National seminar on “Minor Deities in Indian Art,” held at the C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar Institute of Indological Research, Chennai on March 28th and 29th 2024 (2).

National seminar on “Minor Deities in Indian Art,” held at the C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar Institute of Indological Research, Chennai on March 28^th and 29^th 2024 (2).

Technical session – Aarti presenting paper

The second day proceedings started with  special lectures by the invited scholars and they delivered their papers. The abstract of their papers were already included in the “Abstract” booklet circulated. As the gods or goddesses taken by each scholar pertains to a state and area, the people of other states or areas may not be knowing, but, the forms may differ, the concept, precept and evolution of such deities overlap, match and even tally with others. As people require such deities near to their places, they were started so with a low profile and small structure. If the popularity increases, then, devotees donate and start constructing a big temple. In due course of time even that temple bigger accommodating other gods and goddesses and also facilities for the vising devotees.

Technical session – audience

29-03-2024: The Special Lectures II were delivered by the following on the topics mentioned against each:

1. Prof. Dr. Choodamani Nandagopal[1] Art historian, UNESCO Fellow and  Tagore National Fellow, Bengaluru.  – “Significant Dynamism of Minor Deities in the Regions of Karnataka”  – After delving oupn philosophy, panchamahabhutas etc., she mentioned about Subramanya, Chamundesvari, Veerabadra, Dandina maramma, Kalabhairava, Narasimha, Cheluvanarayana, Channakesava, Nanjundesvara, Manjunatha, Dharmaraya, Draupati, Yantrodhara Pranavadevuru (Anjaneya) and Bhuta worship
2. Dr. T. Satyamurthy[2], Former Director of Archaeology, Kerala – “Minor Deities in Kerala Art” – Ayyappa shrines and Karpa kavus are there, besides there are a large number of minor shrines of dur-moorthies (evil spirits) like Kuttichattan, Karikkutti, Maranakutti, Kalladimuttan, Bhairavan, Vishnumaya and Chattan, who are important deities in a large number of temples. Added to these deities, in recent years, worship of Thiruvalluvar the author of Tamil work Tirukkural, is found in some rural areas. The deity is purely rural one, in contrast to the agamic Thiruvalluvar worshipped in Mylapore. .
3. Dr. Sudipa Ray Bandyopadhyay[3], Professor, Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture, University of Calcutta, Kolkata – “The Iconography of Jvara” – she traces that the deity of Jvara to early 9^th cent.CE. Jvara ( ज्वर, Jvaram, lit. ’fever’), also called Jvarasura, is the personification of fever in Hindu tradition. He is the consort, and sometimes the attendant, of the pox-goddess, Shitala. The cult of Shitala-Jvarasura is widely popular in Bengali culture. Incidentally, in Bengali, Oriya and Hindi languages, fever is referred to as Jvara.[5] and Asura means demon. The name Jvarasura is combination of these two words – Jvara (meaning fever) and Asura (meaning demon) – Jvarasura. Thus, Jvarasura means the demon of fever. Jvarasura is disguised as a young servant. Shitala, the consort of Jvarasura is widely worshipped by village folk in whole of North India, as a protector of pox and fever diseases. In Buddhist tradition, Jvarasura is depicted sometimes as consort of Paranasabari, the Buddhist goddess of diseases. In some images, these deities are shown as flying away, to escape from wrath of Vajrayogini, the Buddhist goddess and destroyer of diseases.

Then, technical sessions were started as follows and held parallel also, as there were many papers to be presented.

Technical session – paper reading – audience

29-03-2024 3 to 4 pm: The Technical Session – IV was chaired by Dr. Sudipa Ray Bandyopadhyay, Professor, Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture, University of Calcutta, Kolkata and the following papers were presented:

1. Dr. Aarti Iyer[4]  – “Transformation of a Hunter’s Son into a Warrior Deity: Understanding the Significance of Vettaikkorumakan” – Vettakkoru Makan (വേട്ടക്കൊരുമകന്‍) is a Hindu deity worshipped in parts of Northern Kerala. This deity is alternately referred as Kiratha-Sunu (son of Kirata) in Sanskrit. Vettakkorumakan is believed to be the son of Shiva by his consort Parvati, born when he assumed the form of a Kirata (hunter) to deliver a weapon known as Pashupatastra to Arjuna. He is mostly and exclusively worshipped in Malabar region of Kerala. The most famous temple of this deity is the Balussery-Kotta Vettakkorumakan temple about 25 km from Calicut. This was once the fort of the Rajas of Kurumbranad. Other prominent temples are at Ramanthali, Nileshwar, Kottakkal, Nilambur, Karaparamba and various places in Kannur district and Kasargod district. He is the family deity of the Rajas of Chirakkal, Nileshwar, Kottakkal, Nilambur Kovilakam, Kalathil Kartha’s, Aluva, Amarambalam Kovilakam and Randu Illam Vargam Nambiars. Those families among the nobility of Malabar who have Vettakkorumakan as their family deity are connected in one way or other incidentally to either Balussery Fort or Kurumbranad.Later he moved to Kottanachery temple in Vellur, Payyanur in North Malabar. A special type of firecracker called “Kathina” was his favourite.

Aerial view of the temple…

The deity inside….

the white colour-leaves neem tree and the devi inside….

1. Dr. V. Preethi[5],  – “Two specific forms of Māriamman in Tamil Nadu” – Neem Tree with white colored leaves is considered as Amman and worshipped by the people to get the desired from the deity. Thiruvavaduthurai is located next to Kutthalam in Mayiladuthurai district which is famous for the ancient White Vampu Mariamman temple. This temple is also considered as guardian and family deity of the people of the region. Also, it is believed by the devotees that the goddess would give the desired boon to the devotees, if they repent and surrender to her totally. She went on to claim that the temple was 2000 years old and so on. She relies upon what the Pujari said about the antiquity of the temple. Though faith is different from historicity and historical evidence, it is better that researchers verify the facts and present papers.

1. Dr. V. Sandhiyalakshmi[6] – “Navagrahā in Icons” – she pointed out that the Indians copied the concept of grihas from the Greeks. From the beginning of the 6^th cent.CE onwards, the iconographic innovation arose and developed. The concept days, weeks, the deities of presiding over days and weeks and related astronomical aspects are confused with the astrology. The seven-day week was known in India by the 6th century, referenced in the Pañcasiddhāntikā. The Garga Samhita, dated to 1^st century BCE or CE, as a possible earlier reference to a seven-day week in India. Of course, there are works Surya Siddhanta and Vedanga Jyotisha (dated to c.1250 BCE). She could not date the “Navagruhas” or the astronomical background of the “Navagruhas”. Though, she was referring to Rig Veda and other astronomical works, she did not mention Surya Siddhanta and Vedanga Jyotisha (dated to c.1350 BCE).

oppo_0

29-03-2024 4 to 5 pm: On 29-03-2024 afternoon, after lunch, Technical Session – V was held at the Main Hall in parallel and chaired by Dr. T. Satyamurthy , Former Director of Archaeology, Kerala and the following papers were presented:

T. Sathyamurthy chaired the session

1. Mr. Sohom Banerjee[7] “Panchananda: A lesser-known Minor Deity of Bengal”
2. Mr. Sanjay S[8] – “Guardian of the Sacred: Understanding the Role of Bhairava as Ksetrapala in South Indian Temples from 10th to 13th century C.E.” – Kṣetrapāla (क्षेत्रपाल).—Kṣetrapāla is consecrated on the South East corner of the temple, for protecting the villages and cities. This is a large image with three eyes. There are figures which are Sāttvika, Rājasa and Tāmasa (having the attributes goodness, ostentatiousness and sloth)[9]. In some places figures having two or four or eight hands are seen. It is presumed that this deity is a portion of Śiva. It is stated in Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 51 that Kṣetrapālas should be figures having trident in the hand. Bhairava is often quite directly the ‘Kshetrapala’ – the Protector (‘Pala’) of the Space or Place (‘Kshetra’) – that is hailed to do exactly this for many a Temple. Indeed, one reads of the Bhairava Murti being directly entrusted with the keys to the Temple and the Night’s solemn vigil after all others have gone home. In Varanasi, There, Bhairava is hailed as the ‘Kotwal’ (‘Castellan’ – although interestingly also translated as ‘Chief of Police’) ; something taken rather literally as applies the police station immediately near to Bhairava’s main Mandir within the city, where the physical position of station commandant is, quite literally, held by a depiction of Bhairava.
3. Dr. J. Sumathi[10]  – “The worship of the nine river deities in Mahamaham festival”
4. Mrs. N. Ushadevi[11] – “Representation of Dasa-Maha-Vidya in Madhubani painting”
5.  Dr. Sivakumar Challa[12]  – “The Legends, Rituals and Worship of Minor Hindu Deities in the Combined Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh”

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

30-03-2024.

Sanjay presenting paper

Sanjay prsenting paper audience…

Sanjay presentig paper – audience – LHS

---

[1] Abstracts, sl.no. 2; p.8.

[2] Abstracts, sl.no. 8; p.18.

[3] Abstracts, sl.no. 9; p.20.

[4] Abstracts, sl.no. 10; p.21.

[5] Abstracts, sl.no. 21; p.37.

[6] Abstracts, sl.no. 25; p.42.

[7] Abstracts, sl.no. 30; p.48.

[8] Abstracts, sl.no. 26; p.43.

[9]  Kṣetrapāla (क्षेत्रपाल) – https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kshetrapala

[10] Abstracts, sl.no. 31; p.50.

[11] Abstracts, sl.no. 32; p.51.

[12] Abstracts, sl.no. 27; p.44

Chronology of India – Proceedings of the two day National seminar held at Bangalore on February 18th and 19th 2019 [4]

Chronology of  India – Proceedings of the two day National seminar held at Bangalore on February 18^th and 19^th 2019 [4]

M. A. Narasimhan on “Chronology of Astronomy in India.”

Narasimhan’s disposition on Indian astronomy: On the second day, parallel sessions were held and thus, the paper presenters were divided in to two groups. Venkat Rao M. Palati, Davanagere University chaired the session “Chronology of Astronomy in India.” M. A. Narasimhan[1] on Narasimhan delved upon Indian astronomy. As I have listened to him many times in the last 35 years in different ABISY and BISS seminars, I could not find anything new in his speech. Jayashree spoke on the importance of Sankalpa. He has engaged in “Extracting Historical, Geographical, Chronological and Scientific data from the eighteen Puranas[2]. This work has been commissioned by Akhila Bharateeya Itihasa Sankalana Yojana” and working on “A study of “Supasastra in Indian Tradition” with the assistance of the Indian National Science Academy, Delhi. This is a study of the food habits of India as prescribed in the traditional texts, along with their nutritive values”, sanctioned by Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi. When the question of application of astronomical tables, planetary software etc., for the determination of dates of Rama, Krishna etc., he cautioned that might not give correct dates, as the data applied to software have been cyclic nature and any event could be supposedly occurred on a date, according to the chosen position of the planets, asterism and related data.

The Ganges Valley rice is dated to 9000 BCE: I went to other session, as my paper was there. I presented my paper, “Dating Indian seeds and its bearing on Historical chronology” with PPT. The important points were as follows:

1. The recent archaeological evidences of Ganges have proved that the antiquity of rice in India goes back to 6^th and 5^th millennium BCE. Latest studies from 2016 dated rice fields back to China’s Yangtze valley 8,400 years ago, but, now Indian rice is dated to 9,250 years ago, thus, rice cultivation in India started some 7,250 BCE.
2. The paleobotanical research reports have revealed that certain cultivated varieties of plants, trees and herbs, which are mentioned in Vedas and Epics, have existed in India continuously for more than 8000-10000 years.
3. Remains of cultivated rice, wheat and barley have been found belonging to 7000 BC; melon seeds, lemon leaf, pomegranate, coconut and date palm etc relating to 4000 BCE; lentils, millets and peas etc from 3000 BCE; use of reetha, anwla and shikkakai for making shampoo since 2500 BCE.
4. The latest archaeological excavations have revealed large volume of new data which has proved the indigenous origin and development of civilisation in the Indian Subcontinent since 7000 BC.
5. Some examples are: Lahuradeva, Jhusi, Tokwa and Hetapatti in Ganga Valley in the east; Mehrgarh, Kot Diji and Nausharo in Indus valley in the northwest; Lothal and Dholavira in the west.
6. The material testimonies of these excavations have shown gradual cultural developments from the 7th-6th millennium BC in the entire region of Indus Saraswati-Ganga system for a period of almost eight thousand years.

Rakesh Tewari’s finding of rice dated to 9000 BCE.

B. Thakur fixes date of rice to 7000 BCE based on diatom…..

My conclusion………………………….

all dates have to be correlated, collaborated and corresponded……………………

Effect of second day parallel session conducted on 19^th February: One paper presenter simply read the no.of kings of southern Indian dynasties of Vijayanagar and their feudatories. Here, also, nothing new was pointed out, as he was listing out the kings and their dates / years. R. Kavitha’s paper on the Cholas had been interesting, as she was narrating with inscriptions of the Cholas in Kannada. Again, there was a paper on the forts of Karnataka. Last paper “Iraiyanar Agapporul chronology” was interesting, as that was the only paper touched upon chronology based on the ancient Tamil literature, otherwise known as Sangam literature. Of course, the text “Iraiyanar agapporul” is dated to medieval period. However, the point is that during the medieval period, the tradition that some parts of the ancient Tamilagam were submerged due to natural disaster is proven.

When Nagarajan from Chennai  presented his paper on “Iraiyanar Agapporul Chronology”, only two persons were there – the session chair-person and myself  [K. V. Ramakrishna Rao]

Unfortunately, when he was reading his paper, other paper presenters had already gone! In other words, about 15 paper presents came there to present papers, and the moment his / her paper was over, they went away, thus, only two were present at the time of last paper presenter. This was really sad and perhaps, unbecoming for researchers, as they did not want to listen to others. Moreover, they just presented papers and walked away. It is ironical that such incidences happened even during the seminar conducted by BISS.

Sanskrit expert presenting paper in Sanskrit without caring for Indian map……………….

The paper presenter, who presented paper on Rajatarangini did not bother to use correct map for his PPT, though, the period was medieval!

19-02-2019 – technical session after lunch: After lunch, in the main hall, two papers were presented in Sanskrit[3]. One went on reading what the Sanskrit literature tells about the Indian medicinal system, but, without giving any evidences. He was repeating the stuff that was already available in many books and research papers. Therefore, I pointed out the existence of dental surgery in the IVC and trepanation carried out by the megalith period Indians at Kashmir, Andaman Nicobar islands etc. The other person presented a paper on Rajatarangini in Sanskrit, but, nothing new. When asked why the RT Asoka was Jain and Kalhana gives two dates for Mahabharata, he could not answer. Ironically, he was showing the truncated map of Kashmir [Kashmir occupied by Pakistan and China etc.,] for the medieval period. In other words, the paper presenters have been so enthusiastic, to show some pictures in their PPT, instead of  carefulness in choosing a picture in the context. Again, there was a paper on the forts of Southern Karnataka.

Valedictory, prayer

Valedictory, Balamukund speaking in Hindi. He was mentioning my examples of antiquity of rice, dental surgery, trepanation etc…..

Valedictory function, Balamukund speaking in Hindi – another view

Valedictory function, Balamukund speaking in Hindi – another view from back

Valedictory function, audience view -RHS

Valedictory function, audience view -LHS

Valedictory function, audience another view -LHS

Valedictory function, audience another view -RHS

Valedictory function, students – audience -RHS

Valedictory, audience-LHS.further. students

Valedictory function: Balamukund Pandey in his concluding remarks used my paper details and responses, as he started with the “dating seeds of Ganges valley civilization”! Trepanation as pointed out by me, was mentioned as “brain surgery”.  As he had to catch his flight, he went away. Dr.Tejaswini Anantkumar, Trustee of Adamya Chetana, an NGO serving food for about 1.5lakhs students daily, spoke on the occasion of valedictory function. Her speech had been so feministic / womanistic, as she pointed out that what women should wear or should not be worn cannot be decided by others. She claimed that “Mangalasutra” also need not be worn by women, as it was introduced during the Mohammed period[4]. Similarly, the practices of bindi etc., could have been introduced. Ms M. B. Nagaveni, Director, Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College, lamented that she also thought that “history was a boring subject….” She just then only knew about the existence of “Saraswati river civilization” before IVC.  Germans have donated scanner etc., to Melkote research institute[5]. Buddhism was a great religion, again it could become great, if all other religions disappear. With a vote of thanks, the seminar was concluded. Definitely, the speeches of Tejaswini Anantkumar and Nagamani were seurprising, as definitely, they have aired their views that were not factual.

History subject should be revised and updated: As pointed out above, I have been attending seminars, conferences, workshops etc., conducted by ABHSY and BISS since 1985, and I could note that most of the paper presenters and speakers repeat again and again, what they already presented of spoken at earlier proceedings. In fact, I hae also been connected with the three conferences / seminars conducted in Chennai and Kanyakumari. Though, they have been taking data and information from the books of Krishnanmari, T.S. Narayana Sastri, D. S. Triveda, Kota Venkatachalam, books published by N. Mahalingam Institute[6], etc. Therefore, even during 25-30 years, it is surprising and intriguing that they could not find or discover anything or interpret something new from what they already presented / prepared. Researchers should update their data, information and interpretations, so that the research also should be updated to suit the context. Otherwise, why the history subject, syllabus and programmes have not been changed, updated and revised cannot be questioned. As there has been chronological disputes in Indian history, definitely, they have to be sorted out and corrected. As Indian historical writings and historiography has been subjected to ideology with linguistic, racial ethnic, and other bias, prejudice and preconceived notions, the updation has to be done at different levels[7]. The Government should take action to revise and update the syllabus at school, college, University and other academic levels.

S. R. Rama Murthy sitting with Kotresh and T. V. Rangarajan

I started discussing with him about his stand taken on Rama, Krishna etc., and as well as on “Jesus in Kashmir” myth……….

T. V. Rangarajan came near to us, evidently, to know what we discussed…..

However, after listening to, he moved away with “Namaskar”!

The students took group photo with VIPs after the valedictory function

The students took group photo with VIPs after the valedictory function – another view

The students took group photo with VIPs after the valedictory function – another view

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

27-02-2019

[1] Sri M A Narasimhan, 384 Krishna Vilas Road, Mysore 570024, as per the INSA website. http://www.insaindia.res.in/compro04.php

[2] Incidentally, this also appears to be repetitive, as there have been many books and research papers in this context. Actually, the critical editions of the Puranas are required instead of relying upon the Puranic data, as such data was added much during the medieval period. Moreover, the spurious Puranas have to be excluded.

[3] Krishnamurthy of “Bharata Jeeva Tarangi” told that his lecture was directed to the students, how then, these Sanskrit papers read would reach them was not known.

[4] Incidentally, Sanga literatre itself have enugh evdnces to prove that such ornament, known as “Tali” was there during the Sangam period c.500/300 BCE to 100 CE.

[5] BISS conducted an Agama seminar here with the Triplicane Jeeyar and Thathacharya of the Institute.

[6] International Institute for the Study of Ancient Civilizations, 31, Poes Garden, Chennai – 600 086. Then shifted to 102, Mount Road, Chennai – 600 042.

[7] Irrespective of the efforts of BISS, the bias and dominance of other ideological and ideologized histories could not be effectively countered, as could be noted from last 40 years.