OCTOBER 2023 : ISSUE 07

Contents
01 The Divine Legacy of Hoysala
Temples: An Architectural Saga

08 Festivals : Oct 2023

09 Omkareshwar: Reminiscent of
Maratha’s Architecture
--Dasi Yoga Rakshita

12 News Update

13 Unveiling India's Rich Heritage:

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
Vastu Sangrahalaya
Nehal Patil

16 The Dancing Stones : The Pallava

Personification of Dance
Dr Hima Bindu Kanoj

17 The Stories in Our Lives : Things

Vs Thoughts
Dr Dinesh H. Soni

20 Rajakesari Vinnagaram : Chola

Kings’ celebrated endowments to
pile of debris
Ethirajan Srinivasan

22 Heritage Crossword

23 Testimonials
Pic:
Top : Mudgaleshwar, Mudgal, dist Parbhani, Maharashtra
Bottom: Entrance of Cave no 9, Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra
Both pics clicked By Dr Dinesh Soni
 THE DIVINE LEGACY OF HOYSALA
TEMPLES: AN ARCHITECTURAL SAGA
The Hoysala temples of Karnataka, The splendidly beautiful temples
located in the Belur, Halebidu and built under Hoysala rule have
Somananthpura regions, made their always been among the most
way into the Unesco World Heritage popular destinations for the
list. The announcement was made archaeology and iconography
on UNESCO's official handle on X enthusiast. With the inclusion in the
(formerly Twitter) on Monday 18th list, we can expect the tourism to
September. The temples, called the flourish even more in the region.
'Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala',
have been on Unesco's tentative list The official website of UNESCO said
since April 2014. With this inclusion, the shrines in the temples are
there are 42 World Heritage Sites characterised by hyper-real
located in India. Out of these, 34 are sculptures and stone carvings that
cultural, 7 are natural, and one, the cover the entire architectural
Khangchendzonga National Park, is surface, a circumambulatory
of mixed type. platform, a large-scale sculptural
gallery, a multi-tiered frieze, and
sculptures of the Sala legend.

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The Hoysala Empire was a Hoysala influence was at its peak in
Kannadiga power originating from the 13th century, when it dominated
the Indian subcontinent that ruled the Southern Deccan Plateau
most of what is now Karnataka region. Large and small temples
between the 10th and the 14th built during this era remain as
centuries. The capital of the examples of the Hoysala
Hoysalas was initially located at architectural style, including
Belur, but was later moved to thethree temples. Other examples
Halebidu. of Hoysala craftsmanship are the
temples at Belavadi, Amruthapura,
The Hoysala era was an important Hosaholalu, Mosale, Arasikere,
period in the development of South Basaralu, Kikkeri and Nuggehalli.
Indian art, architecture, and religion. Study of the Hoysala architectural
The empire is remembered today style has revealed a negligible Indo-
primarily for Hoysala architecture; Aryan influence while the impact of
100 surviving temples are scattered Southern Indian style is more
across Karnataka. Among all these, distinct.
the three well-known temples
which exhibit an amazing display of
sculptural exuberance are included
in the list. The Hoysala rulers also
patronised the fine arts,
encouraging literature to flourish in
Kannada and Sanskrit.

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Temples built prior to Hoysala Hoysala architecture is classified as
independence in the mid-12th part of the Karnata Dravida
century reflect significant Western tradition, a trend within Dravidian
Chalukya influences, while later architecture in the Deccan that is
temples retain some features distinct from the Tamil style of
salient to Western Chalukya further south. Other terms for the
architecture but have additional tradition are Vesara, and Chalukya
inventive decoration and architecture, divided into early
ornamentation, features unique to Badami Chalukya architecture and
Hoysala artisans. Some three the Western Chalukya architecture
hundred temples are known to which immediately preceded the
survive in present-day Karnataka Hoysalas. The whole tradition covers
state and many more are a period of about seven centuries
mentioned in inscriptions, though began in the 7th century under the
only about seventy have been patronage of the Chalukya dynasty
documented. The greatest of Badami, developed further under
concentration of these are in the the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta
Malnad (hill) districts, the native during the 9th and 10th centuries
home of the Hoysala kings. and the Western Chalukyas (or Later
Chalukyas) of Basavakalyan in the
11th and 12th centuries. Its final
development stage and
transformation into an independent
style was during the rule of the
Hoysalas in the 12th and 13th
centuries.

Most Hoysala temples have a plain

covered entrance porch supported
by circular or bell-shaped pillars
which were sometimes further
carved with deep fluting and
moulded with decorative motifs.
The temples may be built upon a
platform raised by about a metre
called a "jagati". The jagati, apart
from giving a raised look to the
temple, serves as a
pradakshinapatha. It is used for
circumambulation around the
temple, as the garbagriha provides
no such feature.

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 Such temples will have an additional Hoysala artists are noted for their
set of steps leading to an open attention to sculptural detail be it in
mantapa (open hall) with parapet the depiction of themes from the
walls. A good example of this style is Hindu epics and deities or in their
the Kesava Temple at use of motifs such as yali,
Somanathapura. The jagati which is kirtimukha, aedicula (miniature
in unity with the rest of the temple decorative towers) on pilaster,
follows a star-shaped design and makara, hamsa, spiral foliage,
the walls of the temple follow a zig- animals such as lions, elephants and
zag pattern, a Hoysala innovation. horses, and even general aspects of
daily life such as hair styles and
The open mantapa which serves the jewellery.
purpose of an outer hall (outer
mantapa) is a regular feature in Salabhanjika, a common form of
larger Hoysala temples leading to Hoysala sculpture, is an old Indian
an inner small closed mantapa and tradition going back to Buddhist
the shrines. The open mantapas sculpture. In the Hoysala idiom,
which are often spacious have madanika figures are decorative
seating areas (asana) made of stone objects put at an angle on the outer
with the mantapa's wall acting as a walls of the temple near the roof so
back rest. that worshipers circumambulating
the temple can view them.
The seats may follow the same
staggered square shape of the
parapet wall. The ceiling here is
supported by numerous pillars that
create many bays. The shape of the
open mantapa is best described as
staggered-square and is the style
used in most Hoysala temples.

If the temple is small it will consist of

only a closed mantapa (enclosed
with walls extending all the way to
the ceiling) and the shrine. The
closed mantapa, well decorated
inside and out, is larger than the
vestibule connecting the shrine and
the mantapa.

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The sthamba buttalikas are pillar Erotica was a subject the Hoysala
images that show traces of Chola art artist handled with discretion. There
in the Chalukyan touches. Some of is no exhibitionism in this, and erotic
the artists working for the Hoysalas themes were carved into recesses
may have been from Chola country, and niches, generally miniature in
a result of the expansion of the form, making them inconspicuous.
empire into Tamil-speaking regions
of Southern India. The image of Apart from these sculptures, entire
mohini on one of the pillars in the sequences from the Hindu epics
mantapa of the Chennakeshava (commonly the Ramayana and the
temple is an example of Chola art. Mahabharata) have been sculpted
as well. Depictions from mythology
General life themes are portrayed such as the epic hero Arjuna
on wall panels such as the way shooting fish, Ganesha, Surya, Indra,
horses were reined, the type of Brahma with Sarasvati are common.
stirrup used, the depiction of
dancers, musicians,
instrumentalists, and rows of Also frequently seen is
animals such as lions and Mahishasuramardini and Harihara
elephants). Perhaps no other (a fusion of Shiva and Vishnu)
temple in the country depicts the holding a conch, wheel, and trident.
Ramayana and Mahabharata epics Many of these friezes were signed
more effectively than the by the artisans, the first known
Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebidu. instance of signed artwork in India.

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Hindu temples began as simple Most of these temples have secular
shrines housing a deity and by the features with broad themes
time of the Hoysalas had evolved depicted in their sculptures. This can
into well-articulated grand be seen in the famous
structures, in which worshippers Chennakesava Temple at Belur
sought to go beyond the daily world dedicated to Vishnu and in the
and seek meaning of life. Hoysala Hoysaleswara temple at Halebidu
temples were not limited to any dedicated to Shiva.
specifically organised tradition of
Hinduism and encouraged pilgrims
of different Hindu devotional The Kesava temple at
movements. The Hoysalas usually Somanathapura is different in that
dedicated their temples to Shiva or its ornamentation is strictly
to Vishnu, but they also built some Vaishnava. Generally Vaishnava
temples dedicated to the Jainism as temples are dedicated to Keshava
well.While King Vishnuvardhana and (or to Chennakeshava, meaning
his descendants were Vaishnava by "Beautiful Vishnu") while a small
faith, records show that the number are dedicated to
Hoysalas maintained religious Lakshminarayana and
harmony by building as many Lakshminarasimha with Lakshmi,
temples dedicated to Shiva as they consort of Vishnu, seated at his feet.
did to Vishnu. Temples dedicated to Vishnu are
always named after the deity.

The Shaiva temples have a Shiva

linga in the shrine. The names of
Shiva temples can end with the
suffix eshwara meaning "Lord of".
The name "Hoysaleswara", for
instance, means "Lord of Hoysala".
The temple can also be named after
the devotee who commissioned the
construction of the temple, an
example being the Bucesvara
temple at Koravangala, named after
the devotee Buci.

The Doddagaddavalli Lakshmi Devi

Temple is an exception as it is
dedicated to neither Vishnu nor
Shiva.

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Hoysalas also built many Jain temples, a few of which have survived in Halebidu containing
icons of Jain tirthankaras. Shravanabelagola and Kambadahalli were notable locations of
Jain worship in the Hoysala territory. They constructed stepped wells called Pushkarni or
Kalyani, the ornate tank at Hulikere being an example.

While medieval Indian artisans preferred to remain anonymous, Hoysala artisans signed
their works, which has given researchers details about their lives, families, guilds, etc. Apart
from the architects and sculptors, people of other guilds such as goldsmiths, ivory carvers,
carpenters, and silversmiths also contributed to the completion of temples. The artisans
were from diverse geographical backgrounds and included famous locals. Prolific architects
included Amarashilpi Jakanachari, a native of Kaidala in Tumkur district, who also built
temples for the Western Chalukyas. Ruvari Malithamma built the Kesava Temple at
Somanathapura and worked on forty other monuments, including the Amruteshwara
temple at Amruthapura. Malithamma specialised in ornamentation, and his works span six
decades. His sculptures were typically signed in shorthand as Malli or simply Ma.

Dasoja and his son Chavana from Balligavi were the architects of Chennakesava Temple at
Belur; Kedaroja was the chief architect of the Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu. Their
influence is seen in other temples built by the Hoysalas as well. Names of other locals
found in inscriptions are Maridamma, Baicoja, Caudaya, Nanjaya and Bama, Malloja,
Nadoja, Siddoja, Masanithamma, Chameya and Rameya. Artists from Tamil country
included Pallavachari and Cholavachari.

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 FESTIVALS : OCTOBER 2023

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OMKARESHWAR: REMINISCENT
OF MARATHA’S ARCHITECTURE
Dasi yoga rakshitha
Omkareshwar means the Lord of
the Omkara, representing the “Om”
sound. Omkareshwar is one of the
other appellations of Lord Shiva. On
the banks of the Mutha River in
Pune, Maharashtra, the renowned
Omkareshwar temple was built
under the supervision of Peshwa’s
spiritual guru, Shivram Bhat. The
entire construction lasted for twenty
years (1740-1760). This famous
temple in Pune, is located on the
banks of the Mutha river in
Shaniwar Peth. Chimaji Appa, the
younger brother of the celebrated
Peshwa ruler: Bajirao Peshwa1,
provided the funding for the temple
construction. He was then the
commander of the Maratha Armed
Forces.
This magnificent structure has
elements of the Nagara style of
temple architecture. The central
dome is surrounded by eight
smaller domes, rising like a Shikara.
This holy place represents the
Peshwa style of building with a
touch of Islamic type of elements
and methods of design, such as the
domes, rich rows of detailed
columns, arches, motifs of the
minarets, and the distinguished
shrines. The exposed surface of the
dome is fashioned with Soapstone.
There are carvings of Lord Ganesha
with a straight trunk, Rishi Vyasa,
Makardhwaj, Dattatreya Swamy,
and four Keerthi mukhas.
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Black Basalt rocks were employed The entrance door of the
widely in building the outer walls of Garbhagriha is adorned with the
the premises. The architects of the “Ganesh Patti”, which is an
Maratha empire utilized Black basalt architectural hallmark of Marathas.
rock in engineering their forts, According to the Peshwa records,
temples, and other forms, as this sourcing of stones for sculpting the
rock is found extensively in the lush Shivling, was imported from the
green vegetation of Sahyadri ranges banks of the Narmada River.
in the Western ghats. Devotees and priests immerse
themselves in the bhakti of the god.
One can see the stupendous Nandi The walls of Garbhagriha echo with
mandapa in the courtyard of the the chants and the bhajans of the
temple premises. At the time of the devotees during the time of pujas.
Panshet dam flash flood in 1962,
the Nandi idol got carried by the This splendid temple complex also
gushing floodwater, and later, the houses small shrines dedicated to
locals reinstalled it in its original Lord Vishnu, Lord Shani, Lord
place. The structures of the columns Vinayaka, and Goddess Durga.
in the premises were built in various Hindu festivals dedicated to Lord
shapes. One can encounter an Agni Shiva, such as Shravan Somvar,
kund between the Garbhagriha aka, Kartika Paurnami, and Maha
Sanctum Sanctorum and Nandi Shivaratri, are celebrated with great
mandapa. ‘Garbhagriha’ implies pomp inside the temple premise.
‘Garbha’ means Womb, and ‘Griha’
indicates Chamber / Room, so it is
the place where the shiv linga is
housed and maintained with
sanctity.

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There are samadhis of Peshwa Chimaji Appa, the younger brother
commander of the Peshwa Army, and his second wife, Annapurnabai. It is
believed that Annapurnabai committed sati after the demise of Chimaji Appa
near the premises. During the freedom struggle for an independent nation
free from British rule, great revolutionaries like Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak
and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar had arranged meetings and hatched plans to
resist British domination. They used to assemble at a spot near the temple
complex known as ‘Taalim’ where all of them aimed and discussed about
Swatantra Bharat.

In the vicinity of the temple complex, there is a natural spring backed up with
rich groundwater resources. This perennial natural spring located on the
North-East side, existed since the reign of the Peshwas.

Omkareshwar temple is one of the most prominent and notable temples,

teeming with rich culture, heritage, and architecture carrying on the Peshwa’s
legacy. It is a must-visit destination for all those temple and history
enthusiasts.

Dasi Yoga Rakshitha is a Graduate in the field of Life Sciences.

She has a keen interest in Temple Architecture, Iconography
and Ancient Indian history. She has a profound fascination in
the fields of Ancient Indian Knowledge Systems, Indian
Heritage, Culture and Traditions.

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 NEWS UPDATES

DECCAN COLLEGE BEGINS

16 STONE SCULPTURES
FIRST-EVER COURSE IN
STOLEN FROM SHRINE IN GOA
‘JAIN ARCHAEOLOGY’
16 stone sculptures were stolen from
To research and learn more about the uninhabited village of Zadani in
Jainism in India, the Deccan College Goa. The village, on the right side of
Deemed University has started a six- the Mhadei, was home to stone
month, certificate course in ‘Jain sculptures of archaeological
Archaeology’ – the first-of-its-kind in importance. Except for the Shivling and
India – from this academic year. The Nandi, all other sculptures inclcluding
course will be a practical-oriented one that of Kelbai, Sateri, and
Brahmanimaya were found missing
for students visiting Jain heritage
form the shrine.
sites across the country.

OVER HUNDRED INDIAN ANTIQUITIES

BROUGHT BACK FROM US
The ASI has recently confirmed that a total of 105
antiquities that were smuggled from India to the United
States, arrived in the country. These include various
artworks such as a terracotta plaque featuring a
standing figure with attendants, a bronze sculpture
depicting Lord Krishna in the Kalinganarthana posture,
a sandstone image of Vishnu and Lakshmi riding the
Garuda, and a terracotta vase from Eastern India.

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 UNVEILING INDIA'S RICH
HERITAGE: THE CHHATRAPATI
SHIVAJI MAHARAJ
VASTU SANGRAHALAYA
Nehal Patil
utterly mesmerized. These
sculptures became my silent
storytellers, narrating the tales of
India's diverse and vibrant past.

My journey began with the

sculptures of the Indus Valley
Civilization, one of the world's
earliest urban civilizations. These
artifacts, dating back to 2500 BCE,
In the bustling streets of Mumbai, I offered me a glimpse into the daily
found myself standing before the lives of the people who once thrived
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu in the Indus Valley. From terracotta
Sangrahalaya, a guardian of India's figurines to intricately carved seals,
illustrious history. This magnificent each piece became a fragment of a
museum served as my personal lost world, inviting me to imagine
time machine, transporting me back the cities, markets, and rituals of an
to the golden period of Bharat. ancient era.

As I entered the hallowed halls of

the museum, I was welcomed by a
world of antiquity and artistry. The
collection of ancient sculptures
housed within these walls left me

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 My visit to the Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
wouldn't have been complete
without marveling at the
magnificent bronze sculptures of
the Chola Dynasty. These sculptures
captured the essence of Indian
classical dance and devotion. The
dancing Nataraja, in particular,
symbolized the eternal cycle of
creation and destruction and stood
as a masterpiece.

Among the many treasures, the

Hoysala sculptures held a special
place in my heart. Their intricately
carved temples and statues,
adorned with meticulous detailing,
left me in awe of the artistry of the
Hoysala craftsmen. Each sculpture
seemed to come alive, narrating
stories of devotion and mythology
that had been etched in stone for
centuries.
Moving forward in time, the
museum's collection showcased the
artistic brilliance of the Mauryan
Empire. The Ashoka Pillar, with its
famous four-lion capital, stood as an
enduring symbol of Emperor
Ashoka's commitment to peace and
non-violence.

The Gupta Dynasty's sculptures,

characterized by their devotion to
portraying divine and human forms
with unparalleled grace, were
another highlight of my visit. I was
transported to an age where
spirituality and artistic expression
merged seamlessly.

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 The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is not just a museum; it's
a living archive of India's cultural and artistic heritage. The ancient sculptures
on display here offered me a profound connection to the past, allowing me to
transcend time and space. They served as a reminder of India's rich and
diverse history, a tapestry woven with threads of art, spirituality, and
innovation. In a world that often races toward the future, this museum stands
as a guardian of the past. It is a place where history breathes, and where
visitors can embark on a timeless journey through the artistic and cultural
heritage of this incredible nation, Bharat.

Nehal Patil is an architect passionate about exploring ancient

Indian temples and their profound connection to India’s rich
history. Nehal is also a youtuber and she uploads her videos
at “Takshan Universe” channel.

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 THE DANCING STONES
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒗𝒂 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆
Dr Hima Bindu Kanoj
In Indian history, every art form is interconnected. The stories in Puranas
started to be shared in the form of oral retelling, and gradually other art forms
like literature, performance, dance and sculptures were introduced. Dance
researcher Dr Hima Bindu Kanoj explores the interconnection in Dance and
sculptures as a medium of expression.

It was in the Medieval Period that the Dravidian

Style of Architecture came into being and the
Pallava Kings gave impetus to it by their
contribution of single rock-cut temples evolving into
monolith structures and finally into structural
temples of grandeur and beauty.

The Pallava art of sculpture depicted dance by both

celestials and also human figurines. However, the
significant aspect was that both of them were
carved in perfect dance technique as mentioned in
the treatise of Natya Sastra.

Here is the figure of Dancing Shiva in the

Kailasanathar temple, Kanchipuram which was one
of the grandest hubs of Pallava art. Lord Shiva is
seen with his legs right knee bent forward and the
left leg streched, which is similar to a foot
movement of the Natya Sastra, namely the
Chashagati Chaari. While he holds various objects
in his numerous hands, his front two hands are seen
in the Dola position meaning to be left free
gracefully in dance.
The Writer is an internationally acclaimed Kuchipudi dancer, who has performed at more than 100
dance festivals in and outside India. She has done extensive research in the topic of the dance related
sculptures and the connection between dance and sculptures. She has also done workshops on
various topics of Indian Dance, Art and Culture at multiple universities in USA. Hima is also a
part of admin team of Indian.Temples.

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 THE STORIES IN OUR LIVES
The war of things Vs Thoughts
Dr. Dinesh H. Soni
The Stories we hear in our Puranas and folklores often have large
implications in our day-to-day lives. We just need to see and hear these
stories with minute attention to details. We just need to understand the crust
of the story, instead of focusing on the outer cover. Dr. Dinesh Soni, in this
monthly series, talks about how we can learn from these stories .

Ramayana is not only about the war between Ram and Ravana. Mahabharata is not
only about the war between Kauravas and Pandavas. The epics also tell us a story
about many other wars that we live on daily basis. And these epics and Purans tell us
how we should win these wars. One such war, that we experience on regular basis is
the war between thoughts and things. The war between tangible and intangible. The war
between physical and spiritual.

When all the diplomacy channels between Kauravas and

Pandavas failed, and when it was evident that the war
between Kauravas and Pandavas was inevitable; both
Yudhishthir and Duryodhana started to meet various kings
to ask for their army and support in the war. During this
exercise of gaining support, both Duryodhana and
Yudhishthir reached Krishna’s palace at the same time.
Both of them requested Krishna for his support.
Krishna was in a state of indecisiveness. Pandava’s monther, Kunti, was Krishna’s aunt.
So Pandavas urged him to support them. Duryodhana too invoked the relation card.
Krishna’s son Samba was married to Duryodhana’s daughter Lakshmana. Providing
reference of this relation, Duryodhana urged Krishna to support him in the war. In a state
of confusion and indecisiveness, Krishna decided to leave the decision on Arjuna and
Duryodhana. Krishna said “Because I am related to both of you, and I am friends with
both, I can not take one side. So, I will give you two options. On one side will be my
whole army, called as Narayani sena. The army consists of 10 lakh well trained soldiers.
On the other hand, would be myself, the Narayana. You can choose what you want.”

At this point, Duryodhana chose to have the Narayani Sena and Arjuna chose Narayan.
This situation tells us about the struggle between what and who. Narayani signifies the
worldly things and goods, while Narayan signifies the thoughts behind them. What one
considers as important, is an individual decision. Duryodhana gave more importance to
the things, and Arjuna preferred thoughts and ideas.
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Padma Puran’s Uttar Kand tells an interesting story. Once Narada visited Krishna’s
palace and asked Krishna’s consort Satyabhama to send Krishna with him. When they
didn’t agree to send him, Narada asked them to give him something that would be
equivalent to Krishna. Satyabhama decides to give him gold equivalent to the weight of
Krishna. She asks Krishna to sit on one side of the weighing scale, and she starts
putting gold ornaments in the other side. This process is called as Tulabharam or
Tuladanam. However, even after putting all her gold in the scale, the weighing scale did
not balance. At this point, paranoid Satyabhama reaches out to Rukmini for help.
Rukmini patiently picks up one Tulsi leaf and closes her eyes. In her mind, she says
“This Tulsi leaf contains all my love for Krishna”. Rukmini then places the leaf in the
weighing scale. And immediately, the scale gets balanced. In fact, the side in which the
leaf is placed, actually weighs more than the side Krishna is sitting in.

This story tells us an important aspect about how we

perceive things. While Narada only asked for
something that will be equivalent to Krishna,
Satyabhama thought about the Gold or the tangible
things. Rukmini, on the other hand, thought of the
intangible feeling of love. She equates Krishna with
love because that’s what Krishna means to her. We
make the same mistake very often in our corporate or
social lives. We associate tangible assets with the
person and only focus on these tangible things.
However, we at times ignore the intangible values and
thoughts the person brings to the table. This is
especially true in the case of relationships where a
person is often judged only by the money he/she has.

Does this mean we should never think of things and always focus on thoughts?
Ramayana tells us an important story in the aspect. When Hanuman reached Lanka in
search of Sita, he was captured by Ravana’s guards and brought in front of Ravana.
Hanuman knows that Ravana is a learned scholar. So, Hanuman starts to speak to him
in Sanskrit. Anguished by this, Ravana insults him by laughing at him. Hanuman realises
that Ravana has a lot of arrogance and pride. Realising that Ravana gives more
importance to things than thoughts, Hanuman also plays the same way. He demands for
a seat because he is there as a messenger and not a prisoner. When Ravana again
insults by not offering him a seat, Hanuman coils his tail to make himself a seat, higher
than that of Ravana. And on that throne made of tail, Hanuman sits and talks to Ravana.

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Here, Hanuman earlier does not pay heed to the things like a throne. But when he
realised that Ravana is concerned about the worldly things, Hanuman speaks the same
language as the person in front of him. This is a sutra we got to remember in corporate
or social life. We often have to speak the language of the person in front of us.

When we talk of stories in our epics and purans, they aren’t just a piece of history like
many “enlightened” individuals these days claim. They are stories of many Sanatan
conflicts. The conflicts that have always existed, and will always exist. As long as the
world is, the conflicts will remain. And the conflict between things and thoughts will
always remain. There will always be a Dronacharya who will reject to train a talented
Eklavya because he has nothing to offer. And there will always be a Krishna who will
accept a handful of Poha offered by Sudama, with great respect for the love Sudama
showcases. There will always be a Buddha who will leave behind all the things in pursuit
of a thought and idea. And there will always be a Ravana who will ignore all the thoughts
in pursuit of world pleasures of dominance and revenge.

The Writer is an indologist and is writer of 16 books. He has received Doctorate in Cultural
Studies. He is felicitated by Acedemia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan for his research in mythology.
He has received numerous awards including the Lokmat Digital Influencer Award
(Heritage). Dinesh is also a speaker who has graced many occasions. He is the main admin
of Indian.Temples.

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 RAJAKESARI VINNAGARAM :
CHOLA KINGS’ CELEBRATED
ENDOWMENTS TO PILE OF
DEBRIS
Ethirajan Srinivasan
What was once a much celebrated Vishnu is the primary deity of this
Temple with lots of grants and Temple and a huge granite sculpture of
endowments by Chola Kings now Vishnu in reclining posture, as
lies as a pile of granite debris, Ananthasaayi, is found yards away from
amidst a forest like land with lots of the ruins, kept under a tin sheet shed.
vegetations, trees and bushes
around, with no one to visit. Kotramangalam, is also mentioned as
Jananathanallur in one of the
Rajakesari Vinnagaram, as inscriptions found in the Temple. Upon
mentioned in the inscriptions, entering the complex, we are being
Rajakesari/Parakesari are the titles welcomed by what looks like a Bootha, a
held by the Kings of Chola dynasty signature feature in all medieval Chozha
alternatively, Vinnagaram is a term Temples with folded hands sitting on the
referred to Vishnu Temples in base of a small mandapa. The main
inscriptions, is located in entrance of the mandapa surprises us
Kotramangalam village with thoranas on both sides featuring
approximately 25 Kms from miniatures with stunning details, of
Tiruchirappalli town. near Anbil, a Rama holding his bow, Krishna’s fight
village, home to another popular with Bakasura, an asura disguised as a
Vaishnavite Temple called bird, and more stories from Srimad
Sundararaja Perumal Kovil. Bhagawata Purana and Ramayana.

20 | THE HERITAGE DIARY

 Another inscription from the same
King’s reign recorded that a grant
was given by a servant named
Avanamudayan Marthandan to
conduct Thiruvizha (Festival) on
Sadhaya Nakshatra Day, the birth
star of Rajaraja. There are many
more inscriptions on the basement
which are in half buried state, yet to
be read and published.
The glorious days of this Temple
must have come to an end during
the back to back invasions of Malik
Kafur and Ulugh Khan, in the
beginning of 14th Century, who had
looted and ransacked all the Hindu
Temples in that region.

Vishnu, the protector of this

universe, lies in the open land with
sky as roof, awaiting Govt’s attention
to get his abode rebuilt to its original
glory.
Main Sanctum Sanctorum and Maha
Mandapa of this Temple are completely
in dilapidated condition as you can see in
the pictures yourself, the sanctorum is a
huge brick structure of almost fifty feet
tall, also in damaged condition.

There are no sculptures except a huge

Vishnu in reclining posture. The
basement of the Temple is intact and has
lots of Tamil inscriptions from Aditya
Chozha to Paranthaka, Rajaraja,
Rajendra, Kulothunga & Vikrama, of land
and perpetual light grants. One of the
inscriptions from Rajaraja records an
endowment of land to this Deity,
Rajakesari Vinnagar Emperuman, for his
sacred bath on Vaikunta Ekadashi and
Dwadasi days.

21 | THE HERITAGE DIARY

 HERITAGE CROSSWORD

L M X F R A N I K I V A V X U

X F P K W D K R R S L U T Q J

X M I K H A J U R A H O T P E

Y N M F J I E I S N G R R B L

E F A F Y X X Y U C L D L O E

R K M S L G O P X H J C L D P

X E A H A H A M P I P K N H H

H X L U N K J Q N C P R K G A

Z I L L V K A K T I Y A J A N

X J A M O P N W P G K N J Y T

H X P B Q R T B E C H O L A A

L S U M C R A G R J Z K P J H

L Y R P E G F X W T T B N X U

J P A T T A D A K K A L E M I

O X M P A B K Y Y Q P J N M W

Find the words associated with 14 cultural UNESCO World Heritage sites in India.It
could be name of the site, name of the place or name of the dynasty associated.

Mail us the answers at

[email protected] . first 5 to send
right answers will be featured in next issue.

22 | THE HERITAGE DIARY

Hint Here
 TESTIMONIALS

LAKSHMI SHARATH, STORYTELLER AND BLOGGER

It’s so incredible to see so much of heritage and culture , monuments and temples
here and every time I am here I learn something new about our own culture and
heritage .

It makes me want to visit so many sites too . So inspiring .

NEHAL PATIL, ARCHITECT AND YOUTUBER

Very few Indians know about our temple architecture. And it's not our fault
because no one taught us about our lost temples in school.

@indian.temples is doing an incredible job by showcasing our lost temple

architecture on their instagram page. And to resurrect our temples, first we need
to create awareness about it. And @indian.temples page is creating that
awareness amongst us.

ANKITA DESHKAR, JOURNALIST AND FACT CHECKER

Indian Temples is one of the best research oriented Instagram pages I have come
across on social media.

It is through this page that people, especially the youth are made aware about our
rich cultural heritage. The Heritage Diary and its articles are well articulated and
magazines like these are the need of the hour.

23 | THE HERITAGE DIARY

 TESTIMONIALS

REWA RAWAT, WRITER AND FILM DIRECTOR

When we contacted Indian Temples for a screening collaboration of our
documentary, they were more than enthusiastic about screening the film. They
went above and beyond our expectations to help us. This enthusiasm is reflected
in every work they do in preserving the heritage of India and disseminating
authentic, well-researched studies of our temples. This initiative started by Indian
Temples is a wonderful way for Indians to reconnect with our heritage and
understand the meaning behind the beautiful sculptures. The team is a delight to
work with and their passion is contagious. I had a great time working with them
and hope for future such collaborations. Thank you

DHAVAL CHANDE, ENGINEERING STUDENT

Indian Temple Instagram page is an incredible resource for all temple enthusiasts
and sculpture lovers. . It offers a wide range of details about temples and
sculptures, making it an invaluable resource. The curated content is highly
informative, allowing us to delve into the fascinating world of temple architecture
and artistic craftsmanship. Exploring the page has become a captivating
experience, providing us with a deeper understanding of the rich cultural heritage
of India. It serves as an excellent platform to learn and explore the intricate beauty
of temples and sculptures.

PARNAVI BANGAR, ARCHITECT AND FOUNDER OF REMINISCING HISTORY

Indian Temples is a perfect example of how research can be presented in an
interesting manner. I think it's a rare find in this fast growing world of AI to have a
page for culture with actual authentic information. Happy to have contributed and
wish you the best!

24 | THE HERITAGE DIARY