KONARK SUN TEMPLETHE TEMPLE OF THE SUN
The Sun Temple of Konark stands on a deserted stretch of coast in Orissa, overlooking the Bay of Bengal. For centuries this once lofty building was used by sailors navigating the shore. They called it the "Black Pagoda," to distinguish it from the "White Pagoda"- the famous Jagannatha Temple twenty miles (32-km) up the coast in Puri.
Battered by storms and sea winds, nibbled by salt and sand, the temple seems to be gradually returning to its source, like some majestic galleon that is slowly but surely slipping under the waves. Now the Sun Temple stands nearly two miles (3-km) from the sea, but originally the Bay of Bengal came to within a few yards of the walled enclosure. In times of storm during the monsoons, flood tides still advance menacingly toward it.
The Legends
No one really knows why a temple was erected here, but there are many legends to account for its appearance. The most popular concerns 'Samba', the son of Lord Krishna. Samba was inordinately proud of his beauty. So proud that he once made the mistake of ridiculing a celebrated sage, 'Narada', who was not renowned for his looks. Narada was not amused.
Always mischievous, he decided to have his revenge on the arrogant boy. He managed to lure the unsuspecting Samba to the pool where his stepmothers, the luscious consorts of Krishna, were bathing in joyful abandon. When Krishna heard that his son had become a peeping tom, he was furious and cursed him with leprosy. Realizing later that the innocent boy had been tricked by Narada's cunning, Krishna was mortified.
But he could not revoke his course; all he could do was advise his son to worship the sun god 'Surya', healer of all diseases, and hope for a cure. After twelve years of penance and worship, Samba was at last instructed by Surya to go and bathe in the sea at Konark. He did so and was cured of his awful affliction. Samba was so delighted that he decided there and then to erect a Surya temple on these spot. It was called "Konark", "Place of the Sun," from which the modern name comes.
Historical Facts Vs Myths
The temple was actually built by a king of the medieval 'Ganga' dynasty, "Narasingha Deva". The king was popularly known as "Langulia", "the one with a tail." It is possible that he built the temple as a supplication to Surya to remove a spinal swelling of some sort.
In the eyes of his subjects, such an act would imply that 'Narasingha' was a descendant of, or even a reincarnation of, Krishna's very own son. It was not unheard of for kings to align themselves in this way with the great heroes of antiquity or even with gods. To discover the roots of one's family tree securely planted in heaven could be a distinct advantage.
A less romantic explanation is that Narasingha built the temple to commemorate his victories over the Muslims, who were pushing into Orissa from the west. During his reign he won at least three resounding victories over the invaders.
The Festivities
In fact, Orissa has had a history of independence and military honor second only to that of the Rajputs. Since earliest times the main annual festivals of the Hindu calendar in this part of the country have been military, rather than religious, affairs.
Until recently the autumn festival of 'Dusserah', celebrated all over India as a worship of Durga, consort of Shiva, was an aboriginal hunting festival in Orissa. Reserved forests were thrown open to the general public for hunting; the ancestral weapons were brought out and worshipped in each village, and the warlike past of the community was relived in ancient myth and songs. Leadership, bravery, and strength have always been the valued qualities here.
The Ancient Orissan Armed Force
Under the Ganga dynasty Orissa had a peasant militia of three hundred thousand men, with fifty thousand foot and ten thousand horses, and an elephant regiment twenty-five thousand strong. She was relied upon by the central power in times of crisis, her troops constituting what was, in effect, a national army.
Even the Muslims grudgingly admitted that a Ganga king could, at a moment's notice, take the field with eighteen thousand men. And it was in Orissa that the first armed rebellions against the British took place in the early 19th century. This concern with martial arts invaded even the religious sphere. The priests at the Jagannatha temple in Puri were renowned for their physical prowess and exercised daily in the famous religious gymnasia. The 'Pandits' were accomplished and respected wrestlers.
Many of the common Orissan surnames, such as 'Dalai' and 'Senapati', originated in Ganga times. Interestingly, the higher posts in the army were held by the priestly Brahmin caste; thus 'Bahinapati' is a common Brahmin name.
Narasingha himself was more renowned for his valor than his piety. This, combined with Orissa's impressive military history, supports the theory that Konark was a colossal tower of victory, erected to the sun god in thanks for his earthly representative's victory over the dreaded Muslim. The profusion of carvings, on and around the temple, depicting military subjects, seems to confirm it.
At the end of the 16th century, Konark was famous far beyond the borders of Orissa. By then, it had become a great center of pilgrimage and attracted the praise of even such a discriminating critic as Abul Fazl, the court biographer of Emperor Akbar the Great.
All that now remains from those glory days is the ruined half of the main temple. Nevertheless, this mere fragment of Konark's former glory constitutes what is often considered to be the most impressive temple in northern India.
History Of The Temple
The Entrance to the temple is done from the Vantage Point, which is situated on the south wall of the complex, behind the two rearing figures of the Royal Horses. From here one can get the best view of the site as a whole. The temple originally consisted of three parts: sanctuary surmounted by a colossal spire tower, porch and the detached Hall of Dance. A wall surrounded the whole complex.
An Abode of Sun God The temple was conceived as a massive chariot lying on an east-west axis, in which the Sun god, Surya, was pulled across the sky. Each day his journey brought life and light back to earth and his procession was a continual rejoicing. The chariot had twenty-four wheels, and was pulled by seven horses, representing the seven days of the week and the seven sages who govern the constellations.
Sun worship is central to India. The standard daily prayer of the Brahmins is the 'Gayatri', addressed to the sun, and on an esoteric level, the sun symbolizes the divine Self within. The idea of procession is also an integral part of temple worship. Deities are shown to the public on feast days and festivals and are pulled around the town in brightly decorated chariots. The most famous of these processions takes place every July, in nearby Puri. This is the festival of the Jagannatha Temple. A form of Vishnu, Shri Jagannatha, is paraded in an enormous chariot.
To the west of the Sun temple stand the remains of two earlier structures: the "Vaishnava temple" and the "Mayadev temple". Thus looking from left to right across the site, one can trace a progression beginning with the earliest structure, the Vaishnava temple, and ending with the latest, the Hall of Dance.
Gradual Collapse Of A Magnificent Monument The 'Shikhara' must have been extremely impressive, since it dominated the rest of the complex. Various theories have been put forward to explain its collapse: earthquakes, subsidence, lightning. In fact, both man and nature had a hand in it.
According to the historical records the Shikhara was originally crowned by a finial in traditional Hindu style: a water pot on top of a heavy spheroid base. The 'Kalasha' was made of copper, most probably gilded, and the 'Amla' of stone. The 'Kalasha' was removed at the beginning of the 17th century by the Muslims, who thought it was gold and wanted to melt it down. The Amla underneath it was made of several massive blocks of stone, clamped together by iron dowels.
The very weight of the stone served to keep the corbeled walls of the spire in position by counteracting their tendency to fall inward. But when the Kalasha was removed, the plaster covering the dowels was damaged and exposed and, over time, washed away. The iron underneath now began to erode, disintegrate, and finally fell apart. As a result, the stone slabs fell down, damaging the rest of the building and exposing further capping stones to the ravages of the elements. Worse still, the essential tensile balance of the spire was destroyed. There was nothing to prevent its crumbling. Remnants of the Amla coping stone now lie to the north of the porch.
Several years before the removal of the copper Kalasha, the local maharaja had removed the cult image of Surya from the sanctuary. It was taken to Puri, for safety from the approaching Muslim armies. Once the presiding deity had gone, the temple was shorn of its spiritual power, and local interest in it would have declined.
Added to which, the sanctity of the temple would have been further violated by the entry of the Muslims when they came to steal the Kalasha. Though there is no record of any iconoclastic destruction, their very presence inside the hallowed ground of the temple would have violated its sanctity. All in all, there was little reason for the local people to prevent the place falling into total neglect, which is just what happened.
The decay was gradual. Even in 1848 a corner of the tower still stood to a considerable height. In 1820 this was about still stood to a considerable height. In 1820 this was about 120 feet (35m) according to the Scots traveler, A. Stirling, who saw it then. The English architect Markham Kittoe, writing in 1838, estimated it had diminished to "80 or 100 feet, and has at a distance the appearance of a crooked column." But this brave remnant was not to last long.
Ten years later, in 1848, it was blown down in a ferocious gale. When the Indian writer Rajendralala Mitra visited the site after another twenty years, even the sanctuary over which the proud Shikhara had towered was reduced to "an enormous mass of stones, studded with a few 'Pipal' trees here and there."
The porch-that part of the temple still standing-suffered more from the greedy hands of man than from the elements. The chief villain of the piece was a raja of Kurda, who took a particular liking to the chlorite slabs that decorated the façade of the building. Nor were the local people averse to helping themselves to the iron clamps, for the sake of the metal. Fortunately, this vandalism was stopped by order of the government in 1838
THE MAIN TEMPLE - KONARK
THE ASCETICS
The hall contains more explicit references to the destructive power of time. On the northeast side of the building are a couple of remarkable sculptures. The right-hand one carries a pot, the left hand one wears ascetic's beads and holds what looks like the remains of a musical instrument in his hand. Placed next to a cameo of a beautiful maiden preening herself this skeletal pair are like a couple of grotesques from some Shakespearean graveyard, full of obscure but grim hints that all is vanity before the Lord of Time.
Despite its undoubted charm, there are definite indications that the Hall of Dance was built later than the main temple, and its style is slightly decadent in comparison. The individual figures are not as fine. The proportions, particularly of head to body, seem often misjudged, and the uncarved base of the plinth in relation to the decorated wall it supports is really too squashed to be fully satisfying as a coherent structure.
From the Hall of Dance one can pass, via the well to the kitchens. Here one can see stone slabs that were tabletops, their drainage channels and the depressions in which spices were pounded still visible. From here then proceed to the southern edge of the compound.
The Royal Horses
These are another example of the genius of Ganga monolithic sculpture. The western one is the best preserved. Fully caparisoned, with a quiver full of arrows and a scabbard for a sword hanging from his back, he is crushing some hapless enemy, his tail lifted in arrogant ease. The dismounted rider, unfortunately headless, still conveys a powerful feeling of energy, compressed in his rounded shoulders and bulging thighs.
The defeated enemies under each horse are probably the contemporary sultans of Bengal, Tughar Khan, and Iktiyar Yazbak, whom Narasingha Deva defeated a few years before Konark was built. There has been rivalry between Orissa and Bengal for centuries, so this victory was doubly welcome and fit to be commemorated by the sun temple.
The Main Temple
Begin the circumambulation of the main body of the temple, comprising the 'Jagamohana' and the 'Deul' starting with the seven horses.
SOUTHERN FACE
Since the days of the great Vedic horse sacrifices, the horse has been intimately associated with royalty. The second horse on the southern side is the best preserved, his flanks beautifully marbled. His testicles are shiny from the touch of devotees, perhaps women wanting children, who worship him as a god of fertility, able to impart the mysterious life force to those who beseech him.
Underneath the horses a frieze of elephants begins. It runs the entire way around the temple, and contains over seventeen hundred of these well-loved beasts. Elephants were prized equally for their military role and their practical work as beasts of burden in ancient India, and they are commemorated on most temples.
THE NAGA CORNER
As one walks around, one will notice three dominant themes in the carving: heavenly nymphs, divine serpent kings and queens, and fabulous beasts. All these subjects are well represented in this corner.
The Kanya:
Beginning from the east, one has the nymph: languorous, sensuous, inviting. The word also means, "Completely relaxed," and, as at Khajuraho, there is no erotic tension or compulsion in these figures' undoubted allure. They are innocent and natural, with the uninhibited grace and sensuality of a tribal girl who instinctively realizes she is the sweet-scented embodiment of the Great Mother goddess who creates and sustains all life.
The Nagaraja:
Next to the Kanya is a 'Nagaraja', hands raised in the 'Namaste' gesture of greeting still used today, and technically known as the "Anjalimudra". 'Nagas' are the guardians of the underworld, and they watch over the treasures of the subconscious mind. In this role they are the equivalent to dragons in the Western mythical traditions, with the important difference that to the Eastern psyche the serpent was a creative and beneficial power, not something that was evil and had to be destroyed by a gallant Saint George or a noble 'Parsifal'.
The hoods that crown the Nagas heads are a protective symbol of majesty, like the royal umbrella or the sacred tree. On an esoteric level, they allude to the thousand-petaled lotus that opens over the head of the enlightened who has discovered the treasure buried deep within.
The Vyala:
Next to the Naga stands a fine leogryph or 'Vyala'. As well as being heraldic devices of royalty, like the lion one saw at the entrance to the hall of dance or the 'Chandella' lions at Khajuraho. These fabulous creatures also belong to the inexhaustible richness of the subconscious that the temple embodies and toward which it leads everyone.
The Naga Couple:
Lastly, one comes to an astonishingly tender Naga couple in loving embrace. The male has three large hoods, the female three small ones. These hoods catch the light and emphasize the contrast between sun and shade in a highly dramatic manner.
The couple positively glows with golden light as the sun strikes the honey-colored veins that run through the speckled texture of the stone. The female reclines, luxuriously content in the safety of her lover's arms. Her face is suffused with a dreamy joy, while his features radiate a tender and loving concern. It is remarkable how the sculptor has managed to convey feeling here through the way he has carved the hands of the pair.
The female's left hand is spread, her index finger raised, as she tingles to her very fingertips with pleasure. Her other hand lightly supports the small of her index finger raised, as she tingles to her very fingertips with pleasure. Her other hand lightly supports the small of her partner's back. His right hand delicately cradles her breast, while his left one gently supports her hooded head. Altogether this couple is a marvelously observed tableau of loving joy.
The Boxed Frieze:
Similar warmth of feeling is found in the cameos that form the boxed frieze above these standing figures. Several of these are erotic couples. Particularly pleasing is a humorous panel, directly above the figures of the Naga couple, which shows a woman being attacked by monkeys who are trying to steal the pot of food she is carrying on her head.
THE WHEEL
This is the best preserved of the twenty-four chariot wheels. The wheel is one of those composite symbols that have many levels of meaning to the Indian psyche. It represents time- the passage of the sun and the passing of the seasons. It is an ancient symbol of royalty. It is also the round of 'Karma' the cycle of cause and effect that keeps us acting from moment to moment and also carries the subtle body from life to life, reincarnation to reincarnation.
The 'Upanishads' talk about the gods "spinning the wheel of fate." Esoterically, the wheel is the lotus of enlightenment, and the 'Chakra', or subtle energy center, through which the life force enters and vitalizes the physical body.
About the Chakra
The detail here is noticeable, especially the carving in the hub, which depicts a king riding an elephant while his subjects stand in a worshipful ring riding an elephant is nonchalantly crushing beneath his feet, much to the approval of the onlookers and no doubt his gracious majesty himself. The eight principal spokes are also well carved with erotic couples, 'Maithunas', and maidens in various poses.
As one move westward across the southern door, one can see a lightning conductor that runs up over the new brickwork of the southern doorway and leads to the top of the temple. Let the eyes follow this conductor up until one comes to the balcony with large standing figures arrayed around it. Some of these are very beautiful; the ones on his southern face are the four-headed 'Brahma', god of creation, while some of the others are celestial musicians and dancing girls.
Nowadays, it is too dangerous to climb that far up the temple to get a closer look at these figures, but even from the ground one can get an idea of their radiant expressions of happiness. There are also fine friezes of people and elephants at ground level, hauling rocks to build the temple.
The Higher Ground To the worshipper, the higher up the temple and the nearer to the heavens one is, the more the rapture increases. Thus the base friezes are of elephants, people, the workaday life of battles, building, and celebration, with figures of dancing and music on a human level interspersed with the 'Nagas' of the underworld.
By the time one gets to the top of the building, one is in the world of the Titans, heavenly giants. According to the texts, each realm of creation enjoys one hundred times the bliss of the realm below it, a progression that culminates in the unspeakable bliss of the Absolute. In the temple this ultimate level is symbolized by the finial, the 'Kalasa' pot, which is filled with soma, the nectar of immortality.
THE PAVEMENT IN THE SOUTHWEST RECESS The pavement here is marked by various circles etched in the stone, some of them interlocking. No one knows for sure what they were used for. Although they are similar to 'Mandalas' that were drawn as part of the architectural plans of many temples, it is most likely they were for astrological calculations, some of them being sundials for daytime observations.
MAN OFFERING THE LINGA On the top register, third figure along stands a man with his 'Linga' in his hand. On the ground between his legs is a fire. Over here is present an archaic fertility symbol, in which the life force of the sun god, the element fire, and human sexuality are all linked.
The Ritual Fire plays a crucial part in Hindu ritual. It is the receptacle of sacrifice in the Vedic rites. The unmarried student is given sacred fire when he receives the sacred thread and commanded to worship it all his life. When he marries, the fire is brought into the household and is the center of family rituals.
As an adult, the Hindu makes offerings to the ancestors into fire, and when he dies, his body is consumed by fire. Fire is one of the principal manifestations of Surya; it is the mouth of the gods, consuming all. It is defied as Agni.
THE BLISSFUL COUPLE The register continues with an erotic couple, then, in the corner, a woman having some trouble with a demon. Then, on the south-facing wall of the recess, is one of Konark's highlights. It is a couple, perhaps a king and his queen, standing under a tree. Although the piece is badly damaged, and only the top half remains, the couple conveys an intense feeling.
They are in paradise; their faces irradiated with a sunny, childhood happiness that reminds us of an Eden we all once inhabited. When compared, at Khajuraho the figures, however charming inhabit a rarified world where one cannot enter but only look upon from outside, like children with their noses pressed against a shop window. Their expressions are stylized, removed.
But here at Konark the feeling is psychologically accessible to everyone, which not all Hindu temples are. This couple represents the high noon of human life. Full of optimism and possibility they bask in the warmth of the sun god's bounty, cheerfully unaware of the inevitable march of time
The Restoration
The story of the conservation and repair of the temple has become an inextricable part of its myth. The first suggestion to repair the ruin came from the unlikely direction of the Marine Board. In 1806 they submitted a proposal to have the temple repaired so that it could once more be a useful navigational landmark for the ships in the Bay of Bengal. But the government considered the expense involved to be too great. This was again the reason given by the deputy governor of Bengal in 1838, when he refused to do anything to preserve the temple.
In 1882-83, some jungle clearance was undertaken and a few statues mounted on platforms around the site, but in the wrong places. In 1892 Lieutenant Governor Sir Charles Elliot refused to grant any money for restoration, though some individual pieces of sculpture were shifted to the Calcutta Museum a couple of years later.
Thus a hundred years were wasted before any constructive action was taken to improve the site. In 1900 Sir John Woodburn, the new lieutenant governor, visited Konark and immediately issued an order that repair and restoration should begin without further delay. The problems faced were enormous like the porch was tottering, the stone crumbling and overgrown.
The entire site was silted with sand, so that the platform of the porch was completely submerged. This, along with the 'hall of Celebration', was gradually uncovered, and it was only after several years' work that the magnificent wheels, now famous all over the world, were fully exposed to view.
It appreciates the temple fully, it is best to make two full circumambulations: the first at ground level, the second around the upper floor. To begin the first round, go through the main entrance.
The Temple Complex
The Guardian Figures
The first thing one sees on coming through the main entrance is a pair of guardian figures composed of a lion, elephant, and man. These masterpieces of Orissan art are full of life; their vitality emphasized by the way the natural lines of the striated stone follow the flowing rhythms of the massive bodies, giving the whole figure a swirling yet contained energy.
These, as the other colossi, represent the military might of the Ganga kings. (Narasingha means "man-lion.") They are dynastic emblems, like the heraldic dragons of the Chandella rulers of Khajuraho. The rearing lions show traditional attributes of a deity expecting sacrifice: open mouth, bulging eyes, flared nostrils. The elephants are altogether gentler as they seem to be grinning and their little eyes twinkle with merriment.
These huge figures were originally guarding the steps of the eastern door of the porch, mounted on blocks and standing over 16-feet (5m) high. They were at that time covered in chocolate and pink plaster, like the "Kailasanatha temple" at Ellora. One can still see remnants of this paint, especially on the left elephant.
The Hall of Dance - Natamandira
This pavilion was the scene of ritual celebrations held in honor of the sun god. Such halls are a distinctive feature of Orissan temple architecture. Here there would have been drama, music, dancing, and banquets, as well as daily rituals performed in honor of the lord of all life. One of the unique features of the Hindu temple was the degree to which it penetrated into the daily life of the people.
The cathedrals of medieval Europe overlooked marketplaces where goods were sold and mystery plays enacted; the temples of ancient Greece served as stages for certain arts that were considered divine; but it was the Hindu temple that sought above all to glorify human life by turning it into a sacrificial celebration. Only the holy of the holies was restricted to the priest; the outer parts of the temple were open to the public.
THE WALLS
The walls of the platform of the Hall of Dance are covered by hundreds of figures, carved in living detail. The majority of these are heavenly nymphs of the sort that are to be seen at Khajuraho. They twist and turn like sinuous corkscrews. Most are playing musical instruments-drums, flutes, cymbals-or dancing with their hands above their heads and their hips swinging in joyful movement. The whole wall pulsates with rhythm.
THE SCULPTURES AROUND THE BASE
Orissa had a particularly vital tradition of dance, and it was there that the 'Natamandira' became a separate structure, independent of the main temple. The sculptures around the base of the hall portray the principal poses as enumerated in the classic text on Orissan Dance, the "Sangina Darpana".
Other women are shown in a variety of poses, which illustrate their relaxed and sensuous enjoyment of everyday living. Some are at their toilet, bathing, or wringing out their wet hair; others caress a child or adjust a scarf. Everywhere there is a languorous dwelling on the physical charm of these damsels, the divine attendants of the sun god's court. As at Khajuraho, life in all its pleasurable variety is seen as essentially feminine-delicate, creative, and beautiful.
THE GARGOYLE
As well as the 'Kanyas', some deities are depicted, including Ganesha and the Guardians of the Eight Directions of space, a common motif on temple walls. Also there are instances of a robust humor. One of these is in the gargoyle surmounting a pilaster. The gargoyle is in the form of a man, with the water pipe coming out between his legs. To appreciate this fully, one has to go right into the corner of the wall and look back up at the gargoyle. Then one can see that behind the man crouches a woman, grinning as widely as her playmate.
The Three-Tier System
The standing figures on the walls of the pavilion are arrayed in three tiers. Each figure is set in a protruding panel framed by running borders of vine leaves, tendrils, tiny elephants ducks, and animals. These tiers are punctuated further by vignettes of erotic couples locked in close embrace, soldiers on the march, and animals in various positions.
The background to all this intricate carving is a wall surface that is not continuous but regularly pitted with small holes, so that it resembles a honeycomb. It seems barely substantial enough to support the carving is a wall surface that is not continuous but regularly pitted with small holes, so that it resembles a honeycomb. It seems barely substantial enough to support the carvings that emerge so boisterously from its checkered shadows. The whole effect is one of fragility combined with softness.
This impression is accentuated by the way the scroll motifs tend to be concentrated at the corners of the building, and thus serve to soften any angularity it might have. Each register of frieze is deeply indented, and this adds to the play of light and shade that reduces the wall surface to one rippling arabesque that is at once lively and contained.
Indian Craft Traditions
It is worth remembering that Hindu temple art is squarely based on the indigenous craft traditions. This heritage has several important implications. On the technical side it insures the continuing skill of the stone carver, who inherits the trade from his father.
This skill is highly prized, for the carver who fashions unworked stone into life acts as a microcosm of the mysterious power that fashions the undifferentiated primordial matter into the world of name and forms and actively transmits them to his material. The scribe does the same with different materials and instruments. In the Indian tradition both primordial matter and pure spirit are eternal and divine; they represent the first duality to emerge from the one.
The craft tradition dictated content as well as form. The crafts were rooted in a worldview that was cosmological rather than theological. Their art is not morally educational in the sense of teaching what ought to be done to become "holy"; temples such as Konark and Khajuraho are non-moral. They communicate a vision of a world that is already holy by virtue of its beauty, richness, and exuberance.
DEVADASIS
The subjects of the carving are not merely decorative. They are records of what went on here. One important institution in the Hindu temple was the 'Devadasis'- the temple dancing girls. These girls entertained the public as well as performing dances to the temple god. They represented an incarnation of heavenly nymphs and portrayed myths and stories from the scriptures. The Devadasis would have danced here in this hall.
But however pure its beginnings, the Devadasi institution went into a spectacular decline. By the 18th century there was an entire colony of the girls living in Puri, an old center of Brahminical piety. Under royal guard, the girls were not allowed to marry, as they were officially " married " to Surya, the sun god they served.
However, not only the deity enjoyed their charms. The colony was popularly known as "the place where bodies may enjoy relaxation," and out of the six categories of Devadasis residing in this stately pleasure dome; one was called "those who are meant for the king only," and another "those who are meant for the inner apartments only." Perhaps the other four were generally available-at least to the upper echelons of society.
The Devadasi system was kept alive by the random recruitment of young girls, often from poor families who were probably only too pleased to see their daughters assured of a good living and themselves freed from having to find a dowry they could ill afford. Nevertheless, it would be wrong to see the system as nothing but a front for wholesale prostitution. Even in its last hours, the custom retained some of its former glory, and some of the Devadasis fulfilled their original duty.
The Orissan historian, Dr. K. Mansingha, recalls seeing a brilliant performance of the dancing art in the Hall of Celebration of Orissa's holiest temple, the Jagannatha at Puri. This was in the early years of the present century. Sumptuously clad in heavy gold jewelry from the temple coffers, a young Devadasi danced silently in front of the image for almost an hour. Only her guru, an old man, who played the pachawaj drum, accompanied her. When she had finished, many of her spellbound audience-men and women of all ages-spontaneously rolled over the very ground on which she had danced, so great was their appreciation.
The Classic Orissan Temple Structure In the classic Orissan temple, such as the Lingaraja at Bhubaneshwar, there was a hall of celebration in addition to the Hall of Dance, in which the Devadasis performed. Here at Konark the two structures seem to have been amalgamated. The inner arrangement of the hall, divided into bays by thick pillars, falls into nine compartments, thus forming a ground plan known as the "Graha-Abha-Mandapa", used in ancient India for the construction of stages. This fact, together with the profuse carving of musicians, and so forth, would argue that this pavilion was a 'Natamandira'.
But it may well be that Narasingha intended to build another structure between this and the 'Jagamohana', much as happened at the Lingaraja, and it is a fact that the building farthest from the 'Deul' is generally a "Bhogamandapa" in Orissan temples. Whether this was his intention or not, this hall would also have been used for banquets.
Food was ceremonially offered to the sun god, and a portion of the offering returned as blessed and given to the devotees as consecrated. This custom takes place in every living Hindu temple. There is also the important ritual of feeding the Brahmins in order to gain spiritual merit, another custom still practiced. The southern door of the hall led directly to the kitchens.
From the inside one can see that the hall was aligned to the eastern door of the main temple. This was to allow the rising sun to fall on the image in the holy of holies each morning. There may well have been a ritual opening of doors to allow the light to shine through the hall, for there are large holes in the floor that were probably sockets for wooden doorjambs.
THE CEILING LOTUS The building would have had a pyramidal roof, similar in shape to the roof of the porch of the temple. There is a finely carved piece from the ceiling now lying to the north of the hall. This is a fully opened lotus, with Surya on the pericarp surrounded by an inner ring of eight petals, and an outer one of sixteen. On each of the sixteen petals there is a dancer.
The Granite Beauty One of the beautiful features of all the buildings here is the stone. A type of gneiss, it is garnetiferous, and time has exposed its glistening veins of different colors. Here in the hall, there is a predominance of muted heathery colors-purple, brown, and yellow. The tonal effect is one of mellow softness, emphasized by the rounded larval texture of the stone, weathered smooth by the years
THE KING MEETS THE GIRAFFE
To let left of the blissful couple there is a strange scene in which a group of men is paying homage to the king seated on an elephant. They are presenting him with a giraffe. An interesting historical tidbit is that Giraffes, are found only in Africa, not in India, so this is probably a record of a trading ship that landed at Konark, which was a flourishing port at the time the temple was built, and brought its strange cargo for the king to see.
THE HAPPY MONK
At the end of this wall is an example of Konark's impish satire. Here is a monk, rotund and worldly in the best 'Chaucerian' tradition, deriving very unspiritual solace from three nubile ladies, who, from the look of it, are doing all they can to please him.
His face is like an exuberant melon, split open with a toothy and triumphant laugh, as he holds a purse above his head. Keeping back his money until he is fully satisfied. Wherever they could, the masons here surreptitiously poked fun at the priesthood of their day.
The Story
Even when they were first carved, scenes like these won the admiration of all who saw them, and the fame of Konark spread far and wide. Narasingha Deva was delighted with the achievement of his craftsmen, as the following story shows.
One day, the king decided to see how the building of the Sun temple was progressing. He disguised himself and wandered about the site. Incognito, looking here and there to see that the work was to his satisfaction. In one corner of the vast camp he came across a famous craftsman, absorbed in carving out a block of stone. This artist had an attendant, a young apprentice whose sole job was to squat behind the master and supply him with refreshment whenever he needed it.
This refreshment was in the form of pan-betel leaf wrapped around a bitter and heady mixture of chopped areca nut, chewing tobacco, and lime. The king motioned to the attendant to move, and silently took his place. So absorbed was the master, that he did not notice anything had happened behind him. After a while, he stretched back his hand for more pan. The king, who had been gazing entranced at the beautiful work being done, quickly got out his own pan box of finest silver, took out a bundled leaf, and put it in the outstretched hand.
The craftsman popped the pan in his mouth and went on working. For a few moments nothing happened, but then he suddenly realized that the pan he was chewing was of a far higher quality than normal. Turning around to find out what was going on, he recognized the face of his king. Spluttering profuse apologies, the sculptor prostrated himself before the squatting monarch. But Narasingha Deva would have none of it. Rising to his feet, he lifted up the artisan and then bowed down low before him, saying: "Maharaj! You are so talented, you are indeed worthy to have the king as your attendant!"
THE DEPARTURE
The sun god presides over decay and death just as much as growth and life. This poignant panel shows an aged woman taking leave of her family who cluster around her, begging her not to go. Her destination is probably Banaras, where all pious Hindus hope to end their days on the banks of the Ganges.
VAISHNAVA TEMPLE
This is the oldest temple on the site, dedicated to Vishnu showing us the simplest form of the temple: a small sanctuary that originally contained an image preceded by a porch. At the entrance to this there is a primitive door guardian who bears the stave of power to ward off the evil eye. This temple was uncovered in 1956 and was made from brick, plastered with lime and sand. Vishnu was from earliest times a solar deity, as his discus and lotus attributes remind us.
MAYADEVI TEMPLE
This was originally dedicated to Surya, the sun god, and was excavated in the first decade of the century. It used to contain an image of a form of Surya called "Ramachandi", who allegedly crept away in the middle of the night when he overheard two priests discussing the approach of the Muslims. He is now residing in a temple eight miles from here.
There is some good carving on the outside walls, especially Naga figures and little faces set in 'Chaitya' window frames. Guardians of the Eight Directions are also prominent, set in miniature temples called "Mundis". These Mundis are a common feature of Orissan architecture and are also found at Khajuraho.
Noticeable also are a fine dancing Shiva waving a serpent above his head on the western wall. On the northern wall are two fine chlorite gargoyles in the form of crocodiles. One supports a couple in its mouth, the other a fish. These were drains to carry the ritual ablutions of water, clarified butter, and milk out of the temple to where they could be touched by devotees.
THE MAIN TEMPLE-WESTERN FACE
At first glance, this wall seems too badly damaged to be worth looking at. But after a closer look, it gradually becomes apparent that the ravages of time have created a weathered effect that is haunting in its beauty. Here is an art of decay, a sculpture of dissolution that in its own way is as poignant and arresting as anything on the site.
In some cases the erosion has revealed the striations of the rock, rippling and sparkling in undulating rhythms. Then the figures seem to be composed just of vibrating waves of energy, exposed by the ceaseless caress of winds and rain, and their forms seem to swim out of the swirling waters of the surrounding chaos.
Nagas, dancing girls, loving couples-all are reduced to mere ripples of movement in the ever-changing web of life that is constantly creating and dissolving forms. Take a moment or two to study this graceful dance of death captured, for example, by the group in the center of the western façade. In their inevitable decay, these lovely figures pay an ironical, yet, supremely fitting tribute to the sun god, Surya, Lord of Time.
THE MAIN TEMPLE-NORTHERN FACE
Well preserved but deprived of sunlight, this face is difficult to approach, due to restoration work being done after falls of rock during recent monsoons. Much of the best work is high up on the wall, and its position, together with lack of direct light, makes it difficult even to photograph.
Particularly remarkable in this northern side of the complex are the remains of the colossal figures that originally crowned the roof of the main temple and the pair of royal elephants that are situated near the northern wall of the compound.
THE NINE PLANETS
In the wooded clearing outside the northeast corner of the compound stands a hut that enshrines a good carving of the nine planets. These are, from left to right: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, potbellied Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and two others. All are seated cross-legged on a lotus and carry a water pot in the left hand and a rosary in the right.
The last two deities are 'Rahu' and 'Ketu'. The fierce-looking Rahu carries a crescent in each hand, whereas Ketu has a bowl of flames in the left hand and a staff in the right. These were originally part of an architrave of the eastern door but were moved to safety when the temple was excavated.
The Astrological Significance Astrology is vital to the Hindus. Planetary deities must be worshipped and appeased to secure success in life; the astrologer, along with the priest and the moneylender, is a figure of enduring importance in village life. No marriage takes place unless the horoscopes are well matched. No important occasion goes ahead unless the astrological signs are favorable to it, and eminent scientists, businessmen, and politicians pay careful heed to what their astrologers tell them is in store.
Each Saturday there is a fair here in the little clearing, and Saturn, the deity of Saturday, is worshipped to insure a favorable week ahead. Priests come and conduct Puja for the pilgrims, decorating the images with flowers, vermilion, and sandal paste and offering coconuts, rice, and money. Ancient fire sacrifices ('homa') are also performed in specially dug pits outside the hut. These take place at sunrise and date back four thousand years, to Vedic times.
THE MAIN TEMPLE-FIRST FLOOR The frame of this door is the best preserved; except for a small missing piece near the base it is virtually complete. Made of chlorite, all the doorframes here are alike in composition and technique. They are composed of seven intricately carved bands, containing little figures, scrollwork, serpents, 'Mithuna', and so on. Each band is "supported" by a figure at its base, and the lintel is surmounted by protective figures also.
These doorways echo their wooden prototypes, which can still be seen, brightly painted and decorated, in the Himalayan temples, especially in Bhutan and Ladakh. Indeed, Himalayan art was much influenced by the "Pala-Sena School", which thrived in Bengal and northern Orissa in the 9th century and went up to the Himalayas with the Buddhists who fled the Muslim armies.
LARGE MAITHUNA A fine example of a couple in close embrace. This level has some very large Mithuna figures, which would have been out of proportion had they occurred lower down the wall but blend perfectly with the less adorned upper reaches.
SOUTHERN STEPS As one walks around the temple, one crosses the top of the southern steps. Covered in larval rock that has been weathered away by erosion, they resemble nothing so much as seaweed. After the rain the stone is slippery, and glistens with little pools trapped in its pitted depressions. In the warm sun, it seems just right for the bare feet that pad across its well-worn softness with a dry, slapping sound.
Decay works its own magic. The ravages of time can spark off associations and nuances of feeling that would have remained unprompted by a more perfectly preserved work of art. Here crumbling rocks, mossy lichen, and sudden green glimpses of sprouting plant life act as triggers to memory and fantasy.
Konark's bones are turning to coral, its eyes are becoming pearls, and the whole temple is suffering "a sea-change, into something rich and strange"
SOUTHERN RECESS
Just before the short flight of steps leading up to the Surya image, on the right, is a superb recess. This recess typifies the site, since it maintains a balance between mass and detail that is everywhere here and contains stone that varies tremendously in color, texture, and workmanship. Here monolithic figures overlook pillars carved in the tiniest detail.
On the west side rears up a man mounted on a lion, which is on top of an elephant crushing an enemy soldier. There is a tremendous dynamism in this proud tableau, which must be 6-feet (2m) high and is still in pretty good condition. War is balanced by love; on the opposite wall stand a glorious Maithuna couple, again very large, which catches the honeyed evening light from the west.
Due to damage, many of these sculptures are now visibly part of the mammoth rock. They seem to be reverting to the undifferentiated stuff from which they were once fashioned. Sucked back into a wall of solid quicksand, they are frozen in time. The carvings that adorn every inch of the pillars here urge the same metamorphosis on us. Their tracery swirls and twists to produce curling introverted patterns-stone seaweed caught and turned by the pull of the tide.
Like the Celtic motifs they so resemble, like all art shaped by the restless sea, the Konark scrolls ebb and flow in a cadence of ceaseless flux. Such patterns act as gentle mazes, ensnaring the heart with the promise of hidden secrets.
THE SOUTHERN SURYA
Surya is one of the three chief deities of the 'Vedas'. As the source of light, of warmth, of life, and of knowledge, he is the source of all.
One of the wonders of Konark are the three forms of Surya, which are set in the southern, western and northern walls. Made of chlorite, these accessory deities ('Parshva-Devatas') were originally framed, but the frames have long since disappeared. The walls and roof around them are thus all modern.
The Majestic Sculptures
Surya towers majestically over the south side of the compound. His gaze is unflinching yet compassionate, and the full, almost flat quality of the face with its almond-shaped eyes and flattish nose look more Southeast Asian, perhaps Burmese or Thai, than Indian. Konark had extensive maritime connections with Southeast Asian, so it is quite possible that the model for these features came from there.
Yet, the face is not heavy; the gently smiling lips shadow the smooth polished stone, as the cheeks swell out from the nose and catch the light. It has an assured, self-absorbed tranquility that reminds us of the height of Gupta art, nearly eight hundred years earlier.
Surya's body radiates an adamantine strength. Broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted and long-limbed, it is hung with the signs of royalty: earrings, sacred thread, necklaces, an exquisitely worked 'dhoti' closed with a magnificent belt and clasp, with a long pendule hanging down at the front.
Surya is the only Indian god who wears boots-a legacy from Iranian iconography, as is the work on the dhoti. Again, the body has the same fullness of contained energy that vitalizes the sculpted figures of the Gupta period.
A Fine Carving
At first sight the sun god may appear rather too stylized by comparison with the other, more naturalistic carving that adorns the walls of Konark. It is true that hieratic deities are always carved according to canonical convention. But there are several little details that prevent it becoming too formal a figure. The taut body is etched with fineness at the armpits, waist, and ankles; there is no heaviness at all.
The subsidiary figures add a touch of relief to the main one. By Surya's right foot kneels the king, his sword laid down in submission; by his left, the priest. Church and state, the two worlds of man, bow down before the omnipotent source of life. Their faces have the sweetness of mature 'Pala-Sena' art.
The Lovely Figurines
Behind these two stand a charming couple of figures: the bearded 'Dandi' and the bearded and potbellied 'Pingala', the two attendants of Surya. Beyond them, in a Mundi niche, are two warriors; while at the very ends are 'Usha' and 'Pratyusha', the twin divinities of light who in Vedic mythology dispel the darkness with their rosy-tipped arrows. Below is the charioteer 'Aruna', who drives the god's one-wheeled golden chariot, controls the seven horses, and shields the world from the sun's fury. The chariot bears dancers and musicians.
The four standing figures flanking the image are Surya's wives, two on each side. Above these are deities: on the left is Vishnu with his mace and lotus; on the right Brahma, bearded and potbellied, with three of his four heads visible and with matted hair. This portly god is carrying his water pot, stave, sacrificial ladle, and rosary. He is in his role of priest-ascetic. Surya's halo is fringed with tongues of flame and surrounded by various attendants, who frame the ineffable beauty of the main face.
This wealth of subsidiary detail, carved with feeling and vitality, presents a variety that rescues the enormous central figure from appearing too massive or conventional. Altogether, it is a triumph of the Ganga sculptor's art.
THE WESTERN SURYA
The best time to see this image is in the afternoon, when the sun enlivens the otherwise dull chlorite. Wearing the traditional crown of kings and gods, this Surya is very similar to the one you just saw. The stone is so finely carved it looks as if the statue had been cast in metal.
Again, some of the attendant figures here are superb. The Sun God's halo is composed of smiling musicians whose faces glow with happiness like the blissful couple on the southern wall.
On the top left of Surya stands Brahma, the creator; on the right, Vishnu, the preserver, for the sun both quickens and sustains all life. Here the flanking deities are flexed, as to give the whole figure a serpentine motion and a touch of lightness. And again the lower part of the piece is blackened with the 'Patina' from the touch of hundreds of thousands of pious hands.
THE GARBHA-GRIHA
This was the holy of holies, originally approached from the east. Now it is empty except for a carved chlorite platform, on which the image of the deity was originally set. The platform is divided into three horizontal divisions. In the recessed middle division is the mustached King Narasingha Deva, kneeling with folded hands in the company of priests. His sword, the emblem of kingship, is held in his armpit.
One of the priests is garlanding the monarch, while another carries a royal charter pertaining to the founding of the temple. To the left of the king kneels his queen, surrounded by six of her female attendants. The dress of all these figures shows considerable variety, and all their little faces are lit with that sunny contentment that is a hallmark of Konark sculpture.
THE NORTHERN SURYA
Here the sun god is shown sitting on a spirited charger, while the king and priest stand as attending servants. Surya himself is wearing a high crown, and the 'Tilak' mark on his forehead. Although the body is badly damaged, the god's face is again a masterful achievement.
Surya is shown riding a horse to indicate that he is facing north, that part of the sky where the sun is principally absent. The presence of the horse also alludes to a 'Mahabharata' myth in which Surya's brightness was so great that Knowledge left, unable to bear it, leaving Shadow alone by his side. She retired into the forest to devote herself to a life of contemplation. To hide, she took the form of a horse, approached her. She bore him two sons, the 'Ashwins', who are the twin gods of agriculture.
The desire to transcend time lies at the very heart of Indian culture. It is the basis of her religions, her art, and her social system. So to the Indian psyche, the sun symbolizes not only time but also that which lies beyond time, the Eternal. These faces of the sun are not incompatible opposites. On the contrary, they are the two complementary aspects of the One life.
The didactic purpose of the best of Indian art is to bring the timeless into the transitory. It seeks to make us realize that deep within the ever-changing world lies the unchanging spirit, the self of all creation. Places like Konark attempt to bring us to the threshold of this unifying vision, so we discover our true nature.
The Pushkar Lake is surrounded by 52 flights of steps, called 'ghats', many having special legendary importance. Lord Vishnu is said to have appeared at the Varah Ghat in the form of a boar. Brahma took a bath here and performed Yajna at the Brahma Ghat, accompanied by Vishnu and Mahadev. Guru Govind Singh chose this site for reciting the sacred Guru Granth Sahib. The ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were immersed at the Gandhi Ghat, which was previously called Gau Ghat.
Meditation and physical exercises are meant to isolate the ego from the body and mind. The exercises are designed to hone concentration, improve health and help attain peace of mind through 8 stages of training:
Hair Care:
In the year 1607 when a prince of the royal Mughal household strolled down the Meena Bazaar, accompanied by a string of fawning courtiers, he caught a glimpse of a girl hawking silk and glass beads. Five years and a wife later (in those days princes did not marry for love alone) the regal 20-yr-old went to wed his 19-yr-old bride. It was a fairytale union from the start, one that withstood court intrigues, battles for succession and finally, the grand coronation. And when she died on the 19th year of their marriage, he etched her story in stone. The Taj Mahal is the living symbol of the monumental passion of Shah Jahan and Arjumand Banu. Which other love story has so grand a memorial?
Agra is famous for the Taj Mahal made out of Marble, the markets are bound to have replica of the Taj in marble being sold as decorative, gift item or as souvenirs. But the all that looks is not marble. There is one stone called Talk. This stone is cheap and looks like marble only difference being that marble is opaque and talk is not. So, while purchasing any marble item make sure that you are buying the original thing.
Mumtaz Mahal died in childbirth in 1630 ib the Deccan where she had gone accompanying Shah Jahan as he went to war with Khan Jahanb Lodi. As she lay on her deathbed, it is said that she whispered to him to build for her a monument that would symbolize the beauty of their love. For a week Shah Jahan remained behind closed doors. When he emerged his hair had turned white, his back was bent, his face worn with despair. The entire kingdom was ordered into mourning for two years.
The Taj Mahal is situated more than 900 ft. (275 m.) away from the entrance at the opposite end of the garden. Towering almost 200 ft. (76m.) in height, the tomb stands on its own marble plinth, which rests on a red sandstone platform that serves to level the land as it slopes to the river. Four tall minarets rise up from the corners of the white marble plinth. They taper to a majestic height of 138 ft and are crowned with eight windowed cupolas.
Shah Jahan travelled from the fort to the tomb by boat. Court histories describe his arrival on the river side of the monument and his ascent to its terrace by way of the embankment. This approach, however, was reserved for the emperor and members of his party. Others passed through a large courtyard, a jilokhana to enter the main gateway on the south. This courtyard was a place where travellers halted. Here, also, the poor were provided with food and shelter, and on every death anniversary of Mumtaz, vast sums were distributed in charity.
Decoration
A green carpet of garden, a Persian garden, runs from the main gateway to the foot of the Taj Mahal. Such gardens were introduced to India by Babur, the first Mughal emperor, who also brought with him the Persian infatuation with flowers and fruit, birds and leaves, symmetry and delicacy. Unlike other Oriental gardens - especially those of the Japanese, who learned to accentuate existing resources rather than formalise them - the Persian garden was artificially contrived, unbashedly man-made, based on geometric arrangements of nature without any attempt at a "natural" look.
Except for the ramps, the other features of the whole water system have survived. An over-head water-channel supported on massive arches carried water into another storage tank of still greater dimensions. Water was finally raised by means of fourteen purs and passed into a channel which filled three supply tanks, the last of which had pipe mouths in its eastern wall. The pipes descended below and after travelling underground crossed into the Taj enclosure. One pipe line runs directly towards the mosque to supply the fountains in the tanks on the red sandstone plinth below the marble structure. Copper pipes were used for separate series of fountains in the north-south canal, lotus pond and the canal around it.
From studied awe to sheer ecstacy, people have literally competed to say the most beautiful things about the Taj Mahal. Some have admired its beauty; others have revealed the various activities that took place here. We take a look…
Lord Curzon, the British Governor-General who is credited to have somewhat saved the Taj from neglect, said in a speech from the terrace of the monument: "If I had never done anything else in India, I have written my name here, and the letters are a living joy."
The Archaeological Survey of India has decided that Taj Mahal will remain closed on Fridays for the public except for those who go for afternoon prayers in the mosque next to the 17th century monument. The monument, which attracts thousands of visitors every day, previously remained closed on Mondays.
the Taj seen when the cool white marble is bathed in the soft silver light of the moon. Even in the bright light of the day, this wonder of the world shines with an awe-inspiring loveliness.
Overlooking the River Yamuna, and visible from the fort in the west, the Taj Mahal stands at the northern end of vast gardens enclosed by walls. Though its layout follows a distinctly Islamic theme, representing Paradise, it is above all a monument to romantic love. Shah Jahan built the Taj to enshrine the body of his favourite wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal ("Elect of the Palace"), who died shortly after giving birth to her fourteenth child, in 1631.
Structure of The Taj Mahal
The architect of the Taj Mahal aimed at giving maximum strength and stability to the tomb and worked out the minutest details with utmost precision : the weight of the entire structure is uniformly distributed, extraordinarily massive piers and vaults were constructed to support this heavy load, the very best quality of bonding material helped combat the disrupted tensile stress etc.
a garden by the Yamuna river, unshadowed by any other structure. The garden had been laid by Raja Man Singh of Amber and now belonged to his grndson, Raja Jai Singh. By a royal firman, Shahjahan gave Jai Singh four havelis in exchange for the garden. The site was also chosen because it was located on a bend in the river, and so could be seen from Shahjahan’s personal palace in Agra Fort, further upstream.
Some European scholars held the view that the Taj Mahal was designed by an Italian - Geronimo Veroneo. This was first suggested by Father Manrique, an Augustinian Friar, who came to Agra in 1640 A.D. to secure the release of Father Antony who had been imprisoned by the Mughals. It was in Lahore that he met Father Joseph de Castro, the executor of Veroneo who died at Lahore in 1640 A.D., and it was Castro who told him about "the Venetian by the name Geronimo Veroneo who came in the Portuguese ships and died in the city of Lahore before he reached it..."