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  bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah March 2020. Even as the first case of Covid-19 was finding its way to the front pages in India, we were travelling very close to where the first major outbreak was reported – Agra was not very far from Gwalior where we were. Our major focus of that photography tour was the Bateshwar group of temples. Since it had gained popularity with archaeologist Muhammad’s interviews and write-ups on its restoration, reconstruction efforts, and the striking, beautiful temple complex unlike any other in the country, photographers throng the site. As long as we were walking around the ruins my fellow travellers were fine. But our young driver was over enthusiastic about taking us to a very famous temple in the neighbourhood, where local pilgrims go in large numbers, the Shanichar temple near Morena. It is like many of the new temples in the North, no big plan, no architecture, no fineness. Our friends wer...

  Kanchipuram, Temples and Textile Motifs   Kanchipuram, as the name conjures up images of the towering temples and rustling silk, it is inevitable the connection between the two is made. Etched in stone and inscribed on slabs the stories of the temples, their makers, the donors makes it possible to discuss the evolution of the temple art and architecture, the festivals, rituals and the continuity of that over millennia. The underlying connection between the temples and the Kanchipuram silks in some ways is one – the divinity and the royalty. The vishwakarmas who built the large and small temples in the town, once a towering capital of the Pallavas, as well as the weavers who predominantly come from the Padma Saliyar, Pattu Saliyar, Devanga communities trace their evolution to divine command. Communities followed the principles that had a common basis. That the art is divine and they are ordained by the Gods to create, weave. The temples were made for the Gods and the robe...

“This joyful practitioner of yoga, Spends all his lawful earnings In providing food for the devotees of Vishnu Who travel between the Himalaya and the Malaya Mountains!”           (Amuktamalyada – translation Srinivas Sistla) That was how the mighty emperor Krishnadeva Raya described our Vishnuchitta. He was hailed as Periyalvar, for the mighty deed of going to the Pandya Sri Vallaba’s court to establishe the Paratva and having had a divine vision of Garudaruda Vishnu and singing ‘Pallandu’ (hail! live long) to Him. This great feat earned not only the title of Periyalvar (Periya = big), but his Prabandham as described by many became the gateway for the divine 4000 verse compilation, ‘Nalayira Diva Prabandham’. In the order of contents in the 4000, 'Tirupallandu' and 'Periyalvar Tirumozhi' are the first prabandhams, followed by 'Tiruppavai' and 'Nachiyar Tirumozhi' of his foster daughter Andal. But, to know him first as V...

Vidisha   Vidisa – Meghaduta says that Vidisa modern Bhilsa the capital of Dasarna was situated on Vetravati, the modern Betwa river. A city mentioned in Raghuvamsa – Rama gave to the two sons of Satrughna, Satrughatin and Subahu, the cities of Madhura and Vidisa. In the Malavikagnimitra Agnimitra is shown as enjoying himself on the banks of the Vidisa river and later on Pushyamitra refers to his son Agnimitra as Vidisastha (i.e. Vaidisa would mean a city on the Vidisa).   In the fourth volume of the History of Dharmasastra MM P.V. Kane has given a long list of Tirthas significant from the Hindu Dharmasastra point of view. That is from a volume which has details on Prayascitta, Tirthayatra etc., The BORI has brought out the ‘List of Tirthas’ as a separate volume for the benefit of students of Dharmashastra, history and geography of Bharata.   Vidisha, 54 km from the state capital of Bhopal and about 10 km from the UNESCO world heritage site of Sanchi, continues to b...

Mahalaya as a Smaraka   It was a Shravan Somvar, and I think it was also Ekadashi day when we set out from Udayagiri to visit Eran which was our main destination. We had also intended to cover Gyaraspur and Udayapur that day - the Neelakanteshwar temple pictures were etched in mind and it was not to be missed. Eran was difficult to reach, but the quiet and peaceful village and the sight of the beautiful Varaha made our day.   Udayapur in contrast was an easy location to find, much more populated, and that particular day wore a festive look as pilgrims thronged for worship, being the Shravan Somvar. All through the route there were fruits, tea, water being offered to pilgrims, and small or big, broken or intact every temple had devout carrying flowers, water, offerings.   At the Neelakanteshwara temple queues were long to enter the sanctum sanctorum. Temple was full of village groups, bhajan mandalis singing, conducting pujas on their own to the murtis around the temple....