INDIA PERSPECTIVES OCTOBER 2003 2 Chamba FOLKLORE RENDERED ON MUSLIN Text: SANDEEP SILAS Photographs: SATBIR SILAS ike the beauty of a Chamba rumal is the mountain city Litself – richly embroidered on fine muslin. The first look on approach, above the green contoured carpet towards a housing cluster, is uplifting. The town of Chamba is situated on the eastern bank of river Ravi in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It rises up the hill like a temple spire, all shine and piercing the sky. Though man has found habitation on all possible locations both sides of the river, on mountain tops and plateaus, the hubbub is in the centre. The town owes its name to Champavati, daughter of Raja Sahil Varman, the founder king. The town was laid in 920 A.D. and since then the exquisite embroidery of city life has grown tremendously. River Ravi meanders in this huge valley, as if the mountain and river are engaged in a romantic ballet, steps rising and falling rhythmically. Sometimes they come dangerously close to each other, at others fall back with the music, never for once disengaging from clasp. The numerous plateaus visible on the western mountains of the valley are green running spaces, delightfully flat. The deep gorges created by two such plateaus fall straight to the rounded rocks and pebbles of the riverbed. The palace of Chamba rulers, though shorn of regality, is still the Envious greens... INDIA PERSPECTIVES OCTOBER 2003 3 Above: Chaugan – sprinkled with signature building of Chamba. The to the flat, the Chaugan is venue to wild flowers. Facing page: Children growing on trees? bazaar is a straight line of shops, many seasonal fairs and festive and Chamba’s famous Chamunda Devi not showrooms to be precise, and celebrations in the city. In July/ temple (right). articles of daily use are stocked, not August each year resident gods and displayed. Mother necessity rules all goddesses blessing the valley leave considerations. The most attractive their temple precincts for the Minjar point about this market is the view fair, and come to Chaugan as of a snowy Pirpanjal peak that homage to Lord Raghuvira. Drums, seems to squat grandfatherly right cymbals and other rudimentary hill in the midst of lane at the far end. musical instruments proclaim the Though it is quite a distance, it is visit of the deities. yet so tantalisingly close. All ancient towns have a rich The Chaugan, a flat huge ground is religious tradition. So much so that laid next to the market. Beyond is a city life is collectively and gradual drop to the river Ravi. The individually ruled by temple slope is also dotted with fine traditions. This inter-dependence of buildings and a bridge over the temple and cityfolk was evident as river is visible in the distance. You an undercurrent at Chamba. The six have to cross this bridge for main group of temples, three entering Chamba town. The old dedicated to Shiva and three to suspension bridge sighs as you pass Vishnu, are built in the same and no pauses are permitted. Back complex in the Shikhara style. The INDIA PERSPECTIVES OCTOBER 2003 4 temple of Lakshmi Narayan and The temple of Chamunda Devi, The king holding a flower, and the Radha Krishna were built in the built high on a mountain, beckoned winged busts are definitely images reign of Raja Sahil Varman, us. From the roof of the temple are which have creeped in from the sometime in the 10th and 11th hung scores of brass bells in middle-east, perhaps as a result of century A.D. The white marble different shapes and sizes, as trade or travel exchanges. Inside, image of Lakshmi Narayan, also wishes made here by devotees, the image of goddess is installed called Vaikuntha, is in Kashmiri took human and real form. They regally, sitting over two lion faces, style. A white diamond shines from are testimony to fulfilment. smiling over devotees benevolently. the forehead of the impeccable Interestingly, the outer beams carry The view of Chamba town, the Ravi statue and it is adorned by carvings displaying yogis in river, and that of Pangi valley to the ornaments donated by devout different yogic asanas. On the left, is stunningly beautiful. kings of Chamba. Picture-frame central beams are carved in wood Jhamwar, 12 km uphill, is a nature necklaces called Sabih, bear the several gods and goddesses along lover’s delight. Shorn of the royal photo images of devout kings. with other representations - a king crest and insignia, only nature had These temples were renovated holding a spear in one and a flower been left to own the place. The during the reign of Raja Pratap in the other, a flying apsara Pirpanjals, closer than ever, snowy Singh Varman in 16th century A.D. blowing a conch shell and winged peaks gaining prominence, seemed The brass image of Gauri Shankar busts of men and women, rendered to consolidate their hold. (Lord Shiva and His consort Parvati) exactly in the style of Egyptian is a picture of a perfect couple – Pharoahs, among many others. The Back in town, the Bhuri Singh composed, confident and devoted. wood ceiling is an interesting study Museum preserves the rich tradition The posture instantly catches your in religious influences and of the valley encapsulating life, attention. intermingling traditions of the time. riches and styles. On display are INDIA PERSPECTIVES OCTOBER 2003 5 Mulk Raj Sidana Gaddi dance of Chamba. various necklace styles – natural colours have yet not Champakali, Sabih, Laumala and dimmed in their richness. One can the Dodmala. The Dedhku (ear- revel while watching Ramayana tops), Pher (ear-rings), Arsi stories, hunt scenes, portraits, other (mirrored thumb-rings) speak of religious themes, the exploits of the longing and effort of Pahari Krishna and stylised images of women so involved in the tradition goddesses rendered in folk style – of beauty. The miniature Chamba slender and sharp. The exquisite paintings – Basohli style (1765) Chamba rumal boasts of difficult and Kangra style (1780-85) are embroidery, done finely on themes executed with fine brush strokes to like Ashta-nayika and render bewitchingly folklore, Rasamandala. The beauty of a portraits, royal durbar and hunt Chamba rumal rendered in rich scenes or the Radha Krishna silken colours, executed with episodes. So fine is the work that precision, peers at you enticingly. even ornamentation in a crown There is no way but to take this is clearly visible. More so, the folklore home. INDIA PERSPECTIVES OCTOBER 2003 6 occasion of initiation ceremony, marriage, or as thanksgiving by a grateful person, or for temple construction, dating to 10th-11th century A.D. speak volumes about strong administrative and land revenue structures. These plates, bearing the seal of rulers are as vibrant and alive as the earth they transferred. Come night and the giant leviathan like mountains again settle to sleep. Some sequin spots of light reflected on their person only establishes their presence. As they recede and Mulk Raj Sidana the town prepares to indulge into deep slumber, the Ravi river becomes articulate. It is the only constant presence, that is heard. ◆ The author, a civil servant, is a noted travel writer. Dileep Prakash The making of Chamba Rumal – they mystify initially, then attract handkerchief (top) & Raslila of Lord Krishna depicted on the Rumal (above). you strongly. Wherever inscribed, the iconography is of generic type The most striking, are however, the on slabs recovered from Ravi fountain slabs. These are carved valley. Later on, horsemen, archers, stone slabs placed earlier at points swordsman and female water where springs had erupted. Some carriers found themselves on these were set up by grateful citizens for slabs. The flat carving on fountain societal benefit. Some others were slab is unique. It fulfilled a dual planted in memory of a dead purpose – societal use and spouse - funerary significance. They promotion of art. depict figures of deities, lesser mortals and even persons for There are coins of different whose future bliss they were set kingdoms discovered in this valley up. Decorated with ornamental which reveal a prosperous trade scrolls and mostly enclosed within link. The copper plate inscriptions the border of interlacing snakes, recording grant of land on the INDIA PERSPECTIVES OCTOBER 2003 7 Sacred Ashok SAMAR SINGH mong the flowering trees of equal in merit to digging ten wells, India, the Ashok, also called a pond to ten vapis, a son to ten ASita Ashok, (Latin name: ponds and planting a tree was Saraca indica) has a very special equal to having ten sons. Apart significance. It has been considered from signifying the importance of sacred since time immemorial and the species and the merit of tree finds honourable mention in several planting in general, this story ancient scriptures and the famous indicates the ancient way of family epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. planning: plant trees instead of producing several children. According to a legend mentioned in the Matsya Purana, Parvati, the The name Sita Ashok is derived consort of Lord Shiva, planted a from the association of the tree sapling of Ashok. When the deities with Sita, the heroine of enquired about its significance, Ramayana. It is believed that when Parvati is said to have replied that Ravana abducted Sita and took her making a vapi (step well) was to Lankapuri, Sita chose to stay in a INDIA PERSPECTIVES OCTOBER 2003 8 garden of Ashok trees and was successful in preserving her chastity. Ever since, the Ashok tree is believed to safeguard the chastity of women; hence, the name Sita Ashok. In Sanskrit, ‘Ashok’ means one who has no sorrow.