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I did not know that Doddagaddavalli was the birth place of legendary Vina Vidwan Shri Doraiswamy Iyengar till that time I read the Swarajya article in 2020. It maybe that I had not paid any attention to his autobiographical profile before that, or maybe I was not aware of Doddagaddavalli when I used to listen to his music, in those old tapes. Like many others, my knowledge of Hoysala temples was limited to the Belur and Halebid, the ones I visited as a dreamy 18-years old college student. The horizon expanded a bit when I “discovered” Somanathapura a decade ago. It just engulfed me when I went on the Indica sponsored TSD rally three years ago. For months after that I got hold of whatever books, articles I could get about Hoysalas and their art. In January 2020 embarked on another visit to Belur, Halebid, Somanathapura and many of the smaller, lesser known Hoysala temples. The study, the research and further visits took a backseat when the pandemic stuck. But that also was a period wh...

There have been attempts to deny nationalism or paint nationalism, patriotism as jingoism for some years now. To be precise this gained momentum and vigour in the run up to the 2014 General Elections. In order to support their stand many started resorting to quote Aurobindo’s later works, select works of Subramania Bharati, to suggest they gave up nationalism for a greater universe where the humanity stood elevated beyond the national boundaries. While one cannot deny the broader, universal vision of the great personalities, writers like Aurobindo and Bharati, at core they were nationalists. Their yogic vision demolished the “narrow domestic walls”, but neither did Aurobindo retract his “The Renaissance in India”, nor Bharati reject “Swadesa Geetanthangal” (National Songs). It is going to be almost 100 years since Mahakavi Subramania Bharati passed away, he continues to ignite the minds of his readers now, with his vision, his fire as much as it did when they were first published, igni...

 Hayagriba Madhab Temple, Hajo    Jnananandamayam devam nirmalasphatikakrtim Adharam sarvavidyanam hayagrivam upasmahe   “We medidate upon that Supreme One, who has the neck and face of a horse and who is the embodiment of Jnana, Ananda. He has a Thirumeni like a radiant, blemishless spatikam and is the abode of all Vidhyas.”   This was a verse we learnt as children to recite, especially on the day of Saraswati Puja, and also regularly. Hayagriva as a deity of jnana, wisdom is invoked and his blessings are sought before vidyaramba. Hayagriva, a Vishnu avatara is worshipped by many sampradayas and specifically by the Sri Vaishnavas of south India. Thiruvendipuram near Cuddalore where one of 108-Divyadesas are situated, of the Devanatha Perumal, there exists a Hayagriva temple. It is situated on a small hillock called Aushadagiri overlooking the temple of Devanatha close to the river Gadilam. At a small village called Chettipunyam not very far from Chennai t...