When the priest becomes a lady

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Thiruvanaikkaval, Srirangam:

We walked into the temple, the thick stone walls beat out the heat. The cool dark interiors were most welcoming for any tired traveler seeking the blessings of the Lord. Its a small temple but here we witnessed tradition in full swing. It was the time for the Uchyakala puja, at the stroke of 12.00pm

It was not a Cinderella we saw, but quite something else. Having completed the worship and abhishekam of the Mother goddess at the Amman shrine, a priest came dressed in a maroon silk saree with rudraksha beads round his neck. Two beaded necklaces hung down from a well covered chest and a benign look on his face made him look very close to the Goddess Herself.

He walked in gracefully, his calm face adding to the charm. He wore a crown on his head, a brilliant maroon velveted crown with semi precious stones depicting Lord Shiva Jambukeshwara on it. He carried a pot with water almost making it appear like Parvati, the consort of the Lord who had descended to bathe Him with her very hands. He looked divine, straight out of the 11th century walking into the temple today.

The thick wooden doors creaked open, and he slipped through while the crowd savored the spectacle they had just witnessed. We waited for a few moments more, understanding why he was dressed that way when the doors were thrown open to all.

The very incarnate of the Goddess who had bathed the Lord now held the flame up to Him. The Arti started and each lamp with a million tiny flames was served up in circular motion to the Lord who stayed behind a grill window. The fire rose into the air, the smoke clouding the interiors, a figure raised his hands, adorned with a crown on his head that was taken straight out of Krishnadeva Raya's closet. I wondered what else there was hidden within these small towns that boast more of our living culture than the cities.

Minutes after the flames rose, and the bells rang, the crowd was allowed to visit the sacred shrine of the Lord representing water. We all moved in, taking our respective queues but no where could we set eyes on that Goddess again. She was just gone.

P.S. This is just my rough attempt to capture that moment to you. Please excuse lack of proportion in the sketch.

Kailashnatha temple, poetry in stone

Kailashnatha temple, Kanchipuram

Kailashnatha temple, a creation out of love to Lord Shiva lies in the scorching heat of Tamil landscape. Built during the reign of the Pallavas, this temple survived the ravages of war torn Tamil Nadu. Inscriptions in this temple suggest that the Chalukyas attacked Kanchipuram and Pulakesin won the battle leaving a mark on this temple with his sword.

Imagine this landscape with armies lined up outside with fluttering flags declaring a Chalukyan victory over the Pallavas. Deep within the cool interiors of this temple, a King worships the black faceted Lingam for this victory.

The Pallava queens patronized the smaller shrines outside, hosting smaller Shiva lingas with the Somaskanda panel in the background. Pulakesin put his signature over these walls, declaring his victory but did not have the temple pulled down to dust and rubble. There was mutual cultural respect in religion though there was hatred on the political front. The worst they could have done is probably replace the idols in this temple with those "Made in Chalukya land".

It is a showcase of evolution in architecture, directly after the Shore temple at Mahabalipuram in chronological order, from the Art History perspective. The inscriptions tells stories of tantrik practices as well as stories of the devotion of the faithful who donated various sculptures to the making of this temple.

Among the most common depictions of Shiva visible here in order of presentation are the Somaskanda panel depicting the Lord sitting with Parvati and Somaskanda their little son. Following it is Bhikshatana, another huge depiction of the naked mendicant, who seduced the wives of the rishis in a Brahmanical village. The only other strong reference made beyond Shiva is that of Durga who is depicted with her leg resting on the Lion.

The Linga embedded within the main shrine chamber as well as the smaller chambers around the temple are made of polished black stone imported into Kanchipuram. The Lingam within the temple is faceted, and a little too large for the chamber it is placed within.

The main vimana or roof of the temple, has been renovated and bears no resemblance to the original structure, thanks to ASI( Archaeological survey of India). This temple is the second in series to be built with a tall vimana and a rather insignificant gopuram(entrance way). Its unique architecture also displays a Lingam being consecrated with the chamber of the gopuram, an element of architecture which was never reproduced later.

Walking through the peace surrounded by these ancient walls, one can breathe in fresh air, potent with stories of ancient Tantrik faith which are not necessarily evil as projected. This temple brings alive a believe in the Mother goddess and Lord Shiva, a mixture that is too intoxicating within these walls, if you are emotional enough to feel its presence.