifice for a son) when I meet him in his respectfully bow to him. This huge canvas, modest studio on the leafy road to measuring 6’x4’, is part of Bhat’s latest

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series of 12 back-to-back line drawings on exercise and meditates or recites a mantra six wooden boards, each depicting a scene before he picks up a brush. from the Ramayana. While he paints within a traditional style, These out-sized chalk drawings are a first Bhat’s works are not mere reproductions of for the artist, who is known for his exquisite archetypal images. “Artists cannot afford to Ramayana miniatures on tiny 4”x 3” cards. be mere imitators of their forebears if they Bhat had created 60 of these for the V&A are to stay relevant. So I have interpreted some 30 years back and the series remains ancient themes in a contemporary way, the pièce de résistance of his oeuvre. based on my own understanding of White lines mythology,” he says. The present series of chalk drawings is Much of Bhat’s artistic career has been expected to have a brief life. But the size of spent in the revival of the traditional art of Ganjifa — paintings on oval playing cards, the frames gave Bhat the space to make extensive use of folk art, to which he is each around 8 cm in diameter. Ganjifa cards partial. The panels accompanied the have a fascinating history going back to the theatrical adaptation of Kuvempu’s Sri first Mughal emperor, Babar, who Ramayana Darshanam, which was staged at introduced them to India in a card game, Mysuru and Bengaluru in November last also known as ganjifa. The game spread like year as part of the 50th anniversary wildfire across North India. Traditional celerations of the awarding of the Jnanpith artists enthusiastically adopted the form to the poet laureate. and the Hinduisation of Ganjifa followed, spawning a new variety of cards and games. There are personal connections between Ganjifa has almost disappeared as a game Bhat’s sequence of mega drawings and his now, surviving mostly in small pockets such other Ramayana-based paintings, which as in the environs of the Jagannath Temple number a whopping 900. His all-time in Puri, Odisha. But the cards stay alive as favourite is the ‘Sugriva Sakhya’, a tribute to collector’s items. They have inspired Bhat the strong bonds of friendship between and a handful of traditional artists in Rama and Sugriva that blossomed out of Odisha, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat adversity. Another favourite, the ‘Jatayu to take up the art as a form of miniature Sambhavna’, also stands out for the way the painting. gigantic bird dominates the frame. Bhat had been fascinated in his childhood The walls of Bhat’s home are alive with by the tiny ganjifa cards called chhadas paintings of rishis in vibrant natural colours. commissioned by the Mysore maharaja, “I am fascinated by our ancient Indian sages Krishna Raja Wadiyar III, in the 19th and use these images frequently in my century. He developed a passion for the work,” he explains over cups of steaming fast-disappearing art and decided he would filter coffee. He considers art a spiritual do everything in his power to preserve it. That was 40 years ago. There were no

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artists in Bhat’s family, no mentors from squirrel-hair brush, and an amazing world of whom he could learn this delicate art. So he thought, feeling and creativity comes had to teach himself. magically to life on the tiny card. Wet cloth and clay Attention to detail and complex Having mastered the art, he now trains iconography characterise Bhat’s ganjifa upcoming artists at his studio, in a cards and it is these two qualities that continuation of the guru-shishya tradition. marked his V&A miniatures too. “Some of There is art even in the way the cards are the figures were so small that they had to made — by soaking pieces of old cloth in a be drawn and illuminated by a brush mixture of tamarind seeds and gum, containing a single hair — as in the episode priming the cloth with ganji or rice gruel of the final battle between Rama and and then coating it with a layer of clay to Ravana. The clean, clear lines pulsating with strengthen the material and give the life capture the great energy released at painting longevity. Then the cards are cut to that time,” he says. size and the background is filled in with Source: http://bit.ly/2O4585Y vegetable colours. A few strokes of his

Krishna and Kansa come alive for 11 days every year in this Odisha village

Majestically seated on a bedecked Bhubana, often breaks into hysterical elephant, the colourfully attired laughter and yells at passers-by while Bhubaneswar Pradhan, nicknamed twirling a moustache that seems to get

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bushier each year. Bhubana, a tent-house themselves available to be ‘ruled’ by the supplier by profession, loves putting on this tyrannical king while residents of Ambapalli new persona. deem themselves citizens of the Bhubana lives the life of King Kansa, the mythological place, Gopapur, and shower mythological demon king, and rules the tiny their love on the child gods, Krishna and western Odisha town of Bargarh, which Balaram. turns into Mathura, his kingdom, for 11 Drawing parallels days every year. He rules from a decorated “We don’t eat meat for the 11 days during open-air platform, which is his Raj Darbar. the festival and every household washes Six kilometres away from his court is the the feet of Krishna and Balaram and pays village of Ambapalli, considered the obeisance to the gods who are believed to mythical Gopapur, on the banks of the River have incarnated in the form of Krishna and Jeera, which in turn is given the role of River Balaram,” says Iswar Bhoi, an inhabitant of Yamuna. Ayush and Asutosh, two Ambapalli. schoolboys, who act out the roles of Krishna It has been 70 years since the festival was and Balaram, respectively, crack jokes and started, and its charm and mystique has not play childhood pranks in Ambapalli. diminished a bit. In another part of Bargarh at Adimata According to legend, the Dhanu Yatra was Mandir near Khajurtikra, preparations are first conceptualised about 150 years ago on in full swing to celebrate the arrival of when some devotees of Krishna of Bargarh Krishna in Mathura from Gopapur. found similarities in the geographical area In what is probably the world’s largest of Bargarh, Ambapalli and River Jeera with open-air theatre event — sprawled over 30 Mathura, Gopa, Brindavan and River sq. km. in Bargarh district — over 110 actors Yamuna. But an organised Dhanu Yatra effortlessly and magically retell the festival began only in 1948. mythological stories involving the childhood According to some of the organisers, the of Krishna and how the evil king Kansa people of the area found a lot of resonance meets his death at Krishna’s hands in the during the first celebration of Dhanu Yatra annual festival called Dhanu Yatra. More as they drew symbolic parallels between than 2,000 people in soldiers’ attire become India’s fight for freedom from British rule part of the king’s processions at different with the victory of Krishna, the embodiment locations. It’s a breathtaking sight. of truth, justice and righteousness over What sets the event strikingly apart from Kansa who personifies arrogance and other mythological plays is its grace and wickedness. grandeur that is taken to new levels by the Traditionally, the yatra is celebrated for 11 synchronised participation of hundreds of days from the fifth day of the bright invisible artists in multiple locations. The fortnight till the full moon day in the month ordinary people of Bargarh make of Sagittarius (Dhanu or Pausa) of every

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Hindu calendar year. The play begins with Washing away sins Kansa’s accession to the throne followed by “I have played many characters in dramas in the wedding of King Kansa’s sister Devaki my life. But the social recognition I get for with Basudev. playing King Kansa is beyond everything Unlike the unmitigated villain that Kansa is else. My fellow villagers call me Kansa Raja portrayed as in mythology, King Kansa in during the festival and even after that,” says Dhanu Yatra is a benevolent emperor who 51-year-old Bhubana. genuinely cares for his people and kingdom. The myth of Dhanu Yatra is so intertwined Wherever his royal procession goes, the with local culture and daily life that people on the street play along and they all ‘Mathuranagari’ becomes the dateline for get a role to play. “They all join in without almost all the vernacular dailies that report any persuasion or invitation. Though the the event during the 11 days. The contour directions and fines imposed by King Kansa of the major events of the tale is always are not legally binding, they accept it as fixed, but the minute details and marks of obedience. People pay the token conversations between characters depend monetary fines and are even ready to on the skill of individual artists and can be undergo mild punishment,” says Sureswar impromptu, evolving according to the Satpathy, secretary of the organising situation; there is no written script. As many committee. as 21 places such as ponds, temples, rivers, Ministers, the district collector and the cultural and commercial centres become superintendent of police are regularly open-air stages where the various episodes summoned by King Kansa to his darbar on are enacted. the illuminated makeshift stage. They are Dhanu Yatra provides an opportunity for subservient to the “king”, and they give local performing artistes to showcase their accounts of the welfare works they have talents. More than 3,000 folk singers and executed in the area. dancers as well as professional artistes from Usually, the directions of King Kansa carry a some 130 troupes perform during the 11 social message. On the second day of the days. Dhanu Yatra this year, which will end In reality, Bhubana, the tyrannical Kansa, is tomorrow, King Kansa hopped off from the anything but an atheist. To wash away the elephant and entered an Odisha State Road ‘sins’ he commits during the Dhanu Yatra, Transport Corporation bus. He ordered the he visits the holy town of Puri after the 11 drivers not to drink alcohol while driving days and takes a holy dip in the sea. He and exhorted passengers to protest against seeks forgiveness for all his blasphemous any ill-treatment. The king slapped a fine of utterances against Krishna and Balaram “two lakh gold coins” on the authorities for during the festival. The Krishna Leela that is not keeping the bathrooms in the bus enacted during the Dhanu Yatra is not a terminal clean. The penalty was, of course, mere theatrical performance by a bunch of in jest, but the message went through.

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artistes. It is so entrenched in people’s Source: http://bit.ly/2uy0hmO minds that it becomes almost real. And the community bonds get stronger during the festival.

Three hidden jewels of Hindustani classical music

In the firmament of every art form, there night cameras to watch them blooming for are many little hidden and often overlooked one night of the year, like the Brahma- stars. They are almost always upstaged by kamal, but there they appear, nodding, weightier or more popular and perhaps upright, perfect in form and colour. more dazzling or exotic candidates. Perhaps Amongst birds it could be the unobtrusive for this reason, they take on an unassuming little jewels, like the tailor bird, the prinia, quality. And yet they know how to hold the sunbird — their sighting is not remarked their own, as well as be true to themselves. upon, they’re often bustling about in your In gardens it could be the periwinkle or the garden, but no one runs in to take out a pair sada-phuli, needing no tending, growing of binoculars or reports a ‘sighting’. But were you to stand and look closely at any of brightly even out of the gap between paving tiles and compound wall. No one sets up them, they are utterly compelling, beautiful,

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and yes, with complex layered personalities own following of worshippers. While the too. Malhars take hold of our imagination and The examples from the world of painting, provide the thunder during the monsoons, craft, science, cinema, literature, music are listen to a varsha-rutu Dhani, even in the many — of people, forms, renditions, non-monsoon, and you can smell the earth discoveries, that one can say have not got responding to rain drops. their due. And yet, to talk about ‘getting Kumar Gandharva’s robust ‘Aai ruta aii ruta their due’ is to assume that they want aai’; Malini Rajurkar’s plaintive‘Auliya more. Nizamuddin…tumhare bina’; and the limpid Being with the self bhajan from the film Hum Dono, ‘Prabhu Tero Naam’ are great ways to make our However, at the risk of acquaintance with this raga and its hues. anthropomorphising, they seem to be that (Disclaimer: If you spend the rest of the day quintessentially ‘at ease with oneself’ wrapped up in its sweetness and poise, person. They do not need validation, rendered by maestros and unknown gifted popularity, a thousand likes and two musicians too, don’t blame me.) thousand followers! They are, what is called ‘swa-chhandi’ entities — a difficult word to In search of render into English. Loosely interpreted, it Listen to what Gavti or Gavati has to say, in means, a person capable of being with the its quiet way. (I came to know only minutes self, self-loving; not self-absorbed in a ago that this raga is also called Bheem.) negative way, but complete within him/ Again, a less-performed gem, it holds you herself, a free spirit. transfixed within its mellow afternoon mood. Take a break from the exalted In Hindustani Classical Music, there are three ragas that answer to this description. devotion of morning ragas, and the Three hidden jewels: Dhani, Gavti and Desi. romance and strut of evening bigwigs, to Less performed, overlooked on the concert listen to Veena Sahasrabuddhe’s rendition circuit, overshadowed or eclipsed by stellar ‘Moray ghar’; Nazakat-Salamat’s 1960 ragas, these are ragas worth pursuing — recording ‘Dhana dhana bhaag’; Shaheed down the rabbit hole of YouTube, in Parvez’s or Vilayat Khan’s Gavati; and requests to musicians, and in learning and perhaps a Marathi natyasangeet ‘Prem discovery mode, if you are a student. They varadan’. (Disclaimer: if the afternoon are by no means ‘simple’ or ‘easy’ (which simply slips away from you in the warm raga is, actually? — the teaching of Bhoop embrace of this raga, and leaves you with a and Hindol and Durga to newbies does not kind of searching, longing, it’s not my fault.) stamp them as simple) to render. The third hidden beauty is Desi (no relative Thunder in the monsoon of the much more performed Desh). Like that sunbird in your garden, it loops and Take that sparkler, Dhani. Sitting in the pirouettes gracefully in the rendition — shadow of big-brother Bhimpalasi, it has its

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hence counted amongst the vakkra ragas. Omkarnath Thakur’s ‘Kadamb ki chhaiya’ Not easy, by a long chalk, and hence comes seems to be a veritable sawaal-jawab with fully into its own in the hands of maestros. his maker, in the upper reaches. If there’s only one (but luckily for us there (Disclaimer: If this raga pulls you off the isn’t only one) Desi to be heard, it surely is road, raises questions, gifts you with a Nikhil Banerjee’s on the sitar, though the feeling of disquiet, it’s not my problem; raga is even more difficult on an keep listening and the raga itself will show instrument. ‘Aaja gavat mana mero mann’ you the way to address or dissolve those from Baiju Bawra is an easy identifier. very questions.) Source: http://bit.ly/2O24GoN

New look to the Moonlight Street

The Delhi Government plan to give a new The redevelopment plan, says Pradeep look to Chandni Chowk (from Lal Mandir to Sachdeva, noted architect and designer Fatehpuri Masjid) is a laudable venture. working on it, proposes ample walking Implementation would take public views space for the pedestrians, with six-metre- into consideration. Traders, general wide footpaths, multilevel parking for merchants and residents of the Walled City vehicles in Parade Ground is a good part of have all been invited to send their the plan. Once parades were held there suggestions on how the Moonlight Street when there was no Delhi beyond the city should look like after the redevelopment of walls. Before that this place was occupied what has over the centuries become a by the houses of Mughal noblemen rabbit warren. attached to the Red Fort. Their havelis were

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demolished after the First War of olden days. But as of now the pool is just an Independence in 1857 and the resultant idea. space used by the British to exercise their Presently, the shops look shabby without troops. any uniformity and all sorts of signboards Pedestrian-friendly cluttering up their entrances. Also the The pedestrian walks and one-way traffic, overhead wires spoil the look of the place with light vehicles would be introduced in as they are just a jumbled-up mess whose the area to change the chaotic look. intricacies are only known to the BSES staff. Replanting of trees to give shade and lend And sometimes they too find these wires a beauty to the environment are also a part jigsaw puzzle that cannot be easily solved. of the plan. The artist’s impression of how Under the plan, there would be no Chandni Chowk will look like after the overhead wires. They are all being put scheme is implemented gives an idea that it underground in specially built ducts. To will look almost like the Mughal promenade make Chandni Chowk look like the one it once was, when a canal flowed in the conceived of by Shah Jahan’s daughter centre, with gravel roads on either side and Jahanara Begum, there should be horse- huge peepul, neem and tamarind trees driven carriages to recreate the old providing the much needed shade (the ambience but the plan is only for rickshaws trees now to be planted will be the lighter which can even venture into the narrow ones). Bhistis sprinkled water on the roads katras. In its heyday, Chandni Chowk was every day. The canal, which was part of supposed to be the magical street where Nehar Sadaat Khan, one stream of which jewellers, food sellers, fruit sellers, cloth flowed into the Red Fort and the other sellers and flower sellers made the whole place come alive, especially in the evenings passed through Daryaganj before joining the Yamuna, was closed after 1857 as it had when begums from the fort came for begun to stink – both because of the shopping. Some say they came gliding down stagnant water and also because the in boats over the central canal. But this corpses of those killed as rebels and traitors sounds a bit far-fetched as the canal was not wide enough for boats to ply on it. by the East India Company’s troops were left rotting in it. Venice of the East Another reason for the closure of the canal According to the Italian traveller Manucci, was that the civic administration had Chandni Chowk in those days was the decided to merge the pathways into just Venice of the East where one could buy one road after the setting up of the anything from a hairpin to an elephant. Northbrook Fountain. If a pool is built in There were jewels which any king would front of Town Hall, it will reflect the have envied and there were dolls with moonlight. Then perhaps one might get to turquoise eyes and females like affrits see how Moonlight Street looked like in the (nymphs) who lent grace to the evening air. When the moon was full, the moonlight was

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reflected in the canal and made one feel as Paradise on earth, it is here, it is here” were though one was in an enchanted land inscribed on its gate. The sarai was meant where fairies roamed amid mortal men. for travellers from the Middle East- Making room for exaggeration, one cannot merchants, soldiers, statesmen – with a deny that Chandni Chowk was truly the garden round it where peacocks flaunted show piece of Shahjahanabad, which was their feathers. It was the Begum Bagh of planned as an improvement on the old Jahanara, renamed Queen’s garden after capital, Agra, so that royal provisions with 1857 in honour of Queen Victoria and now their elephants, camels and horses could known as Gandhi Park. May be the pass through without let or hindrance. redevelopment plan for Chandni Chowk will Pradeep Sachdeva, actively working on the be able to recreate some of this magic, redevelopment plan, says some of that though Sachdeva says the planners were ambience is proposed to be restored if not thinking on such ambitious lines but things go as planned. concentrating on the practical aspects At the side, in the place where now stands which were easier to achieve than romantic the Town Hall was a sarai or inn which was ideas. so beautiful that the words “If there is a Source: http://bit.ly/2U0UiSi

Origin and evolution of Chakyar Koothu

In the first-ever staging of Chakyar Koothu Academy, noted exponent Rama Chakyar as part of the lec-dems at the Music enacted an excerpt from ‘Panchali

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Swayamvaram.’ His demonstration was parallels and similes and commenting on highlighted by V. Kaladharan’s collaborative current socio-political events, lending an commentary on the origin, evolution and accessible slant to koothu. In toto, the present day dynamics of the art form. angika, vachika and satvika vocabulary are Kaladharan explained that Chakyar Koothu esoteric and complex. is thought to be an offshoot of Kutiyattam, The episode dwelt upon the reason for Lord the most ancient extant form of Sanskrit Krishna’s presence at Draupadi’s theatre. During the tenth and eleventh swayamvara. Accompanied on the mizhavu centuries, Chakyar Koothu began to be by Kalamandalam Vijay, whose solo presented on stage. Initially, Kutiyattam and percussive prelude heralded Chakyar’s koothu performances were restricted to the entry, the veteran artiste threw himself into koothambalam. It was Painkulam Raman his role of vidushaka with gusto. A lean, Chakyar (active years: 1905-1980), a rebel spare man carrying a kamandala and with a cause, who first staged koothu at a arrayed in the distinctive aharya of a gold function, bringing it to the general public, bordered white costume, topped by a incurring outrage and earning ostracism. conical red and black hat and, Chakyar Undeterred, he was instrumental in getting performed the preliminary steps. it included in the curriculum of Announcing the names of distinguished Kalamandalam. monarchs such as Duryodhana, Jarasandha, Chakyar koothu accords great importance Sisupala and Karna present at the to the vidushaka (jester/ narrator) and his swayamvara, he welcomed them to the vachikabhinaya that combines prose and momentous event. He dwelt upon the poetry. While Sanskrit slokas are chanted by attributes of Lord Krishna, who is the ‘agama swaroopan’ possessing the six the main personae and female characters are expected to converse in qualities of Bhagavan. Turning to the Prakrit/Manipravalam, the vidushaka is audience with a knowing smile, he given the licence to speak in the local transported them to the scene of action by language, Malayalam, which developed and saying that he knew full well, that even old, grey-haired onlookers had assembled to gained its unique identity in the 16th century, with the devotional poet and catch a glimpse of Draupadi’s famed linguist Ezhuthachan translating the beauty. Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Stories At Dwaraka, Balarama asks Krishna why he from these epics form the core subject of wishes to attend the swayamvara when he koothu. already has multiple wives! And The vidushaka’s observations are laced with Satyabhama refuses to accompany Krishna wit and sarcasm. His expressions are as she cannot bear to see him marry emphatic, while choreography is minimal. another woman. Krishna clarifies that Arjuna, Draupadi’s destined husband, will He establishes an intimate connect with the turn up there as the Pandavas, believed to audience by evoking laughter, drawing

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have perished in the fire, were alive and dwindling audiences ten years down the well. line. His energetic portrayal and wry Among the last Titans of this vibrant humour combined with the element of tradition, Chakyar expressed his concern inclusivity of the audience, likening them to about the nuances of the language slowly characters in the story, carried a charm fading into oblivion and whether he would undimmed by age. be able to present performances to Source: http://bit.ly/2RWgXfD

What happens to passionate private collections once their patrons are gone?

The banks of the Sabarmati encased in another kind of ossification, in the city’s art impenetrable cement seem to hold a lesson resources. for the cultural life of Ahmedabad. Once Textile tour de force accessible from the steps of Sabarmati ashram, the rambling riverfront, home to Ahmedabad, unlike Mumbai or Kolkata, small communities and even the popular other cities with a mercantile past, circus, was messy, vibrant and dynamic, continues to be a city of privately held much like the city. That is now consigned to museums. While the Tatas, the memory and photo archives. The concrete Readymoneys and the Gurusaday Dutt bank seems to serve as a metaphor for collections passed into government hands,

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Ahmedabad has largely held on to the Remarkably, Ambalal has recently phenomenon of the patron-collector. transported a late medieval temple from Inaugurated by Nehru in 1949, the The Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh to his home. Calico Museum of Textiles, housed in the According to his son Anuj Ambalal, during former Sarabhai residence, remains a gem the 16th century, the Sultan of Burhanpur of collecting endeavour. had invited jewellers from Patan, Gujarat, The profound attention to the textile wealth to settle in Burhanpur. The Jain jeweller of India make this museum a one-of-its-kind migrants built a temple dedicated to repository. Gautam and Gira Sarabhai’s goddess Padmavati, using skilled wood- initiative, however, needs more carvers from Patan. With time, the old contemporary and informative ways of temple deteriorated and was dismantled, sharing — a more informed guided tour, for and a couple of years ago, brought from instance. The museum as repository of Burhanpur to Ahmedabad. Based on photographs of the original, master knowledge rather than a dazzling rushed tour, which is what it is at present, would craftsman Prabhudas Mistry reconstructed perhaps be closer to the spirit of its this compact architectural jewel in the founders. sprawling Ambalal lawns, where it now houses 30 extraordinary Pichhwais of Two other private museums are more Krishna as Shrinathji in the Nathdwara style. recent and modest in scale but nevertheless speak eloquently of the city’s private All at home collections. Amit Ambalal, author of Krishna The third significant collection, born of an as Shrinathji and originally the inheritor of a enduring relation between printer Anil Relia textile fortune, is both collector and artist, and M.F. Husain, is on display at the Relia who has given a decisive turn to the residence, Amrat. It has Husain’s rich and readings of art production in the Gujarat- vigorous oeuvre in spontaneous sketches, a Rajasthan region. mobile scenography for the film Gaja Recognising the Krishna haveli painting of Gamini (2000), a family portrait, even a Nathdwara as a distinct sub-school, he glass mural for the swimming pool, and initiated from the 70s an extraordinary paintings from different Husain narratives. collection of Nathdwara Pichhwais. While Together with the impressive Relia the large-scale, early Pichhwais of the collection of portraits and rare pieces like Sarabhai collection point to one phase of Ravi Varma’s ‘Sita Bhoomipravesh’, the the aesthetic of haveli painting, the Ambalal collection straddles some masterpieces from the colonial period to the present day. collection is dynamic, tracing from the mid- 18th century painted fragment to the These three private collections — and there diffuse ‘iconic’ images of Narottam Narayan would be others in the city — are poised in and Ghasiram that combined photography a limbo of sorts. Supported entirely by their patrons, they have closed or very limited and painting. access. They exist outside state support,

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and there’s no readymade template for photography, Navajivan is helping build such passionate collections to weather the audiences and interest in the medium, even passage of time. as Gandhian thought hovers gently in the No longer sleepy background. In contrast, another institution has seen an Ahmedabad, the locus of ‘the Gujarat extraordinary revival. Visitors to Navajivan model of development’, is perhaps an over the last few years might remember the accurate example of the state of the Gandhi archive and the repository of his country’s cultural institutions. As long as writings and his early printing presses as a there’s a dedicated patron, the collection sleepy institution. In the last two years, a flourishes, but once it is overly settled or team of photographers — Vivek Desai, deprived of fresh finds, it starts to ossify. Himanshu Panchal and Mitul Kajaria — have The L.D. Museum of Indology, with its helped transform it into an active hub, extraordinary treasures including the N.C. lending the archive a contemporary buzz. Mehta Jain medieval paintings, and even Navajivan now has a printing lab, one of the the Sarabhai Calico Museum, are instances finest in Ahmedabad, that works mainly of once vibrant centres that need more with young photographers. It has Café energy and better viewer interface. The Karma, a popular eatery, a shop with khadi state can be a distant patron but not a and handicrafts, and, what is perhaps its disinterested one, or else important most significant achievement, the Satya repositories might petrify for want of funds Gallery, which offers free space primarily and museological expertise. for photographers to share their work. In Source: http://bit.ly/36xZGPt the shrinking institutional space for

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Throne that inspired Milton

The Red Fort is in the news from time to In 1877, Lord Lytton held the first Delhi time. Now primarily because of the annual Durbar, the second one was held in 1903, Independence Day function and the effect when Lord Curzon replaced the stone of time and pollution on its red sandstone elephants in front of Delhi Gate of the fort and marble edifices. In the days of the to make amends for Aurangzeb’s Mughals, however, it was the hub and iconoclastic zeal. In 1911, during the centre of all State activity. But even after Coronation Durbar of George V and Queen 1862, when Bahadur Shah Zafar was sent Mary, the focus was again on the fort into exile in Rangoon, it continued to because it was from a balcony built on the occupy pride of place. When the Prince of central side of the Musamman Burj by Wales, the heir apparent of Queen Victoria, Akbar II that the royal couple greeted the who later ascended the throne as Edward people of Delhi. In the Mughal days, the VII, visited India in 1875, the fort was emperorappeared before his subjects every among the prized historical sights he was morning at the Burj to assure them that he keen on seeing after reading about the was all right and all was well with the Throne of God as described by Milton. As a kingdom. young man he had heard a lot about it, When the British capital was transferred especially during the revolt of 1857 when from Calcutta to Delhi, Lord Hardinge was for some months it had become the real to ceremoniously enter the Red Fort, but capital again and to recapture which had the procession was attacked with a bomb become the main objective of the British by the revolutionaries in Chandni Chowk. forces. The Viceroy was injured and the mahout of Spanner in spectacle his elephant killed, thus disrupting what

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was supposed to be a grand spectacle on What the paper actually meant was not the December 23, 1912. Netaji Subhas Chandra Dewan-e-Khas but the Khas Mahal. A three- Bose had given the call, ‘Delhi Chalo’ to the room set consisting of the Tasbih Khana or Azad Hind Fauj during World War II. Though the rosary chamber. The Khwabgah or his dream of hoisting the national flag on emperor’s sleeping quarters and the Tosha the Red Fort did not materialise, three Khana or robe chamber, facing the Dewan- officers of the INA were tried in the fort and e-Khas. The building was constructed by Jawaharlal Nehru and Asaf Ali were among Shah Jahan in 1648 and it took nine years the five eminent lawyers who defended for it to be completed. Below the Khas them in 1945. The trial was reminiscent of Mahal, animal fights were organised, and the one of Bahadur Shah Zafar by the British the most ferocious of the encounters used after the 1857 revolt. to be between lions and elephants. Talking Then came Independence in 1947 and of the Dewan-e-Khas, or Hall of Private Audience, one cannot overemphasise its Jawaharlal Nehru, as the first Prime Minister of Independent India, unfurled the importance during the Mughal days when it Tricolour from the ramparts of the Red Fort had two enclosures, one for the high- to much rejoicing on August 15, setting the ranking nobles (Lal Pardari who could go pattern for the ritual ceremony every year. behind the red royal curtain) and the other for those of lesser rank. The enclosures The Diwan-e-Am or Hall of Public Audience has been the venue of many public were done away with by the British after receptions to visiting dignitaries and also 1857. It was in the middle of the Dewan-e- the Republic Day eve mushaira. Recently a Khas, built of marble, that the famous fashion show was also organised there. So Takht-e-Taoos or Peacock Throne was the Red Fort continues to remain in the installed by Shah Jahan. The marble kursi or limelight. But of late disturbing signals have seat on which it rested is still there but the been emanating from this grand citadel of throne was carried away to Persia by the national pride. Atmospheric pollution, invader Nadir Shah in 1739. vandalism and the decay wrought by time The Takht-e-Taoos, which cost a fortune have combined to pose a threat to the Red and besides gold and silver, contained the Fort. There were reports earlier, that the finest jewels of the Mughal empire, walls of the fort had developed cracks surpassed even the fabled throne of because of constant watering to maintain Solomon the Magnificent. In fact, the the green patch on the ramparts from French traveller Tavenier went into raptures where the I-Day speech is delivered. Those describing the throne glittering with rubies reports were denied. But now a daily has and diamonds, “its pearl fringed canopy highlighted a story saying that the Dewan-e- supported by golden pillars”. Some say it Khas has developed cracks and the Moti inspired Milton to describe the throne of Masjid is in bad shape. God in “Paradise Lost”. But Tavenier, his supposed informant, saw the Peacock

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Throne only in 1665, two years after the symbolically lose his eyesight because of its publication of the epic. Even so, the wealth sheer magnificence (more dazzling than a of the fabulous land of Ind does find throne of fiery flames with wheels of mention in Milton’s work, for the poet was burning fire). All this should make it all the as overawed by it as he was by ancient more imperative for those concerned to Greece, and the treasures of the court of ensure the preservation of the Qila-e- the Great Mughal were inspiration enough Maulla or Red Fort for posterity. for him to soar on the wings of poesy, to Source: http://bit.ly/37zsqsr the seat of the Almighty, and in the process

History lessons about Madras High Court

The Madras High Court complex, said to during the First World War, still house the house the largest number of courts in Asia, city’s old lighthouse and have their own looms large at the junction of Broadway Postal Index Number. (Prakasam Salai) and First Line Beach (Rajaji Construction began in 1888 under JW Salai). Its red brick buildings, colonnaded Brassington and the buildings were halls and shaded avenues were raised at the completed in 1892 when famed architect, turn of the 19th Century when the Henry Irwin was at the helm. Irwin’s works Presidency towns of Madras, Bombay and that include many well-known colonial-era Calcutta were issued patents by Queen buildings, such as the Government Victoria to establish High Courts. Apart from Museum, Chennai, Amba Vilas Palace, resounding to landmark judgements, the Mysore and the former Viceregal Lodge, Madras High Court’s Saracenic buildings Shimla, have long fascinated his great have survived a shelling by a German ship grandson, Mark Tatchell, a retired research

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scientist from the UK. Tatchell will present a conduct a heritage walk around the Madras talk on Irwin, hosted by the Department of High Court. Tatchell will join the walk as a Museums, Government of Tamil Nadu, and special guest. “INTACH hosts regular walks the Indian National Trust for Art and that explore the city in a bid to keep alive Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Chennai our heritage,” says Sujatha. The walks are Chapter. usually held on the second Sunday of every Later, over the weekend, NL Rajah, senior month, but “we timed this one around advocate and author of a book on the Tatchell’s visit”. history of the High Court, and Sujatha Source: http://bit.ly/2RXx5ha Shankar, convenor INTACH, Chennai, will

A story well told

Kathak as a dance form has a unique iconic Khincha Auditorium, Bharatiya Vidya niche in the landscape of major Indian Bhavan. classical dance forms. Based on the 12th century story of Surthani, a Mughal Princess, a thematic kathak dance recital The story of Bibi Nachiyar portrays how was presented by SpACE (Samarpan with a single-minded devotion a Mughal Association for Culture and Education ), a princess achieved the status of a Nachiyar, a Bangalore based Kathak Academy, at goddess. Bibi Nachiyar epitomizes utmost devotion and sacred love towards the Lord.

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Starting with the customary invocation to perform with equal grace and gusto. The Lord Ganesha, the remover of hurdles, child-artists who presented the childhood of through their opening item ‘Ganesh Krishna were adorable. The jugulbandi Vandana’, and after a slokam on Lord scense between Vishnu devotees and the Vishnu, the show began with great aplomb court dancers of Mallik Gafur was very presenting the scene of a welcome dance in impressive. the court of Mallik Gafur, the Mughal The dancers of SpACE truly succeeded in emperor. How he invaded and plundered carving a space, as a talented group of many temples and how he took away the dancers. They put together a beautiful idol of Narayana and gifted it to his presentation to showcase a saga of deep daughter Surtani, how she fell in deep love love that was divine and beyond any faith or with the Lord and how Srivaishnava Saint Sri religion. Ramanujacharya along with other devotees repossessed the idol from Mallik Gafur, how Anjana Gupta, the Director of SpACE, the princess unable to bear the pangs of speaking about future activities, said: separation reached Melkote and merged “We are a kathak-only academy, and focus with the Lord and how she achieved the on theoretical, musical, choreographic and rare distinction of being accorded the status dance as an integrated system of learning. of a deity in the Hindu Temple of Melkote. “With just four students at the beginning With talent and an excellent training to our student strength grew to 33 in 18 match, SpACE has finely put together the months. We are now about 70 students and historical script of Bibi Nachiyar, turning it seem to be steady at this number. We have ably into performative text. The group been fortunate to have had many gurus like aimed at a wholesome dramatic experience Birju Maharaj, Neeraj Parikh, Ganesh Desai, and achieved it by presenting their dance and others as a part of our knowledge recital as a pulsating cultural artefact. With dissemination initiative. the introduction to the story and the “We have been working with universities, narration of scenes in the background giving dance boards and other organisations to the socio-political-religious significance, cement our learning on what works, and projecting relevant pictures on the huge what our students and their parents’ value. screen behind, they held the audience’ We are expanding our dreams to build a attention riveted. University that will deliver both master’s The dancers’ swift pirouettes (spins) and and doctoral programmes in Kathak. Two of graceful footwork performed to the musical our students have agreed to gift land to this tempo and beat, their impressive artistry venture, and we hope to generate and fluid movements, brought on a visual donations to take this idea to fruition over splendour that kept the audience engrossed the next ten years.” . It was interesting and inspiring to see all Responding to the question why she had age group dancers, tiny tots to seniors chosen Kathak , Anjana said: “I see Kathak

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as a synthesis of several cultures – this Source: http://bit.ly/2RCNuc1 makes this form very flexible and accommodative, giving great room for creativity, experimentation and growth.”

The tricky issue of renovation

Two years ago, The Hindu Friday Review applications. Since the High Court order and published a story the subsequent setting up of a screening (https://www.thehindu.com/features/frida committee, the number of applications for y-review/Not-just-brick-and- renovation has come down to about 100. mortar/article14617822.ece) on issues This may indicate that not many temples relating to renovation work in temples and are undergoing renovation, but reality is how the Madras High Court order had put a different. While temples located in remote temporary halt on repair works. Later, the areas and are in genuine need for High Court directed the appointment of a restoration are finding it difficult to get committee to assess the extent of damage their applications processed within a fixed and approve the ‘essential’ repair works in timeline, renovation works are undertaken the temples under the care of HR and CE in many temples without the approval of administered temples. the committee. Friday Review takes a look at the scene. In The new process includes recommendation 2013-14, the Tiruppani leadership at the HR from an archaeological expert, approval & CE headquarters received around 600 from the zonal-level Heritage Committee

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after a power-point presentation by the The temple houses some of the most respective Joint Commissioner, approval exquisite stone sculptures. An from the State-level Heritage Committee archaeological expert had visited and and, finally, the go ahead from the HR & CE submitted his recommendations in mid- Commissioner. 2017. Deserving temples are facing hurdles at The case of shortage of EOs is best various stages of this process. The Executive exemplified in the case of the Officers are finding it challenging to go past Brahmadesam temple. The then EO, who even the JC and the regional screening had almost 70 temples in his charge, had committee. This was the case at the made some progress with the application Jambukeswarar temple in Tiruvanaikkaval, for restoration. Post his transfer, the where consecration took place recently. incumbent EO, who has 75 temples under Two years after application, only minor his purview, is yet to take charge. This has works have been approved. A large portion put the temple’s restoration plans in limbo. will be undertaken only this year with the Brahmotsavam, the grandest festival that EO having to secure several approvals, was celebrated in Panguni, had been breaking the whole renovation work into stopped four decades ago citing financial several small parts. reasons. The huge tank was refurbished Sources in the HR & CE say that the three years as a one off exercise, thanks to allocation from the HR & CE towards the initiative of the archaka and the renovations has dropped dramatically from Theppotsavam was revived. But a lot more Rs. 416 crores in 2015-16 to Rs. 70 crores needs to be done to restore the temple to (excluding Palani) in 2017-18. A leading its ancient glory. official also said that there are just 650 EO Three years ago, Friday Review had posts for 40,000 temples and out of these featured a story on the renovation plans at only 250 have been filled up. The rest have the Damodara Narayana Perumal temple in remained vacant for several years. Thiru Kannangudi Divya Desam In the over 1,000-year-old Kailasanathar (https://www.thehindu.com/features/frida Koil in Brahmadesam, near y-review/history-and-culture/for-a-new- Ambasamudram, a temple managed for lease-of-life/article7846908.ece). After decades by a single archaka, approvals have completion of most of the repair works in been hard to come by. There are cracks in 2016/17, the date for the Samprokshanam the seven-tiered Raja Gopuram at the was fixed, but twice it was called off by the Eastern entrance and the entire structure HR&CE at the last moment. presents a faded look with the The consecration has been delayed so much Kumbabishekam having taken place 15 that the fresh coat of paint on the Raja years ago. The huge outer wall on the Gopuram has begun to fade. Southern side is beginning to fall.

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Sowmya Narayana Perumal temple in Thiru temple. Priests have also incurred loss due Koshtiyur is another example of the to the shrines remaining shut. It is hoped renovation work coming to a halt following that the HR & CE and the Sivagangai the High Court order. The Balalayam at the Samasthanam will take appropriate action. Nambi and Ramanuja shrines was done four At the Azhagiya Nambi temple in Thiru years ago, but the shrines have remained Kurungudi Divya Desam, a case is pending closed with the restoration efforts not over the shifting of the idol of Lord Siva to gaining any momentum. Balalayam for the its original place next to Nambi shrine. This Ashtanga Vimanam was done 12 years ago. idol was moved 15 years ago to a separate Gold plating of the Vimanam remains just a shrine. The temple has been awaiting plan. Samprokshanam for 35 years and it is not The temple has also not been able to secure likely to happen till the case is solved. the required 75 kg gold. For a long time Source: http://bit.ly/3aZxRmy now, the devotees have not been able to have darshan of the Vimanam, Raja Gopuram and most of the shrines at this

Beyond the sights and sounds of Ardh Kumbh Mela

The idea of myth in India called gaatha is a Kumbh Mela, arguably the greatest lived lived experience of a circle of stories that phenomenon of a gaatha, is anchored on translates into rituals and pilgrimages. The

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faith to transcend into timelessness and boarding trains, riding bullock carts, sustain in the face of the struggle of life. tractors, buses, their belongings on their The gaatha of the churning of the ocean at heads in bags of jute, buying their one point has the majestic eagle – The temporary chullahs for making food, Garuda who snatches the pitcher (Kumbh) boarding in the temporary tents along the of Amrit – nectar of immortality and flies dry sandy banks of the river their faces are away only to spill drops of nectar in four lit with the live energies of faith. locations. When astrological stars combine Tale of the Teerthraj in six (Ardh/half) and 12 years (poorna/full), In the 3rd section of the text called the essence of nectar is revived and Kumbh Matsyapurana, there is the explanation of Mela as the pilgrimage is renewed. This reaping rewards by visiting, reading and year it is the Ardh Kumbh in Prayagraj listening to the account of the greatness of (Allahabad). the place of pilgrimage. It also prescribes The Kumbh in Prayag, attains a greater internal sequel of pilgrimage, appropriate importance since the cosmic energies are time and gives an account of body-vibration augmented by the confluence of rivers – the caused by the pilgrimage. Prayag, the Ganges for purity, the Yamuna for devotion location for the Kumbh 2019, has its own and hidden Saraswati for knowledge; and spiritual cosmic topography that emerges just as the Gods and the demons ran in out of the natural and mythical worlds and frenzy following Garuda to seek the nectar, makes it the imperial beholder (Teerthraj) so do the millions of believers who move as of pilgrimage spots. The pilgrimage a sea of humanity to collate at the locations geography is lined around the central of Kumbh. They grapple to capture the idea location Sangam (confluence of the rivers). of liberation with the one action of purpose Prayag is where the first nectar drops fell – a holy dip in the waves forming the and it is here that Brahma, the creator of confluence called Sangam at Prayag. Says the universe performed the first series of Tulsidas, the celebrated 16th century poet, fire sacrifices (Yagya). “Beautiful is the meeting of the white Unlike Varanasi, the rivers change their (Ganga) and the dark Yamuna. Such that course in Prayag, it is, for this reason, Tulsi's heart leaps with joy at the sight of Prayag has few built ghats (landing steps). the waves transcending energies for the The pilgrimage geography recreates the soul.” gaatha of the churning of the ocean – The The UNESCO awakened to this centuries-old Vaasuki Naag Temple recalls the role of the organic phenomenon only in 2017 and Serpent Vasuki who was transformed into inscribed the Kumbh as part of the list of rope for churning, while the Beni Madhav the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Temple is the city deity like Vishwanath Humanity. There is no invitation, the (Protector of the World) in Varanasi. The assembly of millions is self-driven. The occurrence of Kumbh also has the multitudes begin their pilgrimage by allegorical associations with astrological

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happenings, the time of sacred baths which practices in the mountains (Giri). The Naga, have the potential of great rewards are (ascetics without clothes and covered in allotted with careful mathematical ash) come in the category of Giri Nama. calculations, and to recall this there is a They reach a height of detachment where fascinating temple of Bhishma - a figure the ego represented shedding of clothes from the epic Mahabharata who lay injured and ash represents what their bodies will on a bed of arrows awaiting the appropriate ultimately become.” movement of the Sun in an auspicious The Kumbh is sociologically the biggest space of the month of Maagh before he left event for the ascetics. Akharas ensure the his mortal being. participation of their members. The main The phenomenon of ascetics ritual bathing days generates power The culture of becoming a Sadhu, an ascetic struggle. Depending on the number of in the Hindu tradition is varied and members attending, the order for the great complex. In the historical sense, a variety of bathing dates is drawn in which the akharas the sects of the ascetics called the akharas will get to perform the ritual bath. On the functioned as traders, and later as said dates details are drawn for rituals and mercenaries which are also why they came the manner in which the processions of the to clash with the British East India akharas as a living exhibition called Peshwai Company. Gradually, they lost their sources is enacted. Chariots, adornment of of income, and today most akharas survive weapons, music and other kinds of on support by faithful many of whom are performances become visual tools for NRI Indians and a large number of traders asserting power. Apart from the main especially from Rajasthan, Gujarat, and bathing days, the calendar of the akharas is marked by dictating instruction to ascetics, Kolkata. inducting new members and spiritual Swami Akhanadananda of the Swasti Juna discourses along with outreach exercise to Akhada says, “There are 13 registered attract devotees who in turn financially akharas who are present in the Kumbh. support the akharas. Each section of akhara has a leader Mandaleshwar. The sadhus belong to two Unaccounted Sociology and Economics main categories, the Swati Nama and the During the Kumbh, Prayag as a pilgrim Giri Nama. In all the categories, the location exhibits an economic opportunity constant test is sustaining detachment, but also sociological complexities. controlling the senses, seeking the truth of Traditional communities like the Prayagwals existence and finding moksha the path of (pilgrim priests), and the Nishads or the release from the cycle of birth. A Swasti boatmen are important stakeholders. While Nama like me remain in the material world the priests keep the Bahi khathas (or pilgrim but sustain a strict code of detachment and records) and perform rituals, the Nishads seclusion for meditation; the latter seek (boatmen) called Mallahs or Kevat although their liberation through meditative low in caste hierarchy gain sacred

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legitimacy through the gaatha from the Yogic powers pronounce prophecies. There Ramayana. is no doubt it is a performance of nirvana, It is believed that it was the Nishad from display of colour and diversity where the Prayag who took Ram, his wife and brother poignancy of faith in the moving waves of across the river when they were exiled. the rivers drowns human politics and greed. Hence carrying devotees symbolises a It is a phenomenon where the faith of sacred activity. The Kumbh generates a millions will defy all adversities to reassert large amount of income for these hope for humanity. communities, who raise their prices and are Darshan: well networked. They use code language As colours and picturesque canvases concerning ways to deal with pilgrim clients emerge, the Kumbh becomes an intriguing to maximise profits. frame for dynamic freezing of human The Kumbh Mela is a sociological a action. Raghu Rai, the maverick genius of temporary city with complex dynamics. Indian photography has been Managing non-violent crowds, facilities and photographing Kumbh on multiple maintaining hygiene and control of disease occasions. His responses as an artist Yogi is a mammoth task for which historically are distinct especially against the rage of a there is very little data. A Mela Committee large number of photography tours, and the was set up after the 1954 stampede. I grew frenzy that grips media from all over the up listening to experiences. My mother, world – most, who do not realise how (writer Manorama Jafa) says, “We were intrusive their actions become for the students in the Allahabad University, I never faithful who is focused in a private journey want to go back, for all I remember was of liberation. picking dead bodies after the stampede.” Rai says, “When in Kumbh, I am on a Another important occurrence is the journey, I am not thinking, all I am doing is abandoning of women. Late at night even internalising the feeling of the faces and today, there is the announcement of their body language. I hope like they (my women who are ‘lost’, a large number of subject) hope as they take a dip to gain them are widows. My own great their God. I, like them, seek to feel their grandmother had set up a widow home in a freedom to travel the waves of energies. locality Lukergunj to provide shelter to This country is a dynamic symbol of endless abandoned women of Kumbh. faith, where the millions are directed to Over a period of time, not pilgrimage but take a single dip and have an interface of exotica tourism has surfaced. In the quasi- the ephemeral idea of Nirvana in a religious spaces ‘designed’ meditation, yoga moment. Yes, it is all about a moment, programmes, luxury tent cities, and when my click happens. I journey to capture exhibitions have emerged. Alongside, the that faith as they touch and speak to me. ascetics display explicitly for their audiences Photography of Kumbh is a spiritual journey - while some eat fire, blades others through of expressive feeling.”

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The media, which in recent times includes However, the ongoing Ardh (Half) Kumbh- travel photographers and bloggers operate 2019 has a couple of first time features: to facilitate not the pilgrim but the tourist Against the removal of the archaic ruling of exotic gaze. It is about feeding the capitalist Section 377, the inclusion of the Kinnar market forces. The journey of internal (transgender akhara) as the 14th sacred spirituality so seminal beneath the external sect of Hindu ascetics is a big milestone. Adi experiences goes missing while in Shankaracharya (8thc) organised the Hindu telescoping the event without ascetic sects in 13 Akharas to protect the understanding in either photography or Sanathan Dharma, (path of eternal duty). writing even through these visual and Says Swami Akhandananda (Juna Akhada), written accounts are entertaining to the “There was always the intention to give urban Indian and the Western audiences. representation to transgender (kinnar) Most ascetics and other traditional ascetics by way of exclusive akharas. After stakeholders are aware now of the currency the last Kumbh in 2013, the various heads they represent and thus their Darshan of all the akharas, along with the transforms the arena of detachment into Sankracharyas formalised the decision. This forums of material exchange. Talking about akhara like others follow rules, and is the photographic and travel blogging tours, granted similar privileges.” Rai says, “Photography and writing are meditative, lonely journeys and not group Swachh Bharat! activities. They can be merely fun…” A whiff of dust fills the nostrils thrown up Kumbh is a metaphorical representation co- by the enthusiastic women sweepers who scripted from gaathas, sociology, history laughingly intermittently appear in the and lived flowing traditions. It symbolises exhibition ground – Sanskriti Gram in the enactment and renewal of a focus for Kumbh annoying visitors, welcome to sublime peace which emerges from a Swachh Bharat, and celebrating Mahatma chaotic space, from a screen of eyes of life Gandhi’s 150th anniversary! The Uttar and fire of faith and yet in the experience of Pradesh Government and the Mela the Darshan the Eyes of Life remains a Committee have left no stone unturned losing struggle for permanence. from over 1.2 lakh eco-friendly public toilets, over 20 thousand sweepers, the Distinct Impulses: public announcement on using toilets, video In every Kumbh gathering, your eyes will screens in various parts of the Mela ground catch some usual acts that display the and in the city on hygiene and sanitation. power of Yoga, meditation manifesting However, the crowning glory is the Toilet marvels that provide a spectacle of ascetics Cafeteria. Interior designs of toilet at all levels of spiritual development. Those accessories are augmented by messages like who eat razor blades, stand in freezing ‘Do not forget to wash hands after a visit to water or stand on the head for days. the toilet!’. An engaging part of this café is the tuition towards hygiene and toilet

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habits by the American ascetic and disciple Sangam with aarti – lighting the way to of the power Guru Swami Chitananada Nirvana’ Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati, who I first got a Source: http://bit.ly/317uCF0 glimpse walking with the swami with a group of young priests directing in her American Hindi – ‘Come, join the bliss of the

The temple was not a Vedic institution: Manu V. Devadevan

Kannada poet, historian and political emergence of popular Indian ‘godmen’, theorist Manu V. Devadevan’s most recent catalysed by private television channels and work, The Prehistory of Hinduism, received the Constitutional provision that confers on much acclaim. Devadevan, who teaches them the right to acquire and manage history at Indian Institute of Technology, property in the name of religion. I also Mandi, specialises in the political economy asked Devadevan about the recent of precolonial South India. In this interview, controversy over Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Devadevan talks about the factors leading holding up a ‘Smash Brahminical Patriarchy’ to the formation of modern Hinduism — placard and he speaks of the hollowness of the unprecedented proliferation of temple- terms like ‘brahminism’ in today’s political building between 1000 and 1200 CE, giving climate. Excerpts: rise to inherited religious identities among In your book, you posit two approaches to the laity; the rise of the ‘guru’ as a central studying Hinduism: the ‘primordialist’ and authority figure resulting in older texts and the ‘constructionist’. Can you elaborate? practices going out of fashion; and the

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Until very recently, it was believed that than 3,000 years old. Nevertheless, Hinduism was one of the oldest religions in historians have shied away from extending the world. Its beginnings were placed in mid its insights to explore the emergence of second millennium BCE which is the date religious identities per se in the Indian generally assigned to the Rig Veda. At times, subcontinent. Not surprisingly, we come its antiquity was pushed back to early half across a number of historical studies that of the third millennium BCE, when wax eloquent on religious groups in India Harappan urbanism began to develop. This from the earliest documented times, as if a view, which lays emphasis on Hinduism’s religious identity is intrinsic to human life. putative antiquity, is what I have called the We are told of the Vedic religion, of the primordialist position. It has lost little of its heterodox Buddhists, Jainas and Ajivikas, popular appeal. There are also a number of and of Shaiva, Vaishnava and other groups historians and Indologists who continue to that are of Puranic and tantric origins. A endorse this view. Opposed to this, an close examination of the sources shows that interesting body of writings produced in these identities were monastic in nature recent decades argues that Hinduism, as an before 1000 CE. Until the close of the first idea and an identity, is not older than the millennium CE it was possible to become a 19th century. This is the constructionist Buddhist or Jaina or Shaiva or Vaishnava approach. The constructionists show only by initiation as a monk or nun. greater awareness about the political and Religious identity was the preserve of a economic processes that enable or assist renouncer, and did not extend to the laity. the making of religious identities. In their It was not inherited. This changed between understanding, religious identities — such 1100 and 1200 CE in what is arguably as Hindu, Muslim, Christian — are among the most momentous of historical consciously constructed under specific transformations in India. In these centuries, historical conditions. They hold that such local elites — including peasant proprietors, identities do not exist in any essential or merchants, chiefs, and warlords — began to homogeneous form for several hundred associate themselves with religious life on a years. Informed by this historical insight, it hitherto unnoticed scale. Temple building has been possible for constructionist was the means through which this research to show that the making of a relationship found expression. By the end of Hindu religious identity does not antedate the 12th century CE, the character of the early 19th century. religious identities had changed beyond You have argued that inherited religious recognition. The laity now flaunted religious identities only existed for specialist identities and bequeathed them as ‘renouncer’ communities and were non- inheritance. existent among the laity before 1000 CE... How did the sudden interest in temple Constructionist research has made us building lead to the formation of separate sceptical of the claim that Hinduism is more religious groups?

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The oldest written references to temples consolidation of inheritable religious are from 300 and 400 CE, and the earliest identities — Shaiva, Vaishnava, Jaina, etc., surviving temple structures date back to in their numerous forms — was part of this 500 and 600 CE. The temple was not a Vedic temple-centred process. institution. Its origin was intertwined with Your book looks at the growth of the evolution of pooja, a form of idol monasteries in the 15th and 16th worship based on the agamas and tantras, centuries, and the guru emerging as an different from the sacrifice-based worship authority figure. What are the parallels, if of the Vedas. Not surprisingly, temple any, with today’s godmen? worship was met with resistance from the Vedic orthodoxy. It is for this reason that The guru emerged as a major figure at texts such as the Manusmriti are not about the same time as the making of favourably disposed towards temples. religious identities among the laity. The centrality of this figure is emphasised in a few earlier sources as well, as in the Peasant proprietors and local elites were Buddhist Hevajra Tantra, for instance. From the earliest to build temples and set aside the 12th century onwards, we find him an land for their maintenance. By 700 CE, the indispensable part of religious life. As we Pallavas of Kanchipuram, the Chalukyas of reach the 15th and 16th centuries, our Badami, and other such monarchical states sources give the impression that all of had begun to promote temple building. religious life hinges on the guru. There is an What happened between 1000 and 1200 CE intimate bond between guru and disciple, was an unprecedented proliferation in which lasts for a lifetime and spills over into temple building. I have been able to count the next birth as well. There is no as many as 170 temples built in these two knowledge without the guru, no release and centuries from a mere eight taluks in redemption without him. The figure of the Karnataka. As a matter of fact, we do not guru becomes the new source of authority. know of a single city or town from this Long-standing texts and practices retain period that did not have one or more their significance only to the extent that temples. they find endorsement from the guru. We A major fallout was that the focus of must remember that for much of history, religious life shifted to the temple. With the masses were an unlettered lot. As late inheritable land endowed for its as 1901, the literacy level in India was just maintenance, the temple became an over 5%. Until the 10th century CE, complex ideas and doctrines that were part of a economically autonomous institution, wielding great power and influence. It religion and its philosophy were helped in cementing the agrarian and other systematically taught in institutions meant economic relations of the day as well as in for the purpose, as was done in later times as well. But there was a greater preference forging new ties of trade, kinship, in the earlier times for svadhyaya, i.e., matrimony and fealty. The making and

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learning without assistance from others. fundamental right. Another provision in the One of the instructions that a teacher gave Constitution that recognised the right to the student at the end of his education was property as a fundamental right was Article to never stray away from self-learning 31. This was repealed by the 44th (svadhyayat ma pramadah). This mode of amendment to the Constitution. Today, the learning had to take a back seat in the only way to claim land ownership as a changed circumstances when a religious fundamental right is through Article 26. identity was not anymore limited to a What this means, in historical terms, is that learned/ trained renouncer, but extended our godmen are progenies of Article 26 of to the illiterate masses too. It is not the Constitution. The second factor is the unreasonable that erudite textual traditions emergence of private television channels made way for the guru as source of since the early 90s, which helped many knowledge and deliverance. godmen to expand businesses exponentially. It also produced a large I don’t think there are parallels in our times. There has, of course, been a proliferation of number of invisible clients for whom the godmen since the early 1980s. This has a godmen brought counsel into the comfort history of its own. These godmen have of their living rooms. much to say on religion and ethics, but the Your comments on the brouhaha over Jack experience of the divine they speak of is no Dorsey holding up a placard saying ‘Smash match to that of saints from the recent past Brahminical Patriarchy’? — Ramana Maharshi, Ramakrishna I find such slogans very interesting for a Paramahamsa, Nisargadatta Maharaj. Our rather bizarre reason. They embody a godmen have made a name not so much by strange contradiction as it were, for they religious experiences as through occur as value-loaded expressions even instructions in healthy living, stress when they are semantically hollow. The reduction, fitness through yoga, meditation word ‘Brahminical’ is reduced to a porous and pranayama, etc. They have a clientèle signifier that can contain anything and that’s mostly urban, middle-class, espousing everything that a progressive mind abhors. neoliberal capitalism, and lamenting the It is in this sense similar to the shallow ways death of tradition. The godmen serve as in which terms such as ‘feudal’ and lifestyle management gurus for this class of ‘medieval’ are used as adjectives for clients. anything that is authoritarian and At least two other factors have led to the undemocratic. Ask the placard holders what rise of godmen. We know that godmen ‘Brahminical’ means, and you will either engage in a wide assortment of activities. face an outburst of reactionary self- The most important activity of godmen is righteousness, or be accused of affiliations real estate management. Article 26 confers with Hindu fundamentalists. The more upon them the right to acquire and manage sober among the placard holders may property in the name of religion. This is a present you with a poor summary of the

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Manusmriti and a poorer assessment of its sense of awareness or discretion, but have advocates, as if there are people in India dogmatised it beyond redemption, even by whose lives are modelled after the the standards of mediocre political rhetoric. Manusmriti to the last letter. The time is Source: http://bit.ly/2S2wPxb perhaps ripe now for us to admit that progressive movements in India have not only used the word ‘Brahminical’ with little

Finding an amphora in Arikamedu

It’s as if I were trying to hitch a ride from continue to sprawl in a multi-storeyed, Puducherry to ancient Rome. No one wants concrete landscape rather than giving way to go to Arikamedu. Eventually, a rickshaw to the huts that I remember. As we turn off driver shows mercy by agreeing to take me the Cuddalore highway, the road meanders for ₹350. It’s twice the amount I paid 10 past Le Paradise Inn AC Bar — which I’m years ago but I accept his pricey offer, absolutely sure wasn’t there before. because I recall the archaeological site Women sell fresh catch squatting in the being a seven-kilometre drive from roadside dust and a narrow path between Puducherry, deep inside a jungle. boxy houses leads to what’s left of the The rickshaw crosses the bridge over jungle. We bump on a dirt track through Ariyankuppam River, which is more of a rubbish-strewn greenery, the occasional lagoon, but the suburbs of Puducherry cactus stares back aggressively, until the discreetly green-painted Archaeological

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Survey of India fence comes into sight. No manufacturing, signifying that the harbour information board welcomes me to housed a mixed population of indigenous Arikamedu. A handful of cud-chewing cows artisans and foreign businessmen. are the only other visitors. The site runs half a kilometre along the river The fence protects a striking ruin with very and reaches 200 metres inland at its widest, Roman arches. But it’s actually the remains and it may harbour more secrets than of a 250-year-old French mission, built archaeology has so far uncovered. In one around the time the first rudimentary clearing, myopic as I am, I come upon a excavation took place. French scientist meadow of bluish flowers, which on closer Guillaume Le Gentil observed that villagers inspection turns out to be mineral water were already busy recycling the ruins, which pouches and the explanation for their explains why there’s no ancient town above presence is in a nearby grove — empty ground. But looking closely at the mission’s whiskey bottles and discarded plastic cups. walls, I notice two different types of bricks: A romantically inclined couple scamper out one of a familiar size used even today, of the undergrowth. I don’t know whether whilst others are flatter, larger slabs. I let to apologise for disturbing or take the uncle my fingers slide across their rugged approach and explain that historical places surfaces. I feel I’ve seen similar flat bricks at should be used for history purposes only. historical places around the Mediterranean. But in the end, I tell myself that if Romans It seems the mission was built with looted drank wine here, then why shouldn’t a bricks. certain romantic tradition continue? Romans and the romantics At the riverfront one may descend at one’s In the absence of signposting, the way to own risk by an old rope down the scarp. It’s explore the site is to follow a path that dicier than expected and I tumble to the leads off from the ruin through the jungle bottom of the steep embankment, which is and towards the river. Butterflies are basically a mud-caked flat. As I crawl in the disturbed by my steps and flutter up from black goo, I’m amazed at the fact that the grass. Souls of Romans? Reborn as nothing has been done to develop this as a tropical insects? According to excavation tourist destination. Yet it directly links two reports, somewhere underneath are the of the greatest ancient civilisations, the foundations of a 45-metre-long 1st century Indian and the Roman. As if to prove this, I warehouse, surrounded by streets and spot pot shards in the mud and layers of drains and pits — the latter perhaps used bricks in an archaeological jigsaw puzzle laid bare by recent cyclones. This then is the for dyeing the fine muslin cloth that Tamil bards called ‘milky mist’. Archaeologists quay that used to jut out into the river and found imported Roman tableware and wine from where, 2,000 years ago, Indian spices, amphorae shards suggesting that somebody cloth, jewellery and other luxury products were shipped to European markets. who lived here had extravagant habits, but there were also traces of bead- Unsolvable riddle

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Holding on to that thought and with my 18th century powered by two natives who shoes slowly sinking in the mud, crabs ran behind pushing it. There’s also a room running amok whenever I move, I’m struck housing Arikamedu discoveries including an by how, without appropriate signage, this informative display of beads curated by a remains an unsolvable riddle for anybody British archaeologist 35 years ago, making it who isn’t an expert. It’s not as if nobody has a valuable museum piece in itself. Their thought of doing something about it. One minuscule size made beads the perfect scholar, S. Suresh, discusses in his book export product — fancy Arikamedu style Arikamedu: Its Place in the Ancient India- microbeads have been found as far east as Rome Contacts a plan for a Tamil trail to Vietnam and Bali. highlight sites that in ancient days traded Wheeler’s discoveries with the West. There has also been talk about an onsite interpretation centre. Years Luckily, I’ve been doing some additional ago, a UNESCO World Heritage tag was reading. Finds made by the French in the proposed and Arikamedu is currently on a late 1930s suggested that Arikamedu might tentative list of ‘Silk Road Sites in India’. But be a ville romaine that drew the attention nothing has happened and when someone of Mortimer Wheeler, Britain’s celeb built a museum nearby, he was forced to archaeologist who at that time headed the shut it down because it’s illegal for private ASI. Wheeler excavated in 1945 and citizens to collect and display archaeological announced his discoveries with great finds. enthusiasm: his report has many quotable if factually dicey statements such as the claim Back in town, where the French left an that Arikamedu ‘represents the site of a occidental esprit behind in 1954, I head for considerable buried town on the Rue Saint Louis where a merchant’s 18th Coromandel coast.’ No ‘considerable’ town century villa has been converted into the has been unearthed, but Wheeler’s team Puducherry Museum. Unfortunately, catalogued scores of shards representing there’s not much information available here almost every imaginable kind of either: when I ask the man at the ticket Mediterranean pottery. Regarding counter, who speaks a tiny bit of English, if I amphorae, it is possible to pinpoint not only can buy a catalogue or an ASI excavation the place of origin but even date of export, report, I’m given a free tourist brochure as the styles changed with fashions. A that deals mostly with shopping in normal-sized amphora held the equivalent Puducherry. I enquire if there’s anybody, of 36 of today’s bottles and considering that perhaps a curator or director, who knows imported wine costs more than ₹1000 the anything about the Arikamedu objects, but value of each amphora (at a time when he says no. shipping was so much trickier) is easy to The museum displays a whimsical collection imagine. of European leftovers like rotting pianos A coin-sized hole and a pousse-pousse type of car from the

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But I’m especially interested in inspecting industry as well as pottery production long the Arretine tableware that Wheeler before any foreigner set foot here — which identified: a standardised high-quality is probably why Romans came in the first pottery that was used throughout the place to trade wine and fine-quality plates. Roman Empire from 1st century BCE to The rich bead finds suggest an indigenous 300CE. I recall seeing, on a previous visit, a export-oriented business that perhaps fragment stamped with the name of a started as early as the 3rd century BCE; that prominent potter based at Arezzo in Italy, is, at a time when Rome was an expanding suggesting that the plate was manufactured city state but not yet a vast empire. around 25CE. Since it belonged to a limited Scholars therefore postulate that the period product line it was significant for excitement over a Roman port in India may dating all the finds, prompting Wheeler to be exaggerated. Rajan Gurukkal argues in declare: ‘Upon the imported Mediterranean his paper Classical Indo-Roman Trade: A wares the whole chronology of the site, and Misnomer in Political Economy that the its special importance therefore to Indian ‘history of India’s maritime contact with archaeology, depend.’ Rome, generally described as Indo-Roman I locate a handwritten label, ‘Italian Terra trade, has been a prominent theme of Sigillata Plate (imported from Roman discussion in her historiography, exciting Empire)’, but the holder is empty. Despite several historians with the imaginary notion all the sari-clad museum guards keeping a of a maritime civilisation…’ His conclusion is sharp eye on tourists to ensure that nobody that it should, rather than ‘trade’, be called clicks a pic, somehow the treasure of the ‘Roman-Indian exchange, an exchange of collection has disappeared. I’m in mortal serious imbalance, because of its being shock. There’s also a display of Roman coins between an Empire and a region of uneven — of emperors Gallienus Antoninianus ( chiefdoms’. Himanshu Prabha Ray, author three pieces) and Tetricus Antoninianus (a of The Archaeology of Seafaring in Ancient single piece) – but the occasional empty South Asia, who was personally present coin-sized hole suggests that things have during the excavations helmed by Begley, gone missing here as well. elaborates that a ‘myth debunked by the There’s still enough evidence left for us to recent excavations is the identification of buy the idea that Roman influence was the site as an Indo-Roman trading station… present. However, along with his path- More significantly, the archaeological breaking discoveries, Wheeler spread an record confirmed that Arikamedu occupied inflated narrative of Arikamedu being a full- a nodal position in the inland, coastal and fledged Roman port. Later archaeologists, transoceanic networks.’ such as Vimala Begley who excavated Yakshi in Italy comprehensively in 1989-92, disagreed with The alternative conclusion may then be that him. According to Begley’s findings, Arikamedu was essentially one of India’s Arikamedu was inhabited and had lapidary early international ports, making local elites

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so wealthy that they could enjoy the such as mentioned in the 56th poem of the occasional amphora of wine, build the Purananuru. Sanskrit texts mention that temples that Tamil Nadu is famous for, and each Indian village had a tavern, while cities patronise Sangam poetry. The references to had entire quarters reserved for bar- Indo-Roman affairs in ancient Tamil poems hopping. Jeannine Auboyer, in Daily Life in prove the existence but not necessarily Ancient India, provides a vivid description of permanence of alien settlements, and ‘rooms filled with seats and couches, and certainly do not disprove the agency of also counters where perfumes, flowers and Indian traders. garlands could be bought. It was a lucrative In some recent texts, ironically, more business, for the sale of fermented and importance is given to Indians in the Roman alcoholic drinks continued throughout the empire, which tilts the entire affair in the day and well into the night.’ opposite direction, despite there being only But the bar at my heritage hotel offers a fragmentary evidence for Tamil merchant mocktail named ‘Arikamedu’ — a mix of settlements in Egypt — though this paucity mango, cranberry and lime juices — which could be due to the perishability of Indian feels off, considering what heady beverages goods: spices, textiles. One of the rare the place seems to have served up in Indian objects discovered within the Roman ancient days. If one were to name a cocktail Empire, significantly enough in a merchant’s ‘Arikamedu’, it ought to contain a splash of house, is an ‘ivory statuette found in the Mediterranean wine, lashings of soma (can Roman town of Pompeii, which was buried be substituted with beer), and an olive. in lava’ as noted by Partha Mitter in his On my last morning in town, I decide to see Indian Art, which means that this sculpture what the mouth of the Ariyankuppam River, — some experts suggest it is Lakshmi and which the Romans sailed up, looks like. I others that it’s a Yakshi — would have presume I’ll find it if I walk south for as long reached Italy before the volcano’s eruption as the beach stretches, so I head down the in 79CE. Might it have come from seaside promenade. Where Goubert Arikamedu? It’s an archaeological fact that Avenue ends, the beach continues past a wines produced in the Neapolitan region popular bar called Seagulls to the old found their way here. French pier which is off-limits for tourists. Soma and an olive Drinking in the sight of the amphorae Sea of bottles shards, I can’t help but wonder what wine meant to ancient Tamilians. Some scholars Behind the pier, black boulders have been argue that imported wine was for the stacked to stop erosion. I climb up the rocks consumption of Romans settled here, yet and stumble upon a narrow street in front Tamil poets eulogised ‘cool and fragrant of huts belonging to fisherfolk — men are wine’ that was guzzled from golden pitchers mending nets, women dry fish on the ‘that have been fashioned with high artistry’ asphalt surface. I cross a stretch of sand to a

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makeshift tarpaulin camp from where a some youths are finishing a pre-lunch kuccha road leads further. whisky bottle while filming themselves After another kilometre I see fishing boats dancing surrounded by hundreds of beer moored in a creek. There’s a hillock I climb empties — which makes me wonder what for a better view of the Ariyankuppam, only future archaeologists will think if they dig to bump into a defecating gentleman. A here? sewage pipe vomits out a dark waterfall The sea of bottles is a curious analogy to into the river, as if all the puke of the amphorae shards just about a thousand Puducherry’s winter party season is metres upriver, but on the other side. channelled this way. The other side of history, one might add. A wading fisherman throws his net out But with a little signposting Arikamedu again and again. Occasionally the might develop into a centre for tempestuous sea reaches his neck and I understanding India’s ancient relationships worry for his safety. Nearby, three men on a with the rest of the world — from Europe to motorboat trawl the inlet, shrieking the Far East, for the Arikamedu site was ‘yahoo!’ I climb down to where the obviously close to the heart of it all. Ariyankuppam and the ocean meet and Source: http://bit.ly/2GBIii0

Will the real ‘kalamkari’ please stand up?

Pantheon Road in Egmore, better known to One can buy a metre for ₹50. A cotton shopaholics as Cotton Street, is stocked kalamkari sari at textile shops in the city with bright cotton fabrics with hand mudras costs a minimum of ₹7,500. Novice and Buddhas. Customers and shopkeepers customers go back thinking their kalamkari alike, call this fabric kalamkari. purchase on Cotton Street was a loot.

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They seldom realise that they bought It is difficult to tell an original from an screen-printed kalamkari, which is an imitation. “An original will never have imitation. Kalamkari etymologically means repetitions. If I repeatedly draw a leaf for pen-work. “It takes seven to nine days to example, each leaf will be different and paint a kalamkari sari and another four days imperfect. Also, natural dyes are earthy, to make the cloth market ready, with 10 blurred and sober, unlike the screen-printed artists working on it simultaneously,” says chemical colours,” says Vijaylakshmi Krishna Subba Rao, an artist from Srikalahasti who of Aavaranaa, Alwarpet. has been in this craft for 30 years now. “The base colour of kalamkari fabric is The screen-printed fabric, on the other always off-white because it is prepared with hand, is produced in bulk, using chemical myrobalan and buffalo milk. If the base is in dyes. “90% of the kalamkaris coming out of any other colour, you can safely say it is an Srikalahasti are screen-printed now,” says imitation. Because buffalo milk is used Naveen N, another artist. throughout the process, the fabric has a Rajesh, the owner of MJR Kalamkari, peculiar odour. The pigment penetration in Srikalahasti, says he does both hand- an original is equal on both sides of the painted as well as screen-printed kalamkari fabric. This does not happen in screen- and adds, “I don’t like producing screen- printing,” says Poornhima Sreekirishnan, a printed fabric. But I supply because there is third year student of the National Institute demand. If my customer asks for a of Fashion Technology, Chennai. kalamkari sari for ₹1,500, I cannot offer a But lately, imperfections are being added to hand-painted one and instead, go in for the screen-printing moulds and screen-printed ones.” manufacturers are trying to add the odour Kalamkari has the Geographical Indication to it as well, making it harder to identify an (GI) protection under the Geographical imitation, says Padma Rao, a designer from Indication of Goods (Registration and Bengaluru. Protection) Act, 1999. GI protection “Artists should form an association to take prevents usage of alternative methods (like their plight to the Government,” says screen-printing) to make the protected Pushyamitra. product. It is a violation of the GI protection Source: http://bit.ly/2S7fdjI to manufacture screen-printed kalamkari. Various kalamkari artists’ associations have asked the Government for a ban, but nothing has happened. “These products are eating into the market share of traditional artisans,” says Pushyamitra Joshi, founder of EcoFab, a micro enterprise that supports rural artists.

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Ekkalam: Trumpet for that folksy touch

During our recent visit to Srirangam for the ekkalam), played along with Tiruchinnam Vaikunta Ekadasi utsavam, we happened to during the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, and listen to a wind instrument that was played the other in brass (Sembu ekkalam). Besides during the opening of the ‘Paramapada the Vaikunta Ekadasi utsavam, the five-ft Vaasal.’ We found out that it was the Velli long Velli ekkalam, is played during the ekkalam, unique to a few temples. It is an Pagal Pathu and Kaisika Ekadasi utsavams, aerophone musical instrument played the Navaratri utsavam for Thayar and during temple festivals and processions. It is during Lord Ranganatha’s procession. also played during the ten-day Manavala The brass ekkalam, on the other hand, is Mamunigal festival celebrated during played when the daily rituals are performed Purattasi at Sri Soundararaja Perumal at the Srirangam temple. temple, Nagapattinam. It is usually played along with a drum or with another ekkalam. Earlier ekkalam was performed during consecration, Thaer festival and other Ekkalam is a trumpet made of brass or important utsavams. During Adi Tiruvizha at copper. It consists of four valves that are the Mariamman temple, Padappai, the deity fastened to each other, with a bell at one is taken out in a procession to the end. The sound emanating from it is accompaniment of ekkalam . produced by the vibration caused when the performer blows it. The pitch is changed by In the ancient folk art form Ekkala kuthu, altering the lip tension and the power of air the artistes would dance while playing this blown into it. instrument. Thotipati nayakars used to play this instrument at weddings and other At Srirangam temple there are two varieties social functions. Now the Ekkala kuthu does of this instrument — one in silver (velli not exist.

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Ekkalam was used when people went for Parvati, Ganapati, Muruga and as soldiers, hunting and while bringing the animal that play instruments such as tiruchinnam, was hunted in a procession. References say ekkalam, tharai and come in a procession to that this instrument along with Swamimalai. These instruments along with tiruchinnam, udal, brahmatalam, sangu, are Thappattai and Namari are classified as some of the favourites of Lord Siva that Gramiya Pancha Vadyam. came down to earth due to the efforts of References about this ancient instrument king Muchukunda. are seen in the stone inscriptions found in In Kumbakonam, this instrument is heard in many temples and in the Periyapuranam. some village temples. At the Swamimalai Source: http://bit.ly/2uOhcSa Temple, while enacting the Surapadman episode, the villagers from Sundara Perumal Temple dress themselves as Lord Siva,

In full bloom

It is an embroidery technique from Punjab showcase the art form in all its hues. The that literally transports the discerning to a twelve installations are named after months pristine world where flowers of all shapes of the Punjabi calendar as Chet (Chaitra), and sizes mesmerise you. Vaisakh (Baisakhi), Jeth (Jyeshta), Asaarh (Aashaadha), Saavan (Shravan), Bhadon Mela Phulkari, the ongoing exhibition at (Bhadon) and Phagun (Phalgund) India Habitat Centre, is an attempt to

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“It is a question of identity, women’s “Phulkari is a treasure trove for us since politics, feminism, empowerment and time immemorial. Rather than display my memory. It is a way of telling that women mastery in Phulkari, I have taken a different also weave their dreams and their desires. and difficult trajectory to showcase it on my They also stamp their identity while making canvas. Delineating this ancient embroidery it. Earlier, it was seen as women doing it in in a four feet by seven feet long painting their homes. But now it has come to denote was time consuming yet creatively an women’s empowerment,” says curator Alka extremely gratifying task. It took me an Pande. entire month but I managed to showcase Dr. Pande, who lived for two decades in embroidery, design appeal and aesthetics of Punjab and visited virtually every village, this centuries-old tradition. The uniqueness says: “Earlier, Phulkari was seen as of my painting is that the look is exactly the something that women did in their homes. same as the fabric in which women unleash their creative spark.” Today, it is being done to seek employment. So the cloth is handmade, hand-dyed, even This year, Mela Phulkari is special as it is the thread is hand-dyed. Everything is done celebrating the 555th anniversary of Guru with hand only. It highlights the power of Nanak’s birthday. ” women and gives them an identity.” On the significance of Mela Phulkari 6, co- Among the artists and designers whose founder Harinder Singh says it revolves work is on display at IHC is Pratima Pandey, around the theme of “Jaago Panjab.” “Time a fashion designer and an alumna of NIFT. has come for Punjab to wake up and show She has done interesting installations such the world what it is capable of. The word as Soni, the epitome of beauty, elegance jaago is also synonymous with a wedding and the women of today. Her lehenga with tradition of waking up the community of a a blouse and jacket was lapped by art new bride as she readies to enter a new aficionados. phase of life.” “Inspired by the rich, ancient heritage of New lease of life Punjab and its craft, the ensemble aims to Describing the 12 installations as living draw attention to a woman’s inner beings, Dr. Pande says these are the living consciousness of love and the desire to traditions. “By the way, the awakening dress up with care.” Pandey says it is a programme about the rich craft is still being beautiful craft but very difficult to make as done in the villages of Punjab. They only a few craftspersons are around. “The Harinder and Kiran have a shop at Janpath more orders we get the better it would be in New Delhi and Amritsar. That is their for its revival. It is also very expensive so we commercial side but what they do through use it in a way that it is viable.” this mela is commendable. Phulakri is not Artist Jagdeesh Singh is showcasing the dying; it is vibrant. And people like Harinder magic of Phulkari through two installations.

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are keeping it alive by putting it in the form Source: http://bit.ly/2Sioh5A of digital prints on different fabrics.” Tribute to the saint-poetess

Andal and her story has inspired many a These two traditional items are the dancer. The Tamil Vaishnav saint-poetess customary offering to deity Andal in the (an Alvar) of the 8th century is revered as a auspicious month, post recitation. The deity in many a Vaishnavite household. Her flavour of Andal having been created at the 30-hymn collection, known as the threshold, we were ushered in to an equally ‘Tiruppavai’, is a very popular garland of delightful performance which placed us on verses on lord Krsna, which to this day are a time machine where we are taken back religiously recited in many families in the and forth from present day perpetuation of sacred month of Marghazi (Dec 15-Jan 16) Andal’s 30 hymns for 30 days as a for higher good of mankind. mandatory observance to a peek into the Recently, Delhi’s Taj Mahal hotel hosted visual biographical details of the saint- ‘Andal’, a theatrical one-hour evening show poetess through traditional Bharatanatyam of dance and narration. The select audience and then into the more revolutionary were treated to unique delicacies with a romantic outpouring of the poetess’s later south-Indian flavour – the Venn Pongal (a work, “Nachiyar Tirumozhi” (a dream poem cashew,pepper-tempered kichidi sans where she professes her passion for lord vegetables) and Chakra Pongal (a jaggery Ranganatha/Krsna). cooked rice with loads of cashew and ghee). Pure dance

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Geeta Gopalakrishnan, the producer and Andal was born and deified along with narrator of “Andal” recited chosen verses English translation of her verses for a non- from “Tiruppavai”, interspersed with sweet south Indian audience. Akhila Ramnarayan memories from her childhood where her lent the third dimension to the theatrical grandma would wake all the grandchildren with her sonorous rendition of the bold and up by dawn as stipulated in the scriptures to beautiful song of the second literary work purify themselves through a customary bath of Andal enhanced by Anita’s mime and and recitation of “Tiruppavai”, followed by dance. Together the awesome threesome, tempting ‘Pongal’. Ace dancer Anita Ratnam with an excellent live orchestra, brought was Andal embodied through her pure alive the saint of Southern India for the dance and clarity of hasta mudras that were Delhi elite. a joy to behold. The digital screen flashed Source: http://bit.ly/2SsNVF0 pictures of Srivilliputtur temple where

Lord Yama got his wish fulfilled on this day

The puranic episode of Lord recently. For centuries, this unique Vanchinathaswamy appearing before Lord procession of Yama carrying the Lord for Yama at the ‘Kirthaatha Kundam’ on Maasi the Tirthavari utsavam and providing Bharani and accepting the latter’s wish to darshan to devotees around the four Mada become the Lord’s vahanam was played out streets has been the most sacred occasion. at the Gandharanya Kshetram (abound with One of the six locations along the banks of Sandalwood trees) of Srivanchiyam as part the river Cauvery, the Vanchinathaswamy of the Maasi Mahotsavam that took place

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temple in Srivanchiyam was once home to a recognition of Yama’s penance and his vibrant patasala with students learning and noble thought of relieving the fears of reciting the Vedas and Sastras. devotees from the sins of their previous Doraiappa Gurukal (79) joined the temple in births. 1962 and served for over four decades. He When the town was getting ready for the remembers the years when devotees from utsavam, there was disturbance at the the surrounding villages congregated on the temple, as the temple complex was filled morning of Maasi Barani. “50 Brahmin with hundreds of paddy bags handed over families lived in the agraharam and the by Lessees (of temple lands). As is the case Mada Streets with Vedic chantings being with remote temples these days, there was the integral part of their life. Hundreds of a shortage of people to carry the Lord on devotees lined up the streets to watch the the huge and heavy vahana. The situation utsavam of this old temple town. In no was brought under control with the efforts other temple do you have an utsavam of the HR & CE accountant. The paddy loads where Yama carries the Lord. Belief is that were cleared from the temple precincts to those who bathe at the teertham on this ensure the presence of Sripatham day and are part of the procession will be personnel and huge flower garlands were relieved from all sins.” procured to decorate the Lord, Ambal and Legend goes that Lord Yama, worried at Yama Dharma Raja. These arrangements incurring the wrath of many for being the helped the priests to focus on the rituals one responsible for deciding the mortality preceding the procession. On account of the of a person and depressed at having caused utsavam, Lord Yama and Chitragupta were the untimely demise of Markandeya Rishi adorned in Silver kavacham. came to Srivanchiyam, created Yama At this temple, Yama has been accorded a Kundam and undertook penance invoking special status with a separate shrine at the the blessings of Lord Siva. eastern entrance of the temple. It is a Masi mahotsavam practice that devotees will have a dip at the ‘Gupta Theertham’ and worship Lord Yama Pleased with his prayers, the Lord appeared before they enter the sanctum of in front of Yama, on Masi Bharani and Vanchinathaswamy granted him the honour to carry Him around the streets of Srivanchiyam on this How to reach day. Every year, on the second day of the Srivanchiyam is six km from Nannilam off Masi mahotsavam, Vanchinatha swamy is the Nagapattinam-Nachiyar Kovil Highway. taken out in a procession with Yama as his From Tiruvarur, one can reach the temple Vahana for the Tirthavari utsavam at Yama via Manakkal (around 15 km). Kundam. Source: http://bit.ly/2UyRhce Tirthavari on the second day of the 10-day mahotsavam is another speciality, and is in

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The food-medicine-health link

Ayurveda is a limb of Yoga. Ayurvedic Generally speaking, good food is both medicine is made using a combination of healthy and desirable in taste. To make sure natural plant products, such as roots, stems, that food was not only agreeable but also leaves, flowers or fruits of plants, then flavourful, various food combinations were transformed through a specific process of developed after taking into consideration cooking. The same basic principles of the nature of the individual food items medicinal preparation are applied in the involved. The combinations also needed to preparation of food. Both food and consider whether they would heat or cool medicine are to be taken at the right time the system. The purpose of a combination and in the right quantity. For example, was, and is, to utilise the best when you are ill, you cannot reasonably characteristics of both foods. In such a expect to get better immediately simply by scheme, it was only sensible that taste drinking a bottle of medicine or taking a would not be the only consideration. It is couple of pills. Medicine must be taken in not a simple matter of, for example, adding the proper doses and must be given time to sugar to lime juice in order to change its work. The same is true with food. taste, because both sugar and lime can Whenever any medicine is given to a person increase the heat in the system and lead to for treatment, dietary advice conducive to imbalance. solving that same problem is also given, and Incidentally, the food combinations found in both must be followed for real healing to North India were, and still are, very occur. different from those found in South India or Western India. Both the climate and the

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food items that grow in these diverse person has a history of back pain, then we regions aredifferent, and their respective should strengthen his back by adapting the cooking protocols were adapted based on posture. We cannot simply forbid the place. In this context, it must be cautioned person from bending down. that not all present-day Indian cooking Similarly, we need to adapt a food item to necessarily conforms to Ayurvedic the person and strengthen the digestive fire principles, either in terms of the if needed with the support of herbs. This combination of foods or the methods of principle of adaptation is of central cooking. The important point is that importance in Ayurvedic Dietetics. We Ayurvedic dietetics can be adapted to the change the product through cooking to Western context, by taking into account the match the condition of the internal fire. For foods that are grown and the type of diet example, the internal fire (Agni) is not very with which the person is familiar. However, strong in an infant, but it becomes very the combination of the different products active during adulthood and finally is of available and the method of cooking must reduced activity in old age. Therefore, we be founded on traditional Ayurvedic must match the food product to suit the principles. For example, during winter in the internal fire. The same food item will need northern countries of the West, it may be to be cooked differently in order to match better to have toast and warm porridge the person and purpose. If an old person is rather than cold cereal for morning ill and wants to eat an apple, it may be best breakfast, or to take soup or boiled to bake the apple and remove the skin vegetables in the evening rather than salad. before they eat it. In the case of young Simple changes like these will help to person who is sick, the apple may be eaten improve both digestion and assimilation. raw without the skin. And for a baby, it may The plants, fruits and vegetables that we have to be baked, the skin removed, then eat have, in a way, already been cooked by mashed and finally served with a little the sun. Even so, while fruits can generally honey. be eaten raw, the leaves, stem and so on Indeed, changing the final edible product should be cooked using external fire. During through cooking to match the condition of the process of cooking, heat brings about a the internal fire (metabolism) of a person transformation of the food product. Thus, in forms one of the most important concepts addition to the external cooking of the sun, of Ayurvedic dietetics. food should be prepared such that it matches the internal fire (metabolism). Again, we emphasise: This is similar to Food items that are heavy or difficult to adapting the posture for the person in digest can be made light or easy to digest asana or changing the ratio of breathing in through application of heat during the Pranayama or changing the method of process of cooking. This is exactly analogous meditation. to adapting a posture to suit the person. If a Source: http://bit.ly/31xx33T

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