Author: Rahul (Page 10)

SHARDA PEETH

The Sharda-Peeth, the shrine dedicated to the Goddess of Learning, is located at the very heart of Vidya Vihar Campus in Pilani, rightly called “the oasis in the desert”. Situated at a distance of 200 kms, from Delhi in the north-east of Rajasthan, Pilani synthesises India, Ancient and Modern. Set in rural surroundings, where tradition informs the life of local communities, it is also the seat of one of the most modern educational and cultural complexes in the nation. The shrine, here, is a unique model in the history of Indian architecture, both in spirit and form as well. It may not be hyperbolic to say that it is an embodiment of Indian culture, emphasising the paramount significance of knowledge, presenting its compendium in the form of this shrine.

The marvel of its symphonic structure in white marble of Makarana, attuned with the very essence of Indian attitude towards life-a synthesis of both old and new and assimilation of whatever is best in East or West, makes one spell-bound at its very first glimpse. It embodies the vision of its builder, the great philanthropist, educationist and thinker, Padma Vibhushan Shri G.D. Birla, who has been dedicated to the cause of education and revival of Indian tradition. Sharda-Peerh is perhaps the only temple in India solely dedicated to Saraswati. So far as the style is concerned it belongs to the Jain-cum-Indo-Aryan architecture. It is a replica of the temple of Kandanya Mahadeva at Khajuraho, with its own distinctive features. The temple at Khajuraho stands on 56 pillars, whereas in Pilani it stands on 70 pillars having seven parts. Copper wire is used to join the stones to ensure a longer life which is estimated to be at least 2000 years.

The temple is surrounded by green lawns and trees, and a visitor forgets for a while that he is standing on the soil of a desert. The basement is at a height of 7 ft. from the ground as though in an effort to rise above the temporal surroundings, covering an area of 234ft. X 109ft, covered by square tiles of marble. The busts of Late Raja Baldev Das Birla and Smt.Chhogi Devi on separate plinths at the right and left side are bridged with the main plinth as a mark of honour and homage to the parents of the builder keeping in line with the first teachings of Upanishads- ’Matrudevo bhava, pitrudevo bhava’. Two monolithic figures of elephants holding lotus in their trunks stand on the sides of the stairs leading to the plinth.

POOJA VIDHAN OF THE DEITIES AND THE DEITIES INSTALLED IN THE TEMPLE

Pooja in the South Indian style with Pancharathra Agama of the Prabandic School of Bhakti cult is conducted. Apart from the main deity, Sri Venkateswara, Lakshmi, Andal and Garuda have been housed in separate temples as already indicated. No special poojas or archanas are being performed on behalf of devotees but they are allowed to be present during the poojas and tirtham and satari are offered to them. The Trust, from its funds, performs Poolangiseva.

One of the outstanding features of the temple is stress on absolute cleanliness and aesthetics and no levy of fee of any kind. The object is to enable one to be face to face with his god. Recitations of Vedas, Puranas, Prabandas, and Stotrapatas are daily conducted in the morning pooja hours and in the evening for about two hours, by learned pandits. On festival days, the deity is taken round the prakara with traditional recitation of Vedas in conformity with the Agama Sastra. There are quarters provided for archakas and security guards.

PANGUNI-(MARCH-APRIL)

In the month of Panguni, the festival called Panguni Uttiram is important. It occurs when the full moon is on the asterism ‘Uttiram’, (Beta Leonis). In the majority of the temples in South India, the annual temple festival known as Brahmotsava, lasting for ten days, reaches its culmination and consummation on this sacred day. Hence it is of importance in all temples. Siva is said to have married Parvathi on this day.

The marriage of Goddess Minakshi with Chokkanathar at Madurai and the wedding of goddess Kamakshi with Ekambaranathar at Kancheepuram, etc., are said to have taken place only on this auspicious day. The marriage of Rama and Sita also is considered to have taken place on this Panguni Uttiram day. Naminandhi Adigal Nayanar of the 63 saints of Saivism was hailed 1,300 years ago, as one who conducted this festival ably and devoutly at Tiruvaroor, by Saint Appar.

Thirugnanasambandhar also refers to this festival, as celebrated at Thirumayilai, (Mylapore), in seventh century A. D. There is an allusion to this festival, even in a poem of Agananuru, (137), a classic of the Sangam age, which dates back to 2,000 years. Sangam poet Nakkeerar also refers to this festival and informs that it was very popular and famous at Uraiyur, the ancient Chola capital of the Sangam age. All these literary references go to prove the antiquity of this festival. Although Panguni Uttiram festival is very famous in almost all the temples of Siva, Kancheepuram Ekambaranathar temple is noted for it. When the marriage of Lord Ekambaranathar and goddess Kamakshi takes place, many marriages of poor people are celebrated simultaneously and ceremoniously in the immediate presence of the divine couple, Ekambaranathar and Sri Kamakshi devi. This age-old religious and social custom indicates the foresightedness and the far-sightedness of our ancient ancestors, in setting up a highly commendable grand model, for the modern day mass marriages.

MASI-(FEBRUARY-MARCH)

Masimagam is the most important festival, which occurs in the month of Masi, Magham is the day, when the star Magham (Leonis) holds sway. In all places situated near the seacoast, sea-bath is very important for the Masi-magham festival. The deity of the local temple and the other deities from all the temples in the neighbourhood are taken in procession in a festive manner to the seashore or to the riverbanks and ceremoni-ously immersed in water with due rituals, at an auspicious moment. Simultaneously all the people attending the festival bathe in the sea. This is referred to by Sambandhar as Masi-Kadalattu (Theerthavari).

For this festival Sri Bhoovaragaswami of Sri Mushnam temple is taken in a procession to the far-distant sea-coast near Chidambaram and this procession takes a week to reach the seacoast. All the people living in the villages, on the route of the procession, participate in the festival with great joy and zeal. Likewise, in many coastal places, this Masimagham festival is being celebrated. For once in twelve years, this festival is celebrated at Kumbakonam, as Mahamagham and several lakhs of people come to take bath in the Mahamagham tank at Kumbakonam. The tradition is that the nine rivers celebrated in Hindu lore, Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Kaveri, Sindhu, Narmada, Kumari and Krishna appear in a confluence in the waters of this tank on this Masimagham day and therefore a bath in it is the most meritorious in one’s life-time. This is an age-old grand festival of All India importance.

THAI- (JANUARY- FEBRUARY)

The month of Thai is very popular because of its Pongal or Sankaranthi festival. On the first day in the month of Thai, the sun passes from the ninth sign of the zodiac to the tenth sign ‘Makara’ and this is called Uttarayana, the journey of the sun from the south to the north. Uttarayana is considered to be meritorious. Hence from the first day of Uttarayana in the month of Thai, the Pongal festival is celebrated, continuously for four days. Bhogi is the first of the four days. Pongal proper is on the first of the Tamil month of Thai and Bhogi is a day earlier on the last day of the previous month, Marghazi.

AIPPASI-( OCTOBER-NOVEMBER)

During this month, people celebrate Deepavali festival. Deepavali is probably the greatest national festival of India. Deepavali occurs on the night of the 14th day of the dark fortnight called Chaturdasi in the Tamil month of Aippasi; the next day is the new-moon day, Amavasya. Deepavali, means the festival of a row of lights and is welcomed with an oil bath, done a little earlier than daybreak. All the people of the household wear new clothes; prepare many varieties of sweets and dishes and enjoy a sumptuous and delicious feast. Young children rejoice in firing crackers. But this is mainly a social festival and does not have much connection with temples. But Saivas, Vaishnavas, Jains, Sikhs and others joyfully celebrate this Deepavali festival.

AVANI( AUGUST-SEPTEMBER)

Avani is the month, noted for Vinayaka Chaturthi festival and the Avani-moolam festival. Vinayaka is the most popular deity in the whole of South India. Vinayaka festival is performed on the fourth day, Chaturthi thithi, on the bright fortnight of the Tamil month of Avani. Scholars say, that the month of Avani was originally the first month of a year, long before the time of Saint Tholkappiyar and Vinayakar being the god who is usually worshipped first, at the very start of every act. His festival has appropriately come to be celebrated in the first month of Avani. Avani Moolam (Scorpionis), is another important festival of this month. It is held as very sacred and is celebrated not only in Madurai temple but also in all the Siva temples of Tamilnadu.

ADI-POORAM FESTIVAL (JULY-AUGUST)

In the month of Adi, the Pooram festival is celebrated in both the Saiva and Vaishnavatemples. The star Pooram is said to be the natal star of Ambal or the Goddess Sakthi. Hence, it is celebrated in almost all the Saiva temples. Since Adi-pooram is the birth-star of Sri Andal also, it is sacred to Vaishnavites as well.

This festival is very famous at Srivilliputtur and is elaborately celebrated in honour of Sri Andal, the ladysaint among the twelve Azhvars, for ten days. Adi- Tapasu Vizha is conducted in the Siva (Sankara-Narayanar) temple at Sankarankoil of Tirunelveli district. Ambal or Sakthi is considered to be the sister of Vishnu and the Ambal, here known as Gomathi Devi, is said to have desired to have darshan of both Siva and Vishnu inseparably together and performed a penance (tapas) therefore. Complying with her ardent desire, both Siva and Vishnu appeared before Her, together in the form, since known as Sankaranarayanar. This form symbolises the integration of the Saiva and Vaishnava sects; the azhvars and the Nayanmars have both sung on this combined or integrated form. Adi-pooram festival is enthusiastically celebrated in all the villages of South-India, to all the goddesses like Mariamman, etc., generally called the ‘grama-devatas’.

PRAPITAMAHESHVARA TEMPLE

No deva-puja is so old and so famous in India as that of Siva or Mahadeva (the great god), who occupies an honoured place in the Hindu Trinity. Historically, it is as old as the Indus Valley civilisation. Copious references have been made in honour of Siva, in the Vedas, epics and Puranas. The mighty king Jarasandha-Asura of Magadha, (which includes Gaya), was a devout worshipper of Rudra-Siva. The Mahabharata has mentioned the figure of Nandi of Griddheshvara-Siva existing on Griddhakuta at Gaya and the same still forms a holy spot of the Gaya pilgrimage .The impressive black-basalt stone-temple of Prapitamaheshvara, referred to in the Agni Purana ,stands at the feet of two adjoining sacred hills of Brahamayoni and Vasma-Koota and just to the east of the holy Rukmini Kendra, on the northern side of the famous shraddha-vedi of Akshyavata. The charming hilly environs of the temple present pleasant views. It is one of the oldest and loftiest existing temples of Gaya.

The pyramidal tower of the temple is surmounted by amalaka, ornamented finial and a broken iron trident. This temple was originally built in 1050 A.D. by Visvaroopa at the time of King Nayapala belonging to the famous Pala dynasty, as is evident from the stone inscription found in the neighbouring Vatesha-Temple (1050) standing under the famous Akshayvata where pindas are offered by the pilgrims. The sanctum of the temple contains the phallic symbol oflord Siva called Prapitamaheshvara. The shape of the Linga is of uncommon type. Its upper part is tapering and its base bears a circle of lotuses. The top of the Linga is bulged out like a jata. Its cylindrical body shows three circular belts and fifteen vertical stripes. It is an Ekmukhi Linga, representing the face of lord Siva. He is bedecked with a ‘munda-mala with eleven beads and other ornaments. The Linga stands on an uncommon type of Argha, which is circular in shape instead of being projected to the northern side. The temple has its attached sabhamandapa in the front, i.e., to the east. These columns bear little ornamentation. There are five graceful domes over the mandapa, revealing its unique type. The enormous size and height of the mandapa do not conform to that of the structure of the temple. The mandapa contains an old and elegant image of Ganesha. It is assumed that the stone-materials, employed in rebuilding this temple (excepting the original lower part of the sanctum) and its mandapa, were brought from some ruined temples of the neighbourhood, This may be known from the fact that a stone door-jamb has been used as the roof-slab of the garbhagrihe; a huge stone door-lintel has been utilised as a step leading to the mandapa and the stone blocks of the temple’s tower are of different shapes, sizes and ornamentations.

According to the Puranas, Prapitamaheshvara, like Gadadhara, is a witness-deity for the performance of the pinda-dana ceremony completed by the pilgrim at Gaya. This is also supported by a stone inscription dated 1240 A.D. of the time of Sultana Maujidina (or Sultan Maujuddin) fixed in the northern outer-wall of the mandapa, recording that one Rajput chief, Mantreshvara Kamdeva, performed Gayashraddha duly witnessed by the god, Prapitamaheshvara of Gaya. In front of the mandapa, there is a brickmade, small, circular platform. According to local tradition, it is the burial place of a military chief who died on the spot, immediately after his breaking a part of the iron trident on the top of the temple by an arrow and this broken trident is still seen there. It is noteworthy that the people of the locality, as a customary rite, perform, within the precincts of the temple, some funeral rites.

Other Puranic Saiva deities, enshrined in the temples at Gaya-kshetra are:

•  Pitamaheshvara,
•  Vriddha-Prapitamaheshvara,
•  Markandyesha,
•  Falgisha, Kedara,
•  Rameshvara,
•  Matangeshvara,
• Rinamoksha,
•  Papa-moksha,
• Ekadas-Rudra,
• Pitarauni, Ekoddishta, etc.