THE HIDDEN TEMPLE SERIES 1: Jurahareswarar (aka Iravanatheswara) Temple at Juragaresam

The main deity in this temple is Shiva in the form of linga known as Jurahareswarar.

Legend has that a demon called Juragan was destroyed here. Devas worshipped in this place to cure themselves from disease due to heat and they were cured. Therefore it is believed that those who worship Shiva here, is known to have been cured of ailments such as fever, relieving them from excessive body heat to maintain normal body temperature.

There are five windows in the sanctum sanctorum which in itself has a circular design. 

(a side view of the sanctorum)

(a view of the circular sanctorum)

(Intricate carvings on the main Gopuram)

(one of the 5 windows adorns the inner sanctum)

It is a magnificent example of Pallava architecture. The temple was built using both sandstone and granite and many figures are engraved on them.  The idol of Juvarahereswarar here is one of the 64 holy idols (formless form of Lord Shiva). There are two kinds of divine treasures in the temple. There is a statue of Lord Gubera (God of treasure) in this temple.

(Side view of the temple with the Nandi Sannidhi, Bali Peedam and the Upperi Kulam on the extreme right)

The temple tank is called ‘Vepperi Kulam’ and now is popularly known as ‘Upperi Kulam’ where the temple Theerthem (Holy water) is sourced.

This temple is famous for its splendid Vimana (deity's vehicle) Nandi (Bull). 

(the smiling Nandi)

This temple was built by Pallava King Narasimhavarman II (aka Rajasimhan) who ruled from 695.C.E-728.C.E.

Apart from Jurageswarar Temple, Narashimhavarman II was also instrumental in building the famous Kailasanathar Temple,  Vaikuntha Perumal Temple at Kanchipuram,  Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram and the Talagirisvara Temple at Panamalai.

The temple is located next to Pandava Thootha Perumal temple to the south of Sannidhi street of Sri Ekambareswarar temple, Kancheepuram, TN.

Most people do give this temple a miss for other famous temples in Kancheepuram, not realizing both its spiritual and historical significance.

Do visit this temple for its architectural marvel when you are in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu.

Currently this temple comes under the purview of ASI (Archeological Survey India)

photo@ravienavarmman072014

FLASHMOB IN CHENNAI

A flashmob at Express Avenue, Mall, Chennai. TN. India has joined the bandwagon of many Asian cities boasting of large "supermalls". There is a sudden surge of such Malls in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Gurgaon, and even second tier cities in India has caught on with the "mall bug." 

I believe this is in line with the changing lifestyle of urban India. Education and exposure has created a new breed of generation in urban India. (not much different in modern taste and preference as similar generation elsewhere but the distinction is they are still deeply rooted in culture and tradition.

Interestingly I have also noticed that reading habit is still very much alive here than in other parts of Asia (particularly Malaysia.)

From Idli Vada to Pav Bhajji, has become hypp food all over India with the mushrooming of snack bars and chain restaurants giving a run for the money for other western style food.

There is no denial, that western themed restaurants are gaining popularity, but at this point it seems a healthy competition but not too sure what the future holds.

One of the overrated restaurant (at least I think so) the Hard Rock Cafe, has mushroomed in India, from the first restaurant in Mumbai (2006) it is now operating in all major metros in India. From my reading the patrons are primarily urban college students, IT professionals, celebrities etc. (Would be checking it out in Vellacherry, Chennai, end of the month, to obtain a first hand account).

Meanwhile the flashmob in this photo danced to the tune of "Lunggi Dance" in conjunction with the movie "Chennai Express" (SRK & Deepika P.) 

A GREAT MAN

“A GREAT MAN”

We often hear the above being echoed usually upon the demise of a person. But how do you measure the greatness of a person? Would it be based on the volume of accolades the person receives? Then again how much of these are sincere appreciation, or could it be a mere politically correct gesture?

Just last week, a political champion passed away in Malaysia. Mr Karpal Singh known as the “Tiger of Jelutong” (Jelutong was the constituency he represented in the Malaysian Parliament), was also a lawyer by profession, who took on many cases pro bono. From a humble beginning Karpal Singh rose to be an eminent lawyer and a statesman. In his rise there was one commonality observed, he was humble, down to earth, a man who lived by his principles and more importantly he was always a people’s person.

Therefore I was not surprised that at his funeral, thousands of people from all walks of life paid their last respects to this great man. Never before, had Malaysia witnessed, such an outpouring of grief of this magnitude. The Chief Minister of Penang State, Mr Lim Guan Eng, summed it up very aptly in the obituary, “Your greatest legacy is not the honours bestowed by leaders or tributes by famous personalities overseas or locally, but what moved us are the tears shed by the many ordinary Malaysians who do not know you and whom you never met but yet were touched by the sacrifices you have made.”

So how would a person’s legacy remembered?

When JF Kennedy’s body was lying in state, thousands lined up in near-freezing temperatures, some reportedly waited for 10 hours just to pay their respects. Many people apparently arrived from different states of the US just to pay their respects to this man. People openly displayed emotions when the carriage bearing the casket passed by.

When M.G. Ramachandran (better known as MGR, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, India), died in 1984,  more than a million people were estimated to have been involved in the funeral procession. Further 30 people were reported to have committed suicide upon hearing of his death. People from all walks of life openly wailed while the funeral procession was in progress.

When Princess Diana passed away in 1997 it was reported that 2 billion people all over the world were glued to their television watching the state funeral broadcasted live, reportedly one of the most watched events in history. More than one million people lined the streets of London, and flowers rained down onto the cortege from bystanders. Many were seen openly crying, hugging on to each other. During the four weeks following her funeral, the suicide rate in England and Wales rose by 17% and cases of deliberate self-harm by 44.3% compared with the average for that period in the four previous years. Researchers suggest that this was caused by the "identification" effect.”

All the four individuals  mentioned above had one commonality, all of them had at one time or another touched the hearts of ordinary people.

 

The greatest legacy a person can leave behind is to be remembered for his/her humanity, all other achievements would pale in comparison. The three pillars of humanity are love, kindness and social intelligence. That reminded me of Swami Vivekananda’s words,

These individual I have mentioned above may not be Mahatmas (Great Souls), but their actions have made their existence on Earth meaningful.

Perhaps if more of us strive to be  better humans, the world would be a better place to live.

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller.

Mr Karpal Singh, Fare thee well.  Gone but will forever be remembered.

Asathoma Sat Gamaya

Tamasoma Jothir Gamaya

Mirthyoma Amirtham Gamaya

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti…………

Translation of the above Sanskrit manthra from the Upanishad:

Lead us from Unreality (of Transitory Existence) to the Reality (of the Eternal Self),

Lead us from the Darkness (of Ignorance) to the Light (of Spiritual Knowledge),

Lead us from the Fear of Death to the Knowledge of Immortality.

Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

ravivarmman@22042014

AMBEDHKAR VERSUS GANDHI

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/a-modernday-enlightenment/article5919496.ece?homepage=true

In response to the article above, one commonality that I observed in both Ambedkhar and  Gandhi  are their inclusive approach to their course within the ambit of religion. Gandhi sought to redress the issue of caste inequality within Hinduism, whereby Ambedhkar took refuge in Buddhism for the same.  Both leaders definitely have had created intense debate on the matter at their time, but political agenda then and now merely used their doctrine’s as how one would consume pickle in a meal.

Today India is caught in a crossroad, where the inevitable connectivity has given access to citizens across social order to information. As such, an awareness that used to be within the reach of the elite has cascaded down to the illiterate as well. To top it further, India is also experiencing huge transmigration of people across the country. The intermingling of people is creating a new diaspora of thought and action. The mobility which was once confined to the endowed, today for economic reasons has forced the rest to seek opportunity elsewhere in the country.

To add a personal experience on my family farm in Tamil Nadu, currently there more than 300 workers from Bihar, Assam and MP employed.  According to my cousins most farms in TN employ workers from those states as it is difficult to find local workers. Many of these workers, apparently after sometime bring their families to join them as well and there have been cases where intermarriage also do take place, though not prevalent yet.  

Interestingly one observation I have made in Tamil Nadu over the last few years is the greater acceptance and usage of Hindi especially in urban areas. It is well known that TN politics has always championed Tamil over Hindi, however slowly but surely, socially it is changing.

So revisiting thoughts of Ambedhkar, Gandhi, Periyaar, Vivekananda and the likes would give cue in the shaping of the socio-politico-economic landscape of India. Or perhaps not, organized chaos has always ruled in India whether in thought or action. We will never know because it is evolutionary, both the beginning and the end are mere hypothesized speculation.

WHAT?....... SPIRITUALITY.....IS THAT A NEW RELIGION?

RELIGION IS THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF SPIRITUALITY,

WHERE AN INSTITUTION EXIST, BOUNDARIES ARE CREATED,

WHERE THERE IS BOUNDARY, THEN THERE IS AN IDENTITY,

WHEN THERE IS AN IDENTITY, THEN THERE IS A NEED TO PROTECT IT,

WHEN IT NEEDS PROTECTION THEN POWER IS NEEDED,

WHEN POWER IS PRESENT THAT LEADS TO POLITICS,

WITH POLITICS, SELF CENTEREDNESS BECOMES A PREDOMINANT BEHAVIOUR,

AND THAT, PEOPLE, GOES AGAINST THE VERY EXISTENCE OF MANKIND,

SO WHAT FUNDAMENTALLY WAS THERE (SPIRITUALITY) TO HELP MANKIND TO NURTURE HAS BECOME THE VERY TOOL TOWARDS ITS ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION.

PEACE PEACE PEACE
SADHU SADHU SADHU
SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI
@ravivarmman04042014

THE HIDDEN TEMPLE SERIES 1: TANJORE BRIHADEESWARAR TEMPLE, TANJORE, TAMIL NADU

The temple is also known as Thanjavur Periya Kovil   is located at Thanjavur in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. This temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This is one of the largest temples in India..

The temple was constructed during the reign of Emperor Arulmozhi Varman, (who was also popularly known as Rajaraja Chola I) and was completed in 1010 CE.

The Brihadeeswarar Temple was built to grace the throne of the Chola empire. The scale and grandeur is in the Chola tradition. An axial and symmetrical geometry rules the temple layout. Temples from this period and the following two centuries are an expression of the Tamils (Chola) wealth, power and artistic expertise. The emergence of multifaceted columns with projecting square capitals depicts a more contemporary Chola architecture.

The Brihadeeswarar Temple was built to be the royal temple to display the emperor's vision of his power and his relationship to the universal order.

The architect and engineer of the temple was Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Perunthachan as stated in inscriptions found at the temple. The temple was built as per ancient building and architecture texts called Vaastu Shastras and  the Agamas. The temple was built using a measure of 1 3/8-inch called an angula (24 units equalling 33 inches called a hasta, muzam, or kishku).

This temple is the first building fully built by granite and finished within 5yrs (1004AD – 1009AD). The solid base of the temple raises about 5 metres (16 feet), above which stone deities and representatives of Shiva dance. The huge “Kalasam” or “Vimanam” (top portion of the shrine) is believed to weigh 81.28 tonnes of single stone block and was raised to its present height by dragging on an inclined plane of 6.44 km. The big Nandi (bull), weighing about 20 tonnes is made of a single stone and is about 2 meters in height, 6 meters in length and 2.5 meters in width. The presiding deity of lingam is 3.7meters tall. The “Prakaram” (outer precincts of the temple) measures 240meters by 125meters. The outer wall of the upper storey is carved with 81 dance “Karanas” – postures of Bharathanatyam (South Indian classical dance).

An interesting characteristic of this temple is that the shadow of the “Gopuram” (pyramidal tower) never falls on the ground. The temple is said to be made up of about 130,000 tons of granite. The Kumbam itself, a 60 ton granite stone carved in one piece, on top of the main gopuram is believed to have been taken to the top by creating an inclined slope to the height of 66 meters to the top of the “Gopuram”.

The shrine of Goddess was added by Pandyas (the presiding rulers after the decline of Chola Kingdom) during the 13th century.  Subramanya  Shrine was later consecrated by the Vijayanagara rulers  (14^th Century) and followed by the Vinayaka shrine renovated by Maratha rulers later part of 17^th century.

Today this temple is designated as a world heritage site by UNESCO as the “Great Living Chola Temples.”  In the year 2010 the temple celebrated its 1000^th year anniversary.

Next time in South India (Tamil Nadu) don’t forget to visit this temple if not for its spiritual significance, definitely for its architectural marvel.

AUDACITY OF HYPOCRISY

I was watching a HBO Sports report on Camel Racing in UAE, and how children as young as 2 years old are trained to become camel jockeys. Most of these  children owing from Bangladesh and Pakistan, owing to poverty are sold  by parents. Owners of these jockey stables come from the ruling class of the oil rich kingdom, and are also the regarded as the moral guardians of the country.

New research on behavioural psychology states that transgression instituted by one is deemed more ‘fair’ than when others commit the same. Interestingly such transgression seems to be volitional rather than circumstantial.

From the same perspective one such big hypocrisy is the concept of ‘democracy’ itself. The philosophy of government by the people for the people has totally lost its meaning. How many countries in the world can truly attest to such governance?. But in the name of democracy much atrocity has been committed from Iraq to Sudan to Vietnam by the very proponents of democracy.

Abraham Lincoln, much touted as the president who emancipated slaves in the US, himself had a narrowed perspective on the concept. Lincoln did not think that blacks should have the same social and political rights as the whites. In one of his debates in 1858 when contesting for the US Senate, Lincoln stated, “I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races,” and going on to say that he opposed blacks having the right to vote, to serve on juries, to hold office and to intermarry with whites. What he did believe was that, like all men, blacks had the right to improve their condition in society and to enjoy the fruits of their labor. In this way they were equal to white men, and for this reason slavery was inherently unjust.

Gandhi has been often branded as a man of convenience.  In his early days he even wrote to the Viceroy of India to form an Indian Volunteer Corp to help the British in WW2, although it did not materialize because Gandhi fell sick. Even his “experiment with the truth” has been ridden with controversy since Gandhi was supposed to practice celibacy.

Eventually it comes to not so much on the action of an individual but who the individual is. The audacity of hypocrisy appears to be louder when the beholder commands power and influence.

The story of Karna comes to my mind in the Mahabaratha. Karna lived a virtuous life prescribing to the philosophy of Dharma (act of righteousness and charity).

When Lord Krishna revealed that the Pandava brothers were actually  Karna’s half- brothers and  tried to dissuade Karna from battling against his brothers, in the war of Kurushetra, Karna refused. Instead Karna said that he had moral obligation to fight for his friend Duryodhana of the Kauravas. Respecting Karna’s virtues Lord Krishna withdrew in disappointment. Again when Karna’s mother Kunti approached him for the same reason Karna only promised that at the end of the war she would still have 5 sons. He believed that only Arjuna is a worthy adversary to him and he would keep his battle only with him not the other 4 brothers.

At the end of that battle, when Lord Krishna appeared before the wounded Karna disguised as a Brahmin, Karna did not hesitate to transfer his merits of Dharmam (charity) when it was requested by Lord Krishna. It was Karna’s nature to ‘give’. Upon transferring of this merit, Karna dies. It was  believed that it was Karna’s merit that kept him alive though he was badly injured, and it was Lord Krishna’s deed to put Karna out of his misery.  Karna, I am inclined to believe was a character who lived to his last breath without flinching, to walk the talk.

That was the end of Karna, one of the greatest warriors of Mahabharata who was also the greatest “Giver”.  A man who would never refuse the request for any gift or donation, howsoever costly that might be, and irrespective of the consequences to his own well being or security. This I would certainly state is a character that stood beyond hypocrisy.

I had a chance to visit Mother Teresa’s Mother House of the Missionary of Charity in Calcutta last year. I was emotionally awe struck by the humility of Mother Teresa life. Mother Teresa lead a humble life serving the poor and sick in Calcutta. She herself although had the opportunity to live a life of comfort within her home, instead lived like everyone else in the mission.

She once said, “love, begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much of love we put in that action.” She was a woman who; indeed lived by that virtue.  She went on to say “intense love does not measure, it just gives.” Such was her dedication and commitment in what she believed and continues to live; in the hearts of many.

Does this mean one has to be a saint to be a non-hypocrite?

I leave it to the beholder to be the judge of their own actions.

HYPOCRISY = BELIEF – ACTION

AUDACITY OF HYPOCRISY = EGO – NOTHING

varmman@20140228