Sermons in Stones

D. Ramakrishna

Culture means art, literature, music and other intellectual expressions of a particular society. It’s a way of life, an attitude to life. It’s dynamic, it changes with changing times, within the same country and the same region. In India, there are several languages and cultures. The Indian culture is one of the most ancient in the world. But it has undergone profound changes over the centuries with migrations from other countries, foreign invasions as well as the modern Western cultural impact. And the complexity of Indian culture is reflected in the contemporary Indian life and literature.

In any society, with the passage of time, men and manners undergo change, sometimes drastically. But there are certain eternal varities constituting continuities in the culture of a society.

A visit to the Ramappa temple near Warangal, a monument of Hindu culture, is indeed a journey into the world of art. There are lessons to be learnt from the sculpture there, and by comparison, see what’s happening today, to distinguish reality from illusion. Such a journey into the past gives spiritual solace to the present generation rocked by violence and uncertainties. More important than our classroom lectures are the sermons in stones at Ramappa, embodying the holistic vision of the ruler of those times, King Ganapati Deva.

Ramappa, called “the brightest star in the galaxy of medieval temples of the Deccan,” shouldn’t be taken as merely a tourist resort for eating, drinking and merry-making, desecrating the holy place. Mere sight-seeing might mean undermining the preeminence of a rare synthesis of art and spirituality.

The Ramappa temple was constructed during the golden era of Kakatiya rule, 1159 to1261 AD. when Ganapathi Deva was the King. The construction by the sculptor Ramappa took 23 years from 1213 AD The sculptor was tortured for being pro-Jain in a predominantly Veera Saiva climate. During those days, many Jains were killed by Veera Saivaites and Kakatiyas were primarily Veera Saivaite. However, King Ganapathi Deva regretted and named not only the temple but also the lake after the great sculptor. The Kakatiya sculpture is a blend of the styles of Western Chalukyas and Hoyasalas. And their culture was basically religious, being a synthesis of Shaivaite and Vaishnavaite tradition of Hinduism. The walls and ceiling as well as the pillars of the temple are profusely decorated with figurines of gods and goddesses, warriors and damsels, musicians and danseuses in multiple poses.

Ramappa temple precincts are unique in that the beauty here is three-dimensional—natural, human and divine. In this sculpture, Ramappa and his assistants created highest beauty.

What’s really great about this temple is its beauty and sanctity as a monument of Hindu culture which survived the vandalism by Muslims towards the end of the Kakatiya rule and subsequently; it has also survived the Nizam rule, despite some damage.

The Ramappa temple was consecrated to Lord Ramalingeshwara (Shiva). In the sanctum sanctorum stands a tall Linga on a pedestal. Encircling the Linga and providing shade to it with the hood is the serpent-god Nagendra made of panchaloha. A peculiar luminosity could be seen about the Linga.

Outside the sanctum sanctorum and facing the Linga is the Lord’s carrier Nandi, made of black basalt, in the sitting posture. Exquisitely shining, the Nandi would at once draw attention of the visitors. The forehead, horns, the back as well as legs are profusely decorated. The smallest items of ornamentation, like the tiny bells and garlands of beeds are finely chiseled. Even the knotted ropes around the body are distinctly wrought. Beautifully sculpted, the Nandi looks natural and awe-inspiring. It would appear to be looking at the visitors from whatever angle they looked at it, the eyes appearing to be moving, and the dangling little bells around the neck jingling as it were.

The sculpture on the ceiling and walls of the temple reveal a whole world of Puranic stories. There are scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharata. On one side is Sita looking at the golden deer, and Aswamedha Yaga by Rama, letting off the horse. On another side is Satyabhama with a bow and arrow in her hand and destroying the demon Naraka. On the western side pillar the scene of the churning of the milky ocean by the angles and the demons is chiseled turning the Meru hill with the serpent Vasuki as the rope. At another place is the slaying of Gajasura by Lord Vishnu and the exhilarating dance of Siva. On the front door of the sanctum sanctorum is the sculpture of Goddess Parvati’s marriage with Lord Siva.

The danseuses and the accompanying bearers of musical instruments like Mrudanga look life-like. With graceful bodies and beauty in their faces and limbs, the danseuses are charming. Every small detail of the figures, like lines on their foreheads, vermillion marks on their eyes, and the thin ropes tied to the Mrudanga carried by the women, are finely etched. Supporting the ecstatic dance of a drum-beating tribal danseuse, there are two damsels producing rhythmic sounds by clapping two small ornamental wooden pieces in their hands. These figures remind us of the words of Keats, ‘Heard music is sweet, but those unheard is sweeter’.

A damsel chiseled at the first door to the sanctum sanctorum stands gracing under a row of figurines of danseuses holding a small pillar. When gently rapped the small pillar produces seven musical notes, Ã sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, da, ni, s. This is a marvel bridging the imagined and the real worlds of music. The breeze from the fields around and the lake with gurgling waters adds a new dimension to the musicality of the environment. On the right side of the temple’s main door there are rows of danseuses in Bharatanatyam pose. On the left side is a graceful damsel in a dance pose. As her saree is pulled by a monkey, the damsel looks angrily at the monkey, holding the folds of the saree and driving the animal away. The bracket figurines are said to be illustrations of the descriptions in Nrutta Ratnavali, a treatise on dance written by the Kaktiya Commander Jayappa Senani in 1253-54 A.D. There’s, however, a more recent theory a bout three bracket figurines. The influence of a specific school of dance codified by Virabhallata or Srungara Sekhara and developed in the Kaktiya Court is said to be manifest in Ramappa sculpture. Someswara, the King of Kalyan, described in his book Mansasollasa way back in 1131 AD a tribal dance from Bhillee Maharashtra called ‘Gondli’or Gondali’ On close scrutiny, we notice in the bracket figurines, the physiognomy of the danseuses, with their unusually long legs and hands, would be alien to the Telugus. The veils on some of the figurines would show external beauty of figure with slender waist, ornaments on hands legs and a finely wrought necklace, polished and ining.

To the right of the eastern door could be seen the figurine of a tribal woman with a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. A thorn that got into her foot as she started for hunting is being removed by an attendant.

On the left side is the figurine of a naked Nagini standing erect and holding serpents with both the hands. Even after eight centuries, the shining Nagini has remained intact with graceful limbs and luminous face. The eyes of the danseuses shine like lotuses. With a profuse bust and a slender curvy waist, she looks as though moving gracefully like the hood of a snake. Her long and slender legs and hands add to the beauty of her movement.

By the side of the exquisitely brilliant figurine of Nagini is the forest deity with a torch in her hand, dispelling the darkness of the forest around.

Yet another famous figurine is that of a danseuse performing Perini dance. Described in Jayappa’s Nrutta Ratnavali, this dance form originated during the Kaktiya rule. Primarily a difficult dance form expressing valour and performed by men, Perini was prevalent during those days of widespread Saiva faith. It was performed by sects like Mahesas, Mailaredevas, Veeras and Pasupatis to invoke Lord Siva. It is basically martial in spirit, intended to excite the soldiers with the war cry “Hara Hara Mahadeva” before going to the battlefield. This difficult male dance was conductive to promoting the muscular strength of men engaged in war.

Side by side with the icons of dance, music, and beauty of the female form in the sculpture of Ramappa temple is the martial spirit, which constituted a major aspect of the Kaktiya life of those times.

In addition to rows of wrestlers on the walls around the temple are rows of elephants ready to advance on the battlefield.

To the right of the front door of the sanctum sanctorum is a royal couple. The youthful King is in war attire. The queen is putting in his hands a sword and sending him off to the battlefield.

The martial spirit is a significant aspect of the Ramappa sculpture. The Kakatiyas immortalised their valour through art here. Physical prowess and spirituality go together.

The Kakatiyas fought wars to expand their kingdom and brought prosperity to the people. A warrior race, they were also deeply religious. Their spirituality and love of art was coupled with concern for the welfare of their subjects. Close to the temple is the lake irrigating thousands of acres of land around, providing food for people not only in those times but also today. On those temple walls and ceiling, icons of spirituality are juxtaposed with those of martial spirit. One great lesson that the present generation shall learn from the Ramappa sculpture is that with a spiritual outlook one could win the battle of life.

Over the centuries, the temple precincts here have stood as a testimony to the fact that life is for enjoyment, not for destruction. Art or silpa is meant to help a person to culture himself, as stated in one of the Hindu scriptures.

The bracket figurines depicting tribal dances have physical features of the North, different from those of the Telugus. Obviously, several of Ramappa’s assistants hailed from far-off places. In King Ganapati Deva’s court, literature greatly flourished. There was not only Palkuriki Somanatha, but also Tikkana Somayaji. Tikkana wrote a major part of his famous ‘Mahabharatham’ while in Ganapati Deva’s court.

The temple abounds in architectural glory. On one side of a pillar is the scene of the Gopikas bathing in the river, the naughty Krishna stealing their clothes from the riverbank, and the Gopikas entreating him to return the clothes.

Around the pillars and walls are delicate creepers and tiny flowers exquisitely wrought. On the right side of the main entrance to the temple there is the figurine of Vasanta Kanya standing under a canopy of creepers and flowers gently moving with the breeze. As the flowers drop one by one and their fragrance spreads around, the maiden stands longing for her lover. A female attendant gives her a goblet of wine, describing the handsome features of the damsel’s lover.

There is a lake, also named after the sculptor Ramappa, constructed along with the temple during King Ganapathi Deva’s reign. Situated between the two hillocks, with about a kilometer mud wall and about 30 feet deep, it irrigates thousands of acres of land. A visit to Ramappa temple is an exhilarating experience which speaks of the great Kakatiya culture that was prevalent eight hundred years ago.

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