The Mahamandap (Great Hall) at the Mahalakshmi Temple in Bandivade, Goa provides a therapeutic escape from many of Goa busy attractions. It is a perfect place to sit undisturbed and commune with the divine. On this early morning, regular devotees went about their prayers silently and tourist laden buses had not yet arrived.

In front of the Deul (Konkani for Temple, also Devasthan), notice the Deepa Stamba (Light tower), a characteristic of Goa Konkani temples. Around the temple are guest rooms for traveling devotees at nominal costs.

The Deul was originally in the village of Kolambe, near present day Colva beach. When the Portuguese destroyed it, devotees smuggled the murthy of Mahalakshmi (Great Lakshmi) first to the town of Talauli (aka Talavali, Talaulim) where it resided in the home of a priest. It was then moved to its present location in Bandivade in Ponda, where a small temple was established in 1866. Upgrades and expansions have occurred ever since. Today it is a magnificent example of Konkani temple architecture in Goa.

Mahalakshmi is respected as a form of Durga Devi, as described in the Durga Saptashati (aka Chandi PaTh or Devi Mahatmyam). Devi is an independent Goddess to whom the Gods turn for help in their hour of need. Mahalakshmi is depicted as the Goddess of Wealth and resides as an independent Goddess and not as a spouse of Vishnu.

A careful observation of shadows will reveal that the following pics were taken in the evening, during an earlier trip. Beautiful, no?

• Ramnathi Devasthan, A Konkani Temple
• Flower sellers at the Ramnathi Devasthan
• Mangeshi Devasthan
• Sacred Places: Avalanche of Christian Aid in India
• Revisionism about the Portuguese Inquisition

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References:
• VN Kudva, History of the Dakshinatya Saraswats, Madras, (1972, 1991).

shri ramachandracharanau manasa smaraami
shri ramachandracharanau vachasa gruNaami
shri ramachandracharanau SHirasa namaami
shri ramachandracharanau SHaranam prapadhyae

On Rama’s feet I meditate
With words I praise
With lowered head I pray
At Rama’s feet I seek refuge!

Rama.
During times of cosmic crisis, Vishnu as Preserver and Caretaker of the Universe adopts various avataars or earthly forms, to save Creation from calamity, and rid humankind of suffering. Rama as a model human, is one of Vishnu’s most popular avataars. Rama is revered as a devoted son, faithful husband and a righteous king. To fulfill his father’s promise, he willingly accepts exile and wanders forests for many years. When his wife Sita is abducted, Rama enlists birds, monkeys and other animals to track her to Lanka – kingdom of the villainous Ravana. After a prolonged battle, Rama slays Ravana and saves the world from terror and torture. Rama’s victory is celebrated during the Vijaya Dashami festival, and culminates in the burning of Ravana in effigy.

During festivals, devotees raise their voice to Rama. Temples ring to countless chants of his name. Uniquely, the mere recitation of Rama’s name is said to bring ananda or bliss.

The reason for this can be traced to the Mahabharata, when Bhisma bestows on the victorious Yudhishtra, the Vishnu Sahasranaam (Thousand names of Vishnu). Noting the long sermon, Devi Parvati asks her beloved Shiva, how an ordinary person can attain the same benefits as reciting the Vishnu Sahasranaam. Shiva assures her that uttering but once the name of Shri Rama is equal to chanting the name of any other God, a thousand times. With these invaluable words from Shiva, mankind has been blessed with an easy path to happiness.

In the Rama Raksha Stotra – hymn asking Rama for protection, which millions of devotees recite with fervor everyday, the opening verse affirms that reciting even a single word from the life of Rama is able to destroy the greatest of our sins. Mahatma Gandhi also urged followers to recite the blessed name of Rama. Prophetically, “Hey Ram” were the last words from his dying lips.

Included above is verse 29 from the Rama Raksha Stotra, which resonates well with the theme of bhakti for Rama. As Sant Tyagaraja has written, simply by asking the virtuous Rama to shower his blessing and compassion assures us of experiencing ananda.

Hanuman visits Sita in Ashokvan (Ashoka gardens) Lanka where she is held captive by Ravana. (stone carving stored in the Hampi Museum)

Cave Three is also dedicated to Vishnu and his avataars, and holds some of the most impressive works of art.

As we approach the caves, they appear as narrow slots in the sandstone mountain side. it is only as you walk up the plain steps and onto the verandah that the true mastery of the beauty of the sculptures is evident. As you enjoy the artwork, note that these caves are ‘open’ and have no doors or other forms of protection from the weather. Yet their grandeur has survived nearly 1,500 years.

As you walk up the stairs, you step in between a row of beautifully carved pillars and on the right is the larger than life-size carving of Vishnu, in the form of his avataar Narasimha (man-lion). And what a majestic Narasimha it is. On the lower left is Prahalad, whose entreaties caused Vishnu to take this form to alleviate suffering of his devotee; and on the right is the cruel king Hiranyakashipu, who Narasimha disembowels on the threshold.

Turn around from admiring Narasimha and you are faced with the most stunning image of Vishnu, perfectly bracketed by the pillars in perspective.

And like if in the grip of a giant magnetic I was drawn towards this figure; agape and too stunned to form coherent words. The image of Vishnu in a meditative pose atop the coiled Adisesha!

Indeed, Vishnu’s eyes are closed here. Vishnu is depicted in yoga nidra – deep in cosmic meditative slumber. It was only many centuries later (12th century, I was told) that Vishnu was depicted with eyes open in artwork.

The four caves are dated to 578 CE. The first cave is dedicated to Shiva and you saw some impressive high relief figures of Nataraja and Ardhanareshwara in my earlier post. I hope you did not miss the cute Ganapati providing mridangam support for Shiva’s dance! In a prominent niche in this cave, is also housed a beautiful sculpture of Durga Devi in the form of Mahisasuramardini, which I previously used in a Dussehra greeting.

Cave two is dedicated to Vishnu. Near the entrance is an impressive carving of Varaha Murthy representing the avataar of Vishnu. He is accompanied by the king Naga (lower right). Methinks he is holding goddess Prithvi, representing the earth, which he rescued from the deluge.


Opposite is the figure of Trivikrama, celebrating another of Vishnu’s avataar. You can see the dwarf form Vamana with an umbrella, and Bali offering his head for Trivikrama’s third step!

Note, both figures are accompanied by a frieze of dwarfs amusing themselves – reminding us that temples provided sacred, yet jovial social forums. The artisans’ sense of humor extended to providing puzzles carved on pillars for the devotees. In the first image on one of the pillars, can you make out three unique boys in the jumble of three heads and four arms? The second and third carvings provide the answer!

Even the ceilings had elaborate carvings, like this ‘wheel of dharma’ decorated with fish for the spokes!

I have tracked scores of such books from the 18th and 19th century which shed a grim light on the atrocities of the Portuguese. In the midst of an enormous amount of historical literature, there are always the revisionists, trying to cast a softer glow on the Portuguese Inquisition. This one by an ordained priest takes the cake.

A few lines from his work and my related comments.
An Historical Sketch of Goa, Rev. Denis L. Cottineau de Kloguen (DK)
Gazette Press, Madras (1831), Reprinted pp 44-45
Also available digitized from the Library at Harvard College, Cambridge, MA; Pg 69 – 70.

Original text in italics is contiguous in one paragraph; my comments are in regular text.

AS – In this paragraph, the Reverend is trying to defend the Archbishop D Alexins de Menezes.
DK – … Some acts of violence by the Portuguese agents may have been committed, both before and after him, but they are not to be imputed to him.
AS - Really! Everyone else is to blame, but not the Archbishop.

DK – It is equally false, that, followed by the officers of the Inquisition, he went armed with fire and sword, to compel the inhabitants of Salsette to embrace the Christian religion. The Jesuits converted a great part of them by the usual and most laudable means;
AS – Reminded me of the recent controversial remarks by Pope Benedict 16th: (from the NY Times) “… in Brazil, … native populations had been “silently longing” for the Christian faith brought to South America by colonizers.” The Rev is probably alluding to such an “innate longing” for torture and death.

DK – but in order as they thought, the better to detach the remainder of the inhabitants from worship of idols, they destroyed all the temples and pagodas.
AS – Much to the embarrassment of the Jesuits, many forced converts continued to visit temples and kept to their traditional Hindu ways. The only way to prevent this was to destroy the temples. How many is “all”?

DK – This however, had the contrary effect; and the Pagans, exasperated at this circumstance, rose up in arms, murdered five jesuits, and several Portuguese.
AS – Did the Jesuits really expect anything else? Note the choice of the word “murdered” when associated with the Jesuits and the Portuguese. BTW, when “all temples and pagodas” were destroyed, how many of the locals were killed? Smoothly overlooked.

DK – The Governor then felt himself obliged to use arms likewise to reduce the rebels; and of course did not after wards permit the temples to be rebuilt.
AS – “reduce the rebels” here is an euphemism for “massacring the population”! And since when did the locals become the “rebels” in their own lands?

DK – But in all this, the Archbishop had nothing to do, and what is certainly better proved, are the good works and the pious establishments of Goa, of which he is the founder.
AS – Surprised he has not been nominated to be made a Saint!

Closeup of wall calendars:
From left:
Vishnu and Lakshmi;
Krishna demonstrating his all pervading form and as Arjuna's charioteer;
Saraswati, Lakshmi and Ganapati;
Lakshmi (in a form represeting the divine mother incorporating all the other devis in her! yes, deep)
Venugopal (Krishna playing the flute)

Last summer, after a week-long tour of Aihole, Badami, Pattadakal and Hampi, we took an overnight train to Tirupati. My cousin dropped us off at the base of the hill, and drove on ahead. We started walking up the hills just after 11 on a scorching hot day, with temperatures reaching 41 deg C (105 deg F).

As we started, we realized that it was a tradition here to smear the riser of each step with ochre turmeric paste and the bright vermilion sindhur. Mainly women performed this service – an act of self-sacrifice in thanks for, or in anticipation of, wishes fulfilled. Witnessing scores of women, young and old, so devoted, is what ultimately got us to the top of the mountains. What a beautiful and enlightening experience!

At the start of the walk, this life-sized figure demonstrated the correct manner of prostrating before the temple. It too was not spared the colorful demonstration of devotion.

Along the way I witnessed nearly 50 women smearing turmeric and sindhur. I gazed in wonder at their back-breaking act of devotion. Here, two women pay homage to a step. One smears the turmeric paste, while the second overlays the red naam or tikka. Then she places a small leaf on each step.

Unusually in this case, a young man followed and atop each leaf he placed a tiny piece of camphor and lit it with a matchstick. And on they went, on and on, seemingly for ever, one step at a time.

Within an hour of walking in the stifling heat, my enthusiasm waned. The camera had started to weigh a ton. Miscellaneous things in my back-pack felt like boulders. We rested often and drank copiously of the Limca or nimbu soda from wayside vendors. M's energy never ebbed! She smiled, even as she labored up the stairs, convincing me to hide my own fatigue. Thus we deluded each other, smiled and walked on. We rested often, observed others and spoke only briefly – it took so much more energy to mouth words.

Making nimbu soda: You can almost hear the distinctive TcHuckk! as he releases the marble in the top of the goli-soda bottle …

… and pours the gurgling soda in the cup with a lime already squeezed in it, along with a spoon of sugar and a pinch of salt. A completely exhausted walker awaits the potion expectedly.

Girls selling mangoes along the way.

Interlude:
The day had not started well. The train was scheduled to reach Tirupati around 7:30 am and we had hoped to start walking in the cooler air. The train was very late and the day was hot! Further, at the temple center near the station, we are told the earliest we could get entry wrist bands was for two days later! Since our plans to head back to bangalore the next day and mumbai thereafter were already fixed, we opted to forgo the temple entry.

As tired feet carried us up, this thought kept gnawing at me. “Despite this long and tiring walk, we may not be able to enter the temple and get darshan, afterall.” If I gave up, so would M. I quickly needed a save, particularly as M repeatedly asked, “If we don't have tickets, how are we getting into the temple?” I was at a loss. In desperation I tried to convince her that the divine is everywhere. What's so special about a temple anyway?

“See around you M,” I tried, “isn't the sight of all these women performing this service, by itself not worth the walk? Perhaps our destiny was to see this! This devotion by the faithful. To experience it and to learn from them. See! See how despite their poverty and pain, their faith has not wavered. Comparatively, what have we suffered? What right do we have to say that life is unfair? Have we even earned the right to enter the temple?”

Initially, my words were hollow, means to keep M motivated, but the more I mouthed them, I too started believing. I too felt the energy from the devoted women smearing turmeric.

Hear ye! Hear ye all! The divine is not in the womb of the temple on the hill, decorated with diamonds and rubies with prostrating celebrities and rich potbellied merchants. She is here on the steps! In the murmur of the women who faithfully adore each step to her abode. Their breathing is labored and sweat dribbles unnoticed. The divine is here in each step of the aged mother, as she guides her daughter to leave her mark. Her hand steadying her throbbing knees, ignoring the pain. On her lips the name of Venkateshwara! The divine resides in that little girl selling mangoes. Though only a four hour bus ride from Bangalore, – she might as well be a million miles away. Uneducated, she doesn't whine on blogs of how unfair life is. You want to make her day? Buy a mango for a little over 10 rupees (20 cents).

Yes! if you want to experience the divine, skip the air-conditioned drive to the top of the mountain and walk. Walk among the devotees. As they smear turmeric and sindhur, they chant their prayers and wishes. As our own feet fall on each step, I realize, these are not mere blocks of concrete, but lodged inside are the prayers of millions of true devotees who have walked before us. Millions of women who painstakingly smeared each step. Women, tired of body but alive with spirit, who simply said “I leave my prayers on your door step, Srinivasa!” Those are the stairs we walked on. As I raised and lowered each foot, I thought of the prayers bound to each step. What a privilege it was to walk here; on the offerings of so many. The vigor in our strides renewed and we floated on this cloud of prayers.

We walked and we smiled! We had seen the divine here! And experienced her grace. Visiting the temple would be a formality!

End of Interlude

Carving on a doorway. Above the damsel in the intertwined vines, Vishnu's varaha avataar is carved. A common observance at all Vaishnava temples.

Ananjaya (or Hanuman) towers over the devotees near the top of the mountain.

Epilogue: Once we reached the top, my cousin had arranged for me to meet with the head priest of the Tirupati temple. He was interested with the book I'm writing on Hindu prayers and agreed to help with discussions of the Venkateshwara stotra. He shared details of various services and traditions at the temple. He showed me an ancient copy of the Venkatachala Mahatmyam which his father (himself a one time head priest at the temple) had given him.

And as we chatted, … he offered passes for us to visit the temple, early the next morning! :-O After the long and exhausting day, I was simply overcome by relief.

That night we went for a walk to the temple complex and I did not even feel like taking a picture. I had already taken the important pics. What else was there to capture? And yes, the abode of Srinivasa and Padmavati appears a bit hazy here! But I'll come visiting again!

A satellite view of Baanganga. Its the dark green quadrangle on the left.

If you have Google Earth: enter the co-ordinates as above, or in fractional degrees as:
18.945454N 72.793612E
But first, in PREFERENCES and the default VIEW tab, select “Degrees.”