Book Excerpt: Dynasties Of Devotion By Deepa Mandlik

Deepa Mandlik uncovers the sacred splendour of temples of India and Cambodia in her book, Dynasties of Devotion, translated by Aboli Mandlik. Journeying through seven iconic temples–including the Kailasa Temple in Ellora, Maharashtra, several great Chola temples in Tamil Nadu, the Chennakeshava Temple in Karnataka, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala, and the Angkor Wat in Cambodia–Mandlik uncovers mythological roots, architectural marvels, and cultural vibrance. With photo inserts and a foreword by art historian Dr. G.B. Deglurkar, Dynasties of Devotion serves as both a scholarly reference and a cultural travelogue curated for the curious reader, the spiritual seeker, and the culture-loving traveller.

Excerpt from Deepa Mandlik's Dynasties of Devotion

According to eminent historian M.K. Dhavalikar, the Kailasa Temple was, in fact, designed by the architect Kokas, who was known as Manikeshwar. Kokas hailed from an illustrious family, and it is suggested that the Kailasa Temple may have been named Manikeshwar after him. Until the eighteenth century, the Kailasa Temple might have been known as Manikeshwar as indicated by a stone inscription from the time of Ahilyabai Holkar (1725 CE to 1795 CE). The inscription records her efforts to restore and maintain the temple and refers to the temple as Manikeshwar. Traces of the painting work undertaken as part of the restoration can still be seen today. While there is clear evidence that this temple was formerly called Manikeshwar, there is a conflict of opinion about who it is named after. Some believe that the story about the queen who made the navas, while slightly different from the legend, is based on true events. They suggest that the name of the temple, Manikeshwar, comes from this queen, i.e., Krishnaraj-I’s queen Manikawati. Enamoured by the Kailasanath Temple at Kanchipuram built by the Pallavas, she wished that Krishnaraj-I would also build a temple. Since there was a delay in building the temple, she vowed to fast until she saw the shikhara of the temple, which is why the temple was built through vertical excavation.

While the exact origin of the name Manikeshwar remains unclear, a few points are noteworthy. First, there may be some credence to the story about the queen’s wish to build a temple after seeing the Kailasanath Temple at Kanchipuram. Scholars acknowledge that the temple architecture and sculptures at the Kailasa Temple show influences of Chalukya and Pallava styles. The Kailasa Temple is particularly thought to be inspired by the Pallavas’ Kailasanath Temple at Kanchipuram and the Chalukyas’ Virupaksha Temple at Pattadakal. While the Kailasa Temple has drawn inspiration from these other temples, it is undeniable that the Rashtrakutas have built a unique and extraordinary cultural monument. The history behind the Chalukya and Pallava influence is quite interesting. The Chalukyas and Pallavas were bitter rivals due to which at least one war would erupt in every generation. The Chalukya king Vikramaditya-II, who ruled from 733 CE to 745 CE, defeated the Pallavas in one such war. To commemorate this victory over the Pallavas’ capital Kanchipuram, the Virupaksha Temple at Pattadakal was constructed, inspired by the Kailasanath Temple at Kanchipuram. The work on the Virupaksha Temple was undertaken by the same sculptors who had made the Kailasanath Temple. Later, when the Rashtrakutas defeated the Chalukyas, they, in turn, drew inspiration from the Virupaksha Temple and built the Kailasa Temple at Ellora. Experts believe that the same sculptors who built the Virupaksha Temple and Kailasanath Temple were engaged for the construction of the Kailasa Temple, owing to the similarity in architectural style.

The second noteworthy point is that the sculpture of Queen Manikawati found in the yajnashala hall (place where sacrifices are made to the sacred fire), further south in the alcoves also reinforces the theory of her being the person after whom this temple was named. The yajnashala hall contains an artful scene of hom-havan (offerings made to a sacred fire), where Queen Manikawati is portrayed as the host, flanked by two attendants fanning her and the Saptamatrikas (group of seven Hindu goddesses). Despite the deterioration of many of these sculptures, the surviving parts provide a glimpse into the original beauty and artistry in making them. It is very rare to find Saptamatrikas sculptures of this scale and detail. The tales of the Saptamatrikas can be found in the Puranas. According to the Mahabharata, King Prahlad, a devotee of Vishnu, was succeeded by the evil King Andhakasur, who tortured his subjects and led the kingdom to descend into chaos. King Andhakasur had received a boon from Brahma that if anyone tried to kill him, a new Andhakasur would emerge from every drop of his blood. The boon had made him fearless, and no one dared to stop him. The gods requested Shiva to defeat this evil king. Knowing the arduous task Shiva was faced with, the gods sent their shakti (power) female forms, the Saptamatrikas, to support him. With the assistance of the Saptamatrikas, Shiva vanquished the evil Andhakasur. In another version of this story, Andhakasur was smitten by Shiva’s wife Parvati. When he came to take Parvati away, Shiva killed him with the help of the Saptamatrikas. While the sculptures of the Saptamatrikas in the Kailasa Temple are not in optimal condition, one can find better preserved representations in Cave No. 14 (Ravana ki Khai), Cave No. 15 (Dashavatar) and Cave No. 21 (Rameshwar). The Saptamatrikas, being the shakti form of the gods, are depicted with each god’s mount and symbols, which makes them recognizable. They are: Brahma’s shakti, Brahmani with a swan; Maheshwar’s shakti, Maheshwari with a bull; Kartikeya’s shakti, Kaumari with a peacock; Vishnu’s shakti, Vaishnavi with an eagle; Varaha’s shakti, Varahi with a boar; Indra’s shakti, Indrani with Airavata (the divine elephant); and Yama’s shakti, Chamunda with a man/corpse. It is typical for sculptures of the Saptamatrikas to also feature Ganesh and Virbhadra playing the veena.

SCULPTURES OF THE MAIN TEMPLE

The sculptures at the Kailasa Temple are predominantly female. The Rashtrakutas have showcased their reverence for women by featuring the sculptures of women: the symbols of purity, Ganga– Yamuna near the entrance; two distinct sculpted panels of the murderous Mahishasurmardini; symbol of prosperity Gajalakshmi; independent hall containing Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati depicted as women; symbol of lust Rati; Annapurna; and the yajnashala hall’s Saptamatrikas along with Rani Manikawati. The story of the birth of the Saptamatrikas and the defeat of Andhakasur is also found at the Kailasa Temple. In this sculpture, the Saptamatrikas are shown in miniature form near the right foot of Shiva. Regrettably, the heads of the Saptamatrikas have been severed, owing to foreign invasions. Descending the stairs of the yajnashala, the countless sculptures of the main temple clamoured for attention. The sculptures portraying scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata stood out, unique due to their miniature size. These panels capture the gist of the story while featuring the major characters and events. The lengthy Mahabharata has been condensed into merely five panels and the Ramayana into eight panels. Another special feature of these panels is their very intentional location in this west-facing temple. The Mahabharata panels are on the left wall of the temple, which faces north, since the events in the Mahabharata took place in north India. Similarly, the Ramayana panels are on the right wall, which faces the south, since the events took place in south India. The thoughtful arrangement reflects the consideration behind each sculpture and gives a glimpse into the historical and geographical proficiency of ancient Hindus. The Mahabharata panels show different scenes—the birth of Krishna, him enjoying nature, the slaying of the evil Kamsa and several scenes of the Mahabharata war. One of the most expressive sculptures is that of the weaponless and chariot-less Abhimanyu fighting off warriors using the wheel of his broken chariot. Another notable sculpture is Arjunanugraha, which portrays pashupatastra (a celestial missile) being given by Shiva to Arjun as a reward for passing the test set by Shiva. The Ramayana panels are equally finely carved and expressive. Scenes such as Rama’s banishment, the hunt of the kanchanmruga (illusional golden deer), Sita’s abduction, Sita spending time at Ashoka vatika, the war between Vali and Sugreeva, and Lanka being set on fire, are shown. One is instantly captivated by the exquisite artistry of the panels.