Public Perception of Ass-curse Steles and the Issue of Defacement Faced during Explorations in

Harshada Wirkud1

1. Department of Archaeology, Deccan College Post Graduate Research Institute, Pune- 411006, Maharashtra, (Email: [email protected])

Received: 18 September 2016; Accepted: 21 October 2016; Revised: 13 November 2016 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 4 (2016): 342-351

Abstract: The corpus of Ass-curse steles, play an important role in understanding the antiquity of Maharashtra. They due to the fact that they are mostly inscription bearing stones help us with being extant proofs of the bygones. However due to their typology that include a graphic panel depicting sexual congress between a donkey and a woman or just a donkey in accordance to the curse inscribed have had given rise to many issues during explorations. This is closely related to the present percept of them by the local populace. This perception can be both benign and or malignant, though both contribute equally in defacement of these extant evidences. The benign perception can be largely attributed to these steles being worshipped as gods or as associated with gods thus leading to them being anointed with vermillion, sandal paste, flowers garlands, incense sticks and or washing rigorously. This leads to destruction and weathering of the steles like vermillion anointing leads to obscuration and or total loss of the inscription. The non-benign or malignant perception is rooted in the fear that people associate with the steles. The basic underlying principle of justice is ironically enough not lost here though, this in itself sometimes lead to defacement/destruction of these steles. The steles are considered as evil and or vulgar which lead to them being buried or defaced or broken or simply ignored. This paper deals with issues faced due to the same during explorations.

Keywords: Ass-curse Steles, Gaddhegaals, Defacement, Perception, Rituals, Maharashtra, Explorations

Introduction Gaddhegaals, a unique type of land or such grant stones or edicts in some cases, generally, are inscription (inclusive of the Gaddhegaali i.e. the ass curse) bearing stones with a sculptural panel depicting copulation between a donkey and a woman. It is from this panel and the ass-curse inscription that they are so termed. The Ass-curse Steles are the extant proof of corroborative cogent evidence in form of archaeological and epigraphical data whose, coherent persistence of the defined typology is probably only second to religious iconography. The depictive panel which pictorially represents the curse in toto, is perhaps a phenomena observed for the first time in case of direct correlation with the inscription. Wirkud 2016: 342-351

The author during the explorations and research conducted over the last few seasons has had come across exhaustive data from the state of Maharashtra as well as from other states. The data set is not limited to only rural locations but to the urban sprawl like too. The author has taken into consideration many aspects of and related to these steles to understand and document the phenomena in a better way.

One of the important and interesting aspects of these ass-curse steles is their present public perception. Here it is not the original purpose but a brand new attribution that has been conjured from the imagination of the people in whose vicinity the object is found.

This paper aims to discuss this issue of defacement seen during explorations due to the invented current perception vis-a-vis of the ass-curse.

Defacement and Current Public Perception in Accordance to Beliefs As defined, Ass-curse steles bear the curse in a sculptural form too most of the times, either as a donkey or a congress between woman and donkey and this is one of the main reasons that these steles are for the lack of word thereof abhorred most of the times or simply representatively converted to icons/format of or related to God. In both cases it leads to destruction or defacement either with malicious/wilful destruction or benign aspect of understanding respectively. Here simply ignorance and or indifference play a major role.

Ignorance with regards to these steles stem from them considered as vulgar/obscene or of malicious origin. This leads to wilful destruction/defacement of these steles as they are considered as vulgar especially when a copulating donkey-woman is shown and most of the times hence are either simply thrown away and or destroyed.

A Gaddhegaal from Bhaliwadi in (figure 1) was destroyed and broken into two by a local drunkard whilst inebriated as he considered it obscene and felt it was disrupting his life by causing him problems. The stone is still to be seen though hidden amongst bushes in the field where it was found.

Some are buried completely, or are partially exposed infrequently for carrying out propitiation ritual, and also to keep the effects of ‘black magic’ at bay. The newly discovered Gaddhegaal by the author (lead by Shashikumar Karnik and Dr. Kurush Dalal pers. comm.) from Shreevardhan, Raigad (figure 2) was buried as it was considered to be full of black magic and a small earthen lamp and incense sticks were lit there every new moon day, this practice was observed till a few years ago. The same was done for the rediscovered Ass-curse stele form Chaul, Raigad (figure 3) though here it was said to be a stone of a woman who was promiscuous in her life and was punished for the same and now to appease her and keep her from troubling married women, she was offered flowers and garlands by exposing a small part of the stele.

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These steles from Shreevardhan and Chaul were buried as were considered inauspicious. They had to be excavated/ exposed by the author during her data collection surveys.

Figure 1: Figure 2: Figure 3: Gaddhegaal, Kajrat Gaddhegaal, Raigad Gaddhegaal, Chaul

Some steles are relocated, kept hidden, ignored or forgotten thus leading to defacement, breakage and weathering due to natural causes. This is again is due to the fact that they are considered as vulgar and avoided if not actively defaced, damaged or destroyed.

The ass-curse stele from Powai IIT campus (figure 4) was relocated from there to Nagpur Central Museum as it was considered to contain obscene language. Here it is interesting to note that there is no graphic depiction of the curse but the Devnagari characters were clear enough to make the written curse clearly decipherable. A Gaddhegaal from Diveagar (figure 5) which was newly discovered by the author during explorations was totally destroyed with its surface ‘eaten’ by moss in the owner’s back yard where it was partially buried facedown over a water channel as it was considered to be vulgar and the owner’s forbearers’ were ashamed of it. The author was able to identify it only because of an old gentleman recounting the original description. In the same area of Diveagar, there are three more Ass-curse steles (figure 6, 7) of which two are broken and only one (figure 8) is preserved well as the owners took efforts to understand what exactly the stele is about. One of these steles (figure 6) was broken when there was new telephone lines were being put in the village thus only lower part is available now. The upper portion was shattered and used to prop up the telephone post. This shows how apathetic in general the public feelings are with regards to historical remains. The other stele (figure 7) was broken in two while relocating. It too lies in a forgotten corner of the owner’s orchard.

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Figure 4: Gaddhegaal, Powai Figure 5: Gaddhegaal, Diveagar

Figure 6: Gaddhegaal, Diveagar

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Figure 7: Gaddhegaal, Figure 8: Gaddhegaal, Figure 9: Gaddhegaal, Diveagar Diveagar Nalasopara

The author rediscovered a stele (figure 9) from Mahalaxmi Railway Press office which was brought there, after relocating from Mahalaxmi Railway yard, from a field from Nalasopara railway station. This stele was when first brought was considered as ‘Jagewala Baba’ (Deity of the place) and was covered in vermillion and propitiated with sugar, coconuts, etc. This was broken in two during/after being relocated from the Railway yard to the Press and was left forgotten in storage.

Deification of these steles so as to maintain the indirect sanctity is one of the most important facets of the invented public perception in the study of Ass-curse steles. This is often done in an almost preternatural way. Many a times they take up roles of protector deities. Sometimes the donkey is reinterpreted as some other animal like pig, buffalo or even tiger and sometimes a donkey itself labelled as Gadhavbaba, here the donkey is the deity.

An ass-curse stele from Mapgaon- Kankeshwar hill, Raigad (figure 10) which was mentioned in the Colaba District Gazetteer was recently rediscovered and its relocation was traced by the author. This partially available stele was first reported to be at ‘Nagobacha Tappa’ (Snake Point) on the hill. It is now brought down and kept in on the opposite side of a boulder (identified as a cow) both thus flanking the stairway to the Kankeshwar Temple. It is now called as ‘Gavlyacha/Gavlidevacha Tappa’ (Point of the Shepherd/Shepherd God) a protector deity of the cattle. The figure of woman on stele is coloured in white and is said to be that of ‘Gavli Dev’ and the boulder opposite is said to be a cow representing the cattle he guards. The locals and people from neighbouring places offer flowers and stones to him, stones so that he can use them to

346 Wirkud 2016: 342-351 scare away persons or animals threatening the cattle. Another example of where these steles are considered as a Shepherd God, are the two newly discovered Ass-curse steles from Hamarapur, Pen (figure 11 and 12). These were discovered by the author during explorations (Sagar Mundhe pers comm.).

Figure 10: Gaddhegaal, Raigad Figure 11: Gaddhegaal, Hamarapur

Figure 12: Gaddhegaal, Hamarapur

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One of the most common ways of deification of these steles is to consider them as protector deities of the village either as Mhasoba or Waghobha. One stele from Vartak wadi, Vasai (figure 13) is considered as Waghobha, protector deity of the clan of Vartaks and has a shrine built to house it. Another vermillion painted stele kept in a separate ancillary shrine at Varsoli, Alibaug (figure 14) is identified as Mhasoba and a buffalo used to be sacrificed in front of it during the annual village fair. This practice was continued till the government ban on sacrificial killings.

In an instance from the village of Pavshi, Sindhudurg (figure 15), the stele is considered as ‘Neeti’ (Justice) with the donkey re-interpreted as a pig. The sun and moon here are said to be representative of Hindu and Muslim faiths respectively thus reflecting unity. Before any special occasion in the village they take ‘permission’ from the ‘Neeti’ to complete their tasks effectively and positively by propitiating it with meat of a wild boar and beetel leaves and nuts.

Figure 13: Gaddhegaal, Figure 14: Gaddhegaal, Figure 15: Gaddhegaal, Vasai Alibaug Sindhudurg

In the village of Chirner, (figure 16) the ass-curse stele kept in the shrine of the Bhairava is converted into his consort ‘Parvati’. It is smeared with vermillion with two silver eyes embedded in the Kalasha with sun and moon rounded off to represent breasts. When enquired with regards to the presence of the graphic panel showing sexual congress of woman and donkey, they said that it was a promiscuous woman being punished by the Goddess. There is another Ass-curse stele in front of this temple which was (after our first visit) painted with vermillion even after informing the villagers about its importance. This clearly shows the fearful attitude that the locals have to their Gods. This makes clear the adage that - ‘if we don’t do this we may be punished and we don’t want to take risks’. The human psyche works wonders in such cases when they do not want to throw away what is probably related to God as the

348 Wirkud 2016: 342-351 same being found mostly in Temple premises, fearing the backlash/hand of god. At the Pimpalwadi Shiva Temple in South Mumbai the Gaddhegaal ( figure 17 ) is kept at the back of the shrine facing away from the god as it is again considered as Gram Devata (Protector God of the boundaries) but of a different faith and is presently also called Peer baba by the locals. The ass-curse stele at Dombivli Gaon Devi temple, Thane (figure 18) is kept in a separate shrine and is currently identified as Shanidev. It is coated with black paint and is propitiated with oil as is the custom of Shani worship. As per yet another belief this is an edict by the British to inform about rules and regulations and the graphic panel represents the punishment to be given to miscreants.

Figure 16: Gaddhegaal, Figure 17: Gaddhegaal, Figure 18: Gaddhegaal, Uran South Mumbai Thane

Figure 19: Gaddhegaal, Figure 20: Gaddhegaal, Bhiwandi Thane

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All these examples reflect the general lackadaisical attitude towards history and archaeological remains by the populace. However the conservation of Ass-curse stele from Shivnagar, Thane (figure 20) by the locals reflects the importance of creating awareness and educating the public about its importance.

Conclusion All these ways of treating the Ass-curse steles arrive mainly from the same feeling – i.e. considering them as vulgar or obscene yet not ignoring them for fear of retribution. Somehow the human mind struggling to understand these steles (and not knowing their original purpose) when found in premises of Temples or such sacred places thus assimilates them into their pantheon by colouring them saffron or changing their identity to either a ‘peer baba’ in Shiva temple or a Parvati as consort to the Bhairava in his shrine. Upon asking the locals for an explanation for the presence of the sculptural panel it’s interesting to note through their explanations and opinions it is clear that the principle of judgment in the form of punishment is not lost. It is either a Devicha Paul (foot of the Goddess) or Devicha Vahana (vehicle) punishing the ‘unholy person/s’. This gives a glimpse as to how the human psychology utilises various methods to understand a phenomena, it arrives at quite a just explanation of it.

The brain attempts to rationalise and logically provide explanations of anything that it has none or few clues for, by using the experiences obtained their perception or the basis of their antiquity/age. This cognizance is a cause of the effect of past experiences and or upbringing and surroundings of a human, inclusive of other human experiences, leading to collective thinking sourced from a single mind or like-minded group. This digressive sacrality which has been conferred in ignorance on Ass-curse steles forms a very good aspect of the study of Humans and their mind through the invented public perception.

Acknowledgements I thank Mrs. Mugdha Karnik, Mr. Samuel Nazareth and Dr. Kurush Dalal, from Centre of Extra-Mural Studies (CEMS), University of Mumbai, Kalina Campus for providing the opportunity of exploration. This study was undertaken as an ancillary to the Project awarded by Ratan Tata Trust, titled, ‘Documentation of Gadhegals from Maharashtra’ under the aegis of CEMS. I thank Dr. Abhijit Dandekar, Dr. Shrikant Ganvir and Dr. Gopal Joge for the support and guidance. I thank the villagers and locals of the places that I have visited for their help and hospitality. I thank my family and friends for their support.

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