Marg for Meghadutam: A Route-Map for Cloud Messenger

 

Marg for Meghadutam:

A Route-Map for Cloud Messenger

In Kalidasa’s Meghadutam, the Yaksha beseeches: O Megh, go to Alaka, but

‘Listen first,

while I describe the way

fitting for your journey which you will follow

resting your foot on mountains when weary,

refreshed when wasted by the clear water of the streams..’

Why did the Yaksha suggest a spectacular and scenic but circuitous route for the Cloud Messenger? Clouds have been navigating the skies since times immemorial, and know their route like the back of their palm; so why do they need the yaksha’s guidance and a map?

Banished from Alakapuri to earth to suffer a year of separation from his wife, the yaksha had travelled a bit, been charmed by the beauteous earth, and was eager to share his joy with the cloud messenger, it seems.

From Ramgiri, head north, tells the yaksha. Why did Kuber dump the cursed yaksha at Ramgiri, identified with Ramtek which is 50 kms north-east of Nagpur?  Was he exiled there to suffer in a mountain as forlorn as Mount Kailash was fabulous. Of course, Ramgiri had been sanctified by Ram’s brief exile here, and the yaksha’s penance in this holy place might have earned him enough merit to return to Alaka to take up his lost position in Kuber’s court.

Instead of Ramgiri, had Kalidasa placed the yaksha at Kerala’s Anamudi (Elephant Head) mountain, the Everest of South India, at a height of 2695 mtrs; the yaksha would have described to the cloud messenger the beauty and majesty of Kaveri, Krishna, Godavari, and Mahanadi, too. Maybe, Kalidasa was not very familiar with the territory to the south of the Vindhyas.

Were the clouds to soar high up in the sky and speed north to Alaka like an arrow, how monotonous that would be. Kalidasa draws up a list of ‘must-visit places’ – the picturesque hills and mountains, the beautiful rivers, the fabulous cities, shrines, and hoary lands.

The mountains – the Vindhya ranges, the Mekhala (mekhala is an ornament – a waist girdle for women, and refers here to the Maikal mountains), Ramgiri (Ramtek), Chitrakuta, Amrakuta (Amarkantak), Nichai hills (the low hills near Vidisha), Kanakhala hills (near Rishikesh where Ganga descends to the plains), Gangotri, Krauncha Pass (the Himalayan Pass used by migratory birds), Mount Kailasa, and Alaka.

The rivers – Narmada, Vetravati (Betwa), Sindhu (Kali Sindh), Nirvindhya (Newaj), Shipra, Gandhavati, Gambhira, Charmanavati (Chambal), Yamuna, Sarasvati, Ganga; the Manasa-lake. Alas, Gandhavati and Sarasvati have vanished, and Mount Kailasa and Manasa-lake are now in Tibet!

The fabled cities – Dasarnas (area around modern Bhopal), Vidisha, Avanti (one of the three most powerful ancient kingdoms, the other two being Magadha and Vatsa), Ujjayini, Dasapura (Mandsaur), Brahmavarta (the Indo-Gangetic plains, home of the early Vedic people), Kurukshetra (the battleground of Mahabharata); Alaka (the seat of Kuber, Digpal or custodian of the North).

The shrines at Ujjayini -  Chandesvara or Mahakal, Bhavani; Skanda on Devagiri; Shiva on Mount Kailasa.

That is an amazingly vivid description of the physical geography, and the mythical, historical, and political map of central and north India and Tibet in Kalidasa’s times.

Kalidasa was one of the navaratnas (nine gems) in the court of Vikramaditya, most likely born in Ujjayini or deeply in love with the city where he worked, loved, and lived. His audience in the king’s court would be familiar with the rich references to places of significant importance in the Meghadutam.

Kalidasa may not have travelled to all the places mentioned in this poem, but he may have heard about those fascinating places from traders and travellers, or may have read about these wonderful places. He was deeply in love with Bharatavarsha, his motherland, and he pays a rich tribute to her fascinating treasures.

Meghadutam is among the finest Sanskrit kavyas, and an excellent travel-guide to explore and enjoy the amazing beauty of our country, ‘a brilliant piece of Paradise come down to earth.’

~~~

Kalidasa’s vivid descriptions: a few samples

Narmada

You will see ‘Reva’s streams spreading dishevelled at Vindhya’s holy feet rugged, rock-strewn,’ and ‘peak after peak fragrant with wild jasmine.’

Vidisha

‘At that royal city, Vidisha by name widely renowned, you shall … (be) tasting Vetravati’s sweet waters as a lover his beloved’s lips.’

Ujjayini

The ‘way to Ujjayini is a detour no doubt; but do not therefore turn away from a visit to her palace-terraces..’,

‘Indeed, you would have lived in vain

if you do not dally there

with the tremulous eyes of the city’s beautiful women

that dart in alarm at the branched lightning’s flashes.’

You will be dazzled by Ujjayini ‘glowing in splendour like a brilliant piece of Paradise come down to earth.’

Mahakal on the bank of Gandhavati

At Ujjayini, you will see the holy shrine of Chandesvara,

‘its garden stirred by Gandhavati’s breezes

scented with the pollen of blue-lotuses

and fragrances wafted from unguents

used by young women sporting in the waters.’

Himalayan Forest-fire

After you reach Gangotri,

‘If a forest-fire born of cedar branches

clashing in the blowing wind

should assail the mountain, and its fiery sparks

scorch the bushy tails of yaks,

pray quench it fully with a thousand sharp showers.

The riches of the great are best employed

to ease the miseries of the distressed.’

Way to Our Home

Once you reach Alaka, this is how you will spot our home:

‘There, to the north of the palaces

of the Lord of Treasures stands our home

recognizable from afar by its arched gateway

beautiful as the rainbow

close by grows a young Mandara tree

nurtured by my love like a son and now bending

with clusters of blossoms

within reach of her hand.’

Also note ‘the beautifully-drawn forms of lotus and conch on the sides of the door, you will know the mansion..’

My Beautiful Beloved

‘There you will see her, in the springtime of youth, slender,

her teeth jasmine-buds, her lips ripe bimba-fruit,

slim-waisted, with deep navel

and the tremulous eyes of a startled doe,

moving languidly from the weight of her hips,

her body bowed down a little by her breasts

-Ah! The Creator’s master-work among women,’

though she would appear ‘like a lotus-plant struck by the chilling hoar-frost,’ or ‘the miserable moon stricken pale when shadowed by you.’

Acknowledgement

All quotes are from:

Meghadutam, The Complete Works of Kalidasa, Volume One- Poems, Translated by Chandra Rajan, Sahitya Akademi, First Edition – 1997

***

 Comments

T.C.A. Raghavan

Dr T.C.A. Raghavan, Former Indian High Commissioner to Singapore and Pakistan; and author of Attendant Lords and The People Next Door grew up in Madhya Pradesh where his father served as a Civil Servant:

"Dear Prassana, Many thanks. Why dont you organize a short Kalidasa tour this winter- Ujjain, Vidisha, Mandsaur, Udaigiri?  Would love to participate. Raghavan"

Thanks, Dear Raghavan. I have requested Sheo Shekhar Shukla, PS, Tourism to curate a 'Kalidasa Scenic Tour', one during the rains, and the other in winter.

P.G. Mankad, an esteemed senior colleague

The first time I had read the summary of this incredible book- poem - literary gem,  ages ago, what did strike me even then the most was this amazing ‘ mapping ‘. No Survey of India Maps, no possibility of getting aerial views ( vihangam drashya, ) no gps of course, and yet, what a combination of accuracy, imagination, and descriptive prowess ! 

Trivia - my maternal grandfather’s  house in Rajkot, built I think in the early  Sixties (when he finally retired after first the service in Princely States and then in the IAS in Saurashtra and Undivided Bombay Province before Maharashtra and Gujarat were created ) was named Megh Doot. Finally sold off about four five years back as only a spinster cousin of mine remained as an occupant .

Kedar C. Rout, a colleague and a dear friend

Meghadutam is classified as Sandeshkavya (messenger poem). Kalidas's grasp of India's  geography (rivers, forests, flora and fauna.. that you also get in Ritusamharam) was simply astonishing. The point to be noted: when Europe was already sunk into the dark age (blame it on Christianity),  our poets were composing erotic and naturalistic poems... leave aside rich discourses on epistemology,  metaphysics and ethics.

Look at the elegance where he describes his beloved's ( she is unnamed... I wonder why?) both physique and feelings...!!

M.M. Upadhyay

जहां हर शब्द में कविता है,अगर उसे ग्रंथ को आपको खोजना है तो कालिदास को पढ़ना अनिवार्य होगा । कालिदास ने प्रकृति और श्रृंगार का इतना सुंदर वर्णन किया है कि आप हैरान हो जाएंगे कि कैसे कोई व्यक्ति अपने सीमित जीवन काल में आज से 2000 साल पहले की भौगोलिक स्थिति , भारतवर्ष के दर्शनीय स्थान को इतनी सुंदर और आकर्षक शैली  में वर्णन कर सकता है । कालिदास के साहित्य और नाटकों में जो स्थान का वर्णन है उनमें से कुछ स्थानों पर हमें और आपको रहने का सौभाग्य मिला है।

 निश्चित रूप से आज से 2000 वर्ष पूर्व  विक्रम आदित्य के समय में यह कितने दुर्गम वन रहे होंगे जो अपनी प्राकृतिक सुंदरता से परिपूर्ण थे।

 निश्चित रूप में किसी भी रसिक प्रवृत्ति के व्यक्ति में कविता या नाटक का उमड़ जाना स्वाभाविक है।

 कालिदास की यादें अपने पुन: जागृत कर दी।

आपको बधाई इस सुंदर ब्लॉग के लिए।

K.M. Acharya

K.M. Acharya, an esteemed senior colleague shared this gem - Baba Nagarjuna's address to Mahakavi Kalidasa:

मेघदूत [महाकवि कालिदास ] _________

रोया यक्ष कि तुम रोये थे ?

““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““

“वर्षा ऋतु की स्निग्ध भूमिका

प्रथमदिवस आषाढ-मास का

देख गगन में श्याम घनघटा

विधुर यक्ष का मन जब उचटा

खडे-खडे तब हाथ जोड़कर

चित्रकूट के सुभग शिखर पर

उस बेचारे ने भेजा था,

जिनके ही द्वारा संदेशा

उन पुष्करावर्त मेघों का

साथी बन कर उड़ने वाले

कालिदास ! सच सच बतलाना

पर-पीडा से पूर-पूर हो

थक-थक कर और चूर-चूर हो

अमल-धवल गिरि के शिखरों पर

प्रियवर ! तुम कब तक सोये थे ?

रोया यक्ष कि तुम रोये थे ?

कालिदास सच-सच बतलाना !

…….बाबा नागार्जुन

Professor Malashri Lal, Academician & Author

Hello Prasanna, in your essay, for the first time,   the physical and sacred geography of Meghadutam merges. A Kalidas / Meghdutam tour is a superb  idea from one of your readers. At least an illustrated talk on YouTube with maps  and photos can be done by you quite easily. Warm regards. Malashri

My reply

Thanks for your suggestion, Malashri. Read Meghadutam once again and marvelled at the poet's amazing knowledge of botany and zoology, too. Regards.

 

 

Monsoon’s Magical Melodies

Monsoon has a myriad moods and melodies, effortlessly traversing the vast distance from nursery rhymes to kurals to kavyas to megh malhar to kajris to Bollywood songs.

Years ago, a nursery rhyme for our KG students sang: Rain, Rain, go to Spain; Don’t show your face again. Kids in chilly, smoggy, drizzle-drenched London might hate rain; but in our country they break into euphoric dance at the onset of the monsoon, and so appetising is petrichor, the heady aroma of wet earth that many kids are tempted to lick it when mother is not watching, like Krishna did much to Yashoda’s exasperation. I hope NEP (National Education Policy) might now have dropped the nursery rhyme more apt for English weather, and introduced one imbued with Bharatiya sanskruti; something like kale barshatu parjanyah: may the rains shower their timely blessings.

O Megh, Heavenly Visitor!

O Megh, today, on आषाढस्य  प्रशमदिवसे[i]:

ashadhasya prashama divase – the auspicious final day of Ashadha, I welcome you with a handful of red-and-white fragrant madhukamini, snow-white jasmine, chandni, yellow kaner, and white champas with a yellow navel (ignore the clue-less angrez who call this holy flower offered to our gods the ‘Singapore Graveyard flower’). All your creations - tera tujhko sounpta – with reverence.

Look, how the trees - neem, kachnar, saptaparni, chirol, peepal, amla, bael - dance like dervishes drenched in divinity. Soft, green shoots of grass wearing tiny white, pink, yellow, and violet flowers carpet the earth to caress the tender feet of your rain-drops. Countless butterflies – white, cream, yellow, black, striped, orange, and maroon – dance merrily making ever-shifting mobile festoons for your welcome.

Listen, the cuckoos lead the concert of birds - magpies, drongoes, purple sunbirds, doves, pigeons, and others – playing their much-rehearsed welcome songs, and squirrels, frogs, and jhingur also join the chorus. Enjoy their soothing song at dawn before the cacophony of human noise drowns it. Ignore those loud-speakers screaming prayers to competing gods; you know well that a silent but sincere prayer reaches the true god that makes better humans.

How thoughtful of you to extend your cool feet all the way from the skies for me to touch and salute, O Megh, Carrier of Water, the nectar of life. Thank you for the oh-so-comfortable floating water-bed in my mother’s womb; but for that primal water, I won’t be here at all.

O Megh, now that humans rush about like breathless Blinkit delivery ‘partners’ to finish a million tasks and meet impossible deadlines; it may be apt to welcome you with a few humble kurals, with apologies to Tiruvalluvar:

 

Rain, Heaven’s Free Nectar;

Consume with CARE!

 

Rain, Life of Life;

Without, only strife.

 

Blessing pours as rains;

Curse, when fails.

I am no yaksha banished by Kubera from majestic Alakapuri to forlorn Ramgiri to suffer a year’s separation from my beloved spouse, so I have no message for you to carry to distant Mount Kailash. But permit me to welcome you with a few words inspired by the great Kalidasa:

 

Instantly drowning all cacophony from below

The thunder-claps play their celestial music;

Contemptuously eclipsing the meagre man-made lights

Luminous lightning paints the sky in bold strokes;

Varsha ritu marches through this water-starved land

Hydrating all life with ambrosial drink.

 

O Megh, why does Ujjain no longer look like a ‘brilliant piece of Paradise come down to earth’? Why is Shipra so emaciated and sickly? Did Mahakal open His third eye to instantly evaporate Gandhavati[ii], the Fragrant Stream flowing at His feet, for some unpardonable transgression?

Why are Vindhya, Mekhala (Maikal), Satpura, Amarkantak, Chitrakut, and other hills and mountains tonsured? Did someone in their family die recently? Why are there gaping wounds in their bodies? Have they returned from some bloody war?

Kalidasa

Ritusamharam was possibly Kalidasa’s maiden kavya, a majestic depiction of the six ritus (seasons) of the Indian sub-continent.

The Hindu year begins with grishma, the summer season, and Chapter 1 (Prathama Sarga) deals with it. Chapter 2, Dvitiya Sarga deals with Prabrut Kala or Varsha ritu.

Here is Chandra Rajan’s masterly translation of Kalidasa’s opening and concluding stanzas portraying Varsha ritu[iii]:

“With streaming clouds trumpeting like haughty tuskers

With lightning-banners and drum beats of thunder claps,

In towering majesty, the season of rains

Welcome to lovers, now comes like a king, my love.”

The poet concludes Ritusamhara’s dvitiya sarga, his 28-stanza rain-song in anustubh chhanda with:

“A source of fascination to amorous women,

The constant friend to trees, shrubs and creepers,

The very life and breath of all living beings –

May this season of rains rich in these benedictions

Fully grant all desires accordant with your well-being.”

 

The Excellence of Rain: Tirukkural

Tirukkural, Tiruvalluvar’s seminal work, presents 1330 kurals or short, pithy couplets traditionally organised into three books.

Each kural is a pithy statement in just seven words – four in the first part and three in the second. It’s often an aphorism, the distilled wisdom of the community, but mostly capturing the contemplative essence of Tiruvalluvar’s own experience and wisdom. No wonder, he is venerated as a sage and a seer.

In Book I, after the opening ten kurals ‘In Praise of God,’ the next ten illustrate ‘The Excellence of Rain’. That’s how important water was even during Tiruvalluvar’s time.

Tiruvalluvar applauds rain as the heavenly nectar that nourishes all life; but eight out of these ten kurals brood on the severe distress that would ensue from lack of rain. Not man alone would suffer; the grass its seedbeds won’t grow; oxen herd would be sullen; even the vast ocean would decay.

“Even as Nature, without water goes pitifully a-begging, Man’s compass without rain loses its bearing.”[iv]

Saavan ke Geet

I made an oral farmaish to You Tube to play saavan ke geet, and of the several playlists it readily offered, I picked up one, and was delighted when it played my favourite - saavan ka mahina, pavan kare sor. This song from Milan (1967), filmed on Sunil Dutt and Nutan, sung by Lata and Mukesh, written by Anand Bakshi, and music composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal became an instant hit. Anand Bakshi’s talent for mellifluous lyrics had already been noted from his hit songs for Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965) which included the evergreen romantic song paradeshiyon se na ankhiyan milana filmed on the 27 year-old Shashi Kapoor, the ravishingly-handsome heart-throb of ladies young and old.

I had heard this song several times over the years; but now I listened to it, and read the lyrics to better appreciate the song. Being a Hindi-challenged Odia, I was stumped with the mukhda itself, and sought help from my dear friend Madan whose mother-tongue is Hindi, and he is a published poet.

‘Shor (शोर) means noise, and sor (सोर) is root; so why does Sunil Dutt teach Nutan the incorrect pronunciation?’ I asked.

 ‘शोर’ is correct, but the hero using the local dialect sings it as ‘सोर,’ he explained.

All these years, I was clueless about this basic distinction in pronunciation that illustrated the yawning difference in ‘class’ between Gopi, the rustic boatman and Radha, the elegant, suave, and educated daughter of a zamindar.

Reading the lyrics further, I stared at mauzuua; mauz is fun but what does mauzuua mean? The English translation of the song helped, and the Urdu Dictionary at Rekhta.org further clarified: it means waves. What cryptic message do the waves carry for us, asks the heroine? Where are you headed, asked the river? Tragically, the lover duo drowned when the boat capsized in an eddy.

Anand Bakshi was born in saavan on July 21, 1930 at Rawalpindi, and his family migrated to Delhi during the Partition. He had brief stints in the Navy and the Army before settling down at Bombay to write songs for Hindi films. Why did he write this song in a curious mix of Braj, Awadhi, and Brijbhasi dialects; to suit the character of the hero, a chora Ganga kinarewala, and a boatman for whom shor was sor and whose jiyara frolicked in vanma with the joyful abandon of a mor at the advent of saavan?

The lyrics include the traditional tropes for saavan songs –away at videshva is balam bairi whose sandeshva the most helpful purvaiya has brought for the pining beloved. Eastern UP and Bihar have been exporting their men-folk to distant lands since long; and the separation is most painful to both parties especially in saavan ka mahina.

Thus, this hit song was written by a poet born in Rawalpindi, raised in Delhi, and settled in Bombay using a medley of dialects – Brijbhasa, Avadhi, and Bhojpuri – with a few Urdu words (mouzuu, ishara, marzi) thrown in. Note the delightful turn of phrase in naiya sambhalo kit khoye ho khivaiya – Steady the boat, O Boatman; where are you lost? Ignore the ingredients, enjoy the superb flavour and taste, as millions have enjoyed and continue to enjoy (You Tube hits of more than 40 million!)

Further Readings

After reading this blog, Shri K.K. Chakravarty, an esteemed senior colleague, and a scholar recommended reading of Tagore’s essay on Meghduta. Found on archive.org a Hindi translation of Tagore’s seven essays on Prachin Sahitya, written in Bengali in 1907. ‘Hindi Granth Ratnakar’ of Bombay had published the Hindi translation in 1933, and the book was priced Nine Annas Only!

Loved Tagore’s essay on Meghduta. Hope to read the other essays soon.

Link for this book:

https://archive.org/details/SP8150PrachinSahityaByTagoreHindiTrnaslationHindiGranthaRatnakar/page/n7/mode/1up

 

Resources & References

1.   The Complete Works of Kalidasa, Volume One- Poems, Translated by Chandra Rajan, Sahitya Akademi, First Edition – 1997

2.   Sanskritdocuments.org for Kalidasa’s Ritusamharam and Meghdutam in Sanskrit

3.   Kalidasa Granthavali (Sanskrit text with Hindi commentary by Pt. Ramtej Shastri, Choukhamba Surbharati Prakashan

4.   Tiruvalluvar: The Tirukkural, A New English Version by Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Aleph Classics, 2015

5.   Tirukkural – English Translation & Commentary by G.U. Pope, W.H. Drew, John Lazarus, and F.W. Ellis; First published by W.H. Allen & Co, 1886

---

[i] A variant of the more popular ashadhasya Prathama divase; Source: The Complete Works of Kalidasa, Volume One- Poems, Translated by Chandra Rajan, Sahitya Akademi, First Edition - 1997.

[ii] Ibid: Mahakal temple was located on the bank of Gandhavati, an arm of Shipra. Sadly, the river no longer exists.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Tiruvalluvar: The Tirukkural, A New English Version by Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Aleph Classics, 2015.

 

Jagannatha, the Foodie God?

Leela Purush

Vaikunth is Vishnu’s permanent celestial abode, all His manifestations on earth are part of His leela or sport, and each earthly form (avatars and other manifestations) has a specific function or aspect, believe the Hindus. This is most vividly illustrated at the four sacred Dhams - He is bathing at Rameshwaram (Snana murti), ruling at Dvaraka (Dvarakadheesh), dining at Puri (Chappan Bhogi Jagannatha), and at sleep in Badrinath (Shayana murti).

(Jagannatha Patta Chitra, Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Jagannatha: Chappan Bhogi

A foodie is a person who loves food and savours different types of food; but Jagannatha is not a person, He is the Lord of the Universe, and may not therefore be called a foodie. Rather, He is the connoisseur of food who inspired and shaped the unique Odia culinary culture. No other cuisine is as nutritious, delicious, and variegated as Odia cuisine. The dishes and recipes are so complex and take so much time to prepare and cook that the routine of most Odia homes revolves around the several meals that must be enjoyed daily; just as Jagannatha’s six meals a day constitute the core of the daily rituals at Shreemandira.

Jagannatha is Chappan Bhogi, the God who must be served 56 dishes daily; and not in meagre helpings but the mandatory sixty pauties (about two quintals of food).

As per a legend, Nilamadhava tells Vishwavasu, his original Shabara worshipper that He is tired of the daily serving of fruits and roots, and is moving over to Puri where the king would surely serve Raj Bhog, meals fit for God. Maybe, this legend signals human civilisation’s transition from hunting-gathering phase to settled agriculture.  

Chappan Bhog

Which dishes constitute the chappan bhog? The full list is at shreekhetra.com, but there are other lists which may be a bit different.

Here is a summary of the number of dishes category-wise:

·      Rice preparations: 9 of which 4 are pakhala or rice-in-water, such a favourite dish for Odias that Pakhala Dibasa[i] is celebrated every year on March 24. Ask an Odia to choose between fine dining at a famed restaurant and a true pakhala meal served with the assorted accompaniments; every time she would go for pakhala, the meal that soothes the soul.

·      Sweets: 11 including khaja, gaja, laddoo, khuruma. No wonder, Odias have a sweet tooth, and have patented Odia Rasagola to differentiate from the copy-cat Bengali Rosogulla. Upon return from Rath Yatra when an angry Lakshmi refuses to open the doors to Shreemandira, Jagannatha pacifies her by offering a pot full of succulent, melt-in-mouth rasagolas. The way to a woman’s heart is through her mouth, surely in Odisha!

·      Cakes, Pancakes, and Patties: 13 including the famous poda pitha (Nayagarh poda pitha is available at Jagannatha Mandir, Hauz Khas, New Delhi!), manda, arisa, kakara, puri, luchi, bara, dahibara. These dishes are cooked by a dedicated group of Suaras (the traditional, authorised cooks) named Pitha Suaras.

·      Milk preparations: 9 including khiri, rasavali (mini rasagulas), malpua, sarapuli.

·      Dal, Curries, and other dishes: 14, including mitha dali (dal is loaded with sugar not only by Gujaratis!), biri (urad) dali, muga (moong) dali, the famous Dalma (so famous is this dish that there is now a popular Dalma chain of eateries; they serve spicy crab curries and roasted tiger prawn, too!), mahura, besara, saga (leutia, koshala, and other green leaves), potala rasa, ooti baigana, khata, raita, pita (made with fried neem flowers), baigini (fried eggplants or begun bhaja for Bengalis)

A Seventh Meal

With the onset of Pausha, from Dhanu Sankranti to Makara Sankranti, an additional meal Pahili Bhoga is offered to Jagannatha and his siblings before sunrise. As per a legend, Mahalakshmi spends the whole month of Pausa at her father’s palace owing to which Ma Yashoda takes charge of Shreemandira kitchen. She herself cooks a delicious khichdi for the Pahili Bhoga. Maybe, the concerned mother was worried about Mahalakshmi not paying enough attention to the nutritional needs of Jagannatha and others! Upon her return to Shreemandira, Mahalakshmi rescinds the Pahili Bhoga, in a gentle reprimand to mother-in-law.

Intangible Cultural Heritage

Mahaprasad is prepared by Suaras, the hereditary cooks; using only indigenous ingredients (no potato, asparagus, or chilli, for example); in clay pots made by hereditary kumbhars; in wood-fired chulhas; and in a unique steam-cooking method. It is high-time, therefore, for Odisha to urge UNESCO to declare Mahaprasad as Jagannatha Heritage Food; and obtain GI Tags for all the dishes of Chappan Bhog from Government of India’s Patent Office.

Puri Ratha Yatra must also be declared as an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of humanity by UNESCO; Kumbh Mela, Kolkata’s Durga Puja, Gujrat’s Garba, and Manipur’s Sankirtan are already in the ICH list.

Is Chappan Bhog healthy?

Chappan Bhog is no doubt delicious, but is it healthy diet? Well, Jagannatha atones for his excesses by a month-long detox during which he abjures cooked meals and partakes a therapeutic diet comprising fruits, roots, and herbal drinks. He is also administered Dashamularista, a concoction of ten herbal roots!

Who eats God’s Food?

Not Jagannatha, nor the other deities. The devotees and the pandas, who else?

The total capacity of all the eateries in Puri falls far short of the needs of the large number of pilgrims, and hence Jagannatha devised his unique kitchen and catering arrangement to feed his devotees.

During Rath Yatra, the devotees have darshan of the chaturdha murti, and involuntary darshan of well-fed, corpulent pandas often obscuring a clear vision of the deities. Jagannatha surely is benevolent to the pandas, his caretakers! Does the rich diet adversely affect their health? It is not known if any study has indicated higher prevalence of diabetes, or heart-related issues for the pandas.

The privileges that the servitors of God enjoy are well-known, but De ke dekhei dehri khae, an old Sambalpuri proverb makes a candid, brutally honest, and acerbic comment on the matter. De is god, dehri the panda, and the literal meaning of the proverb is – the Panda eats the food after placing it before god for his perusal. Everyone knows that idols of metal or stone do not eat food, but how could the devotees bear to keep the gods hungry?  

Odia Culinary Culture

Most Odias are compulsive foodies, their culinary habits possibly embedded in their genes. But why blame the Odias, Jagannatha made them foodies. Since their Supreme God demanded a series of lavish meals during his long day which stretched from dawn till midnight, what could the devout, god-fearing race do except invent and serve dishes unheard of elsewhere in India and the world? How could they serve any dish without confirming whether it tasted heavenly or not? Every dish must have been perfected after years of trial and refinement, the ingredients laid down, and the recipes frozen. All Suara homes specialised on their respective dishes – bhata, dali, tarkari, pitha, mitha, and others. Millions of devotees tasted these dishes over centuries, and affixed their stamp of approval after which these recipes spread to all of Odisha in due course. That is how Jagannatha created and popularised the unique culinary culture of Odisha.

In a typical Odia home, the very first question in the morning the man and master asks is: aji khaibaku kana heba (what dishes will be cooked today?). The perfect housewife would have already planned it the day before, for many dishes need much advance preparation (chakuli, poda pitha, dahi bara, arisa, manda pitha, etc); and she would reel off the menu for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, early evening snack, and dinner including the dessert and the side dishes. Delighted, the man would resume reading The Samaja (in the olden times) or The Sambada, maybe, now.

Anna Brahma

Anna or food is the basic energy that sustains all life (annat prana), and is therefore venerated as god. There are several Sanskrit chants about the centrality and significance of food in life. Food impacts mood and conduct, too, and therefore categorised as sattvik, rajasic, and tamasic.

Food is also therapeutic. In my previous blogs on Radha’s Diet Therapy[ii], I had discussed how each dish of her special menu reminds Radha of Krishna, making food a tool for meditation and prayer. Food need not make a person a glutton; it can also nourish the soul.

Comments

N.P. Upadhyay

N.P. Upadhyay, an erudite scholar and author sent me his comments:

"At Nathdwara, Shreenathji is offered Chhappan Bhog and there is extensive  literature about it including lists and the methods of prepration. Also, fabulous miniature paintings and murals  of Chhappan Bhog were done by artists of Nathdwara, Kota and Jhalawad. In an  18th CE painting of Chhappan Bhog in the assimilated style of Jaipur and Kishangarh, the number of items can be counted.,This painting is in National Museum, New Delhi.

The vaishnavas celebrate Annakoot (a religious feast ), prepare fifty six food items and offer them to Lord Krishna as Chhappan Bhog."

---

[i] For more about pakhala, here is the link for my previous blog:

https://pkdash-author.blogspot.com/2023/03/pakhala-dibasa.html

[ii] Links for my previous blogs:

Radha’s Diet Therapy: Part I -

https://pkdash-author.blogspot.com/2023/10/radhas-soul-food-thus-sang-radha.html

Radha’s Diet Therapy: Part II –

https://pkdash-author.blogspot.com/2023/10/radhas-soul-food-part-ii.html

 

 

Miracle at Manora

On July 7, 2024 while we were watching the live telecast of Puri Rath Yatra, a colleague and friend called. Do you know, at Manora in Vidisha district, Rath Yatra is celebrated every year and a huge crowd assembles at the small village on the auspicious occasion?

No, I don’t, but how do you know of it?

Well, I was posted at Vidisha decades ago, and had the privilege of pulling the Rath more than once. On Rath Yatra day the mukhia of the village never forgets to call me to tell that the celebration is getting bigger and better with every passing year. I will request him to call you, if you need further details.

Gajendra Singh Ji called after a while. But before that another dear friend sent me the following message about this Rath Yatra -

“At Manora, a little village near Vidisha, a huge procession takes place from a Jagannath temple which is 300 years old. For a brief while, the Rath moves on its own without being pulled, and it is believed that happens when Lord Jagannath travels from Puri to Manora to redeem His pledge to an earnest devotee.

I am an eye witness to it.”

My friend is a deeply devout person, an erudite scholar and author.

What a coincidence! Did Jagannath orchestrate this revelation and nudge me to write about it?

How old is the temple, and who built it, I asked Gajendra Ji?

One hundred ninety-five years. Manak Chand, the Tarafdar (landlord) was without a progeny, went on a pilgrimage to Puri, and made a mannat to Lord Jagannath: O Lord, I will make a temple for you, and celebrate the annual Rath Yatra. Would you please visit my humble village, however briefly, on Rath Yatra day? Jagannath concurred. Upon return, he built the temple, and began the Rath Yatra which continues till today. For the maintenance of the temple, he assigned sixty bighas of land which is recorded in the name of Jagadeesh Swami, as the deity is known here.

Manak Chand was blessed with a son.

‘Is it true that the Rath moves on its own for a few metres?’

‘Of course, everyone knows about it. We believe the Chief Priest at Puri temple makes an announcement on Rath Yatra day that Jagannath is on a brief trip to Manora and will be available at Puri after a while.’

Distance from Puri to Manora is 1162.3 kms by road, and 927 kms by air; but how could distance in human measurement be a handicap for the Lord of the Universe?!

How old are you, Gajendra Ji?

Eighty-one. I was privileged to work for thirty-two years as Sarpanch of my Gram Panchayat which was awarded twice as the best Gram Panchayat in the State.

Over the years, the district administration has improved the infrastructure for Manora and the temple. A Collector – a non-Hindu - removed encroachment from the Rath Yatra route, and he accepted our invitation to pull the chariot. Another Collector who was from Jagannath Dham brought in sculptors from Odisha to make idols for the temple.

‘Gajendra Ji, I hope to visit Manora someday. May I request you to take me around?’

‘Of course, you will be our guest. Please request our former Collector to join you for the trip.’

‘When would Jagannatha Ji return to the temple?’

‘Tomorrow. At Manora, Rath Yatra is a two-day festival with one night halt for the deities at their Mausi’s temple.’

***

Miracles

Why do so many people believe in miracles? According to the miracle bias hypothesis, “belief in miracles is widespread because humans are cognitively and developmentally biased towards forming and transmitting such a belief.”[i] The minimal counter-intuitiveness (MCI) theory suggests “concepts that deviate slightly from intuitive expectations can be transmitted more successfully than common concepts that are compatible with expectations. This theory applies across cultures, which may be why miracle episodes are common irrespective of geographical location or religious tradition.”[ii]

A discussion on the philosophy of religion and the psychology of miracles is beyond the scope of this brief blog, but much reading material is available on the net.

Sharing link for a previously published blog regarding a few popular ‘miracles’ during Puri Rath Yatra: Legends of Jagannatha  

(https://pkdash-author.blogspot.com/2023/06/legends-of-jagannatha.html).

Note

Manora is about 90 kms from Bhopal via Sanchi (UNESCO Heritage) and Vidisha.

---

[i] Miracles: A Very Short Introduction by Yujin Nagasawa, Nov 2017: Miracles: A Very Short Introduction | Oxford Academic (oup.com)

 

[ii] Ibid.

 

God’s gatekeepers,
when will you mend your ways?

God’s gatekeepers are delusional in their hubris that they own God, and are entitled to allow or deny access to devotees; despite the terrible curse suffered by Jay and Vijay, Vishnu’s own dvarpals for denying entry to the Sanatkumaras.

Since God is omnipresent and infinite, how could He be confined to the tiny garbhagriha of a temple? If God is nirakar, and the idols or icons merely artefacts to help the fickle mind focus, why is a visit to a temple and ritualistic worship with shodashopachar or panchopachar such a compelling need for many devotees? Is it owing to the smart marketing of holy places with an eye on the tangible benefits of religious tourism for the custodians and servitors of God?

Why do the rich and the powerful enjoy the privileged access to the holy presence, but the poor and the downtrodden are kept at a distance? Who are those who are denied entry, and what do they feel about it?

In a previous blog (http://pkdash-author.blogspot.com/2023/06/rathayatra-when-puri-becomes-vast-temple.html ), I had mentioned a brief Sambalpuri couplet about a low-caste devotee’s anguish upon denial of entry to Shreemandira, Puri. A dear friend read my blog and shared a Gurbani Mo Ko Tu Na Bisar, an abhang (hymn) by Sant Namdev which is included in Guru Granth Sahib. Bhai Harjinder Singh Ji (Sri Nagar Wale) has rendered it poignantly for which the link is:

https://youtu.be/ycybuoFfPI8?si=ppW5oMIJ7yfCgyBE

Sant Namdev was a medieval saint-poet of Maharashtra. A devotee of Vitthala (Krishna), he has composed about 4000 devotional poems which are still very popular.

(India Post, Government of India, Stamp of India, 1970)

Namdev ‘became the foremost exponent of the Varkari Panth (“Pilgrims’ Path”). The school is known for its expression of bhakti (devotion) and for its freedom from caste restrictions in a religious setting.’ (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Sixty-one of Bhagat Namdev’s hymns are included in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Mo Ko Tu Na Bisar

Mo Ko Tu Na Bisar, a short devotional song, is deeply moving.

Thus sang Sant Namdev in this touching song:

“Do not forget me, O Lord. The priests were furious; calling me low-caste, they chased me away from the temple. Didn’t they dishonour you by abusing me? What may I do now, O Vitthala, my father? O, Lord, you are kind, compassionate, and all-powerful; but what use if you liberate me after my death, who will get to know of it, O Lord?”

The concluding line brings in the dramatic climax:

“Faer Dheea Dhaehura Namae Ko Panddeean Ko Pishhavarala “

After being abused and thrown out, Namdev went behind the temple and continued to sing his prayer; and the Merciful Lord swivelled the temple to face Namdev, turning His back on the Pandits!

The lyrics of this song are soulful. A prayer to God, the Omnipotent One, yet addressed as Tu (not Tum or Aap) in the opening line signalling the unique, intimate bond between the Divine and the devotee, and further reinforced later in the song when Namdev asks: Keha Karo Baap Beethula? O Vitthala, O Father, what may I do now, he asks as a distressed son would seek guidance from his father. Do not forget me, O Rameiya, he sings. Ram, the avatar becomes so close a kin that He is affectionately called Rameiya, a rather informal address! In Adi Granth, Rameiya would refer not to the puranic god of Hindus but to the nirakar, nirgun Divine as the Mool Mantra provides.

How about the ‘miracle’? Did the temple really turn around? That is a banal query. Namdev willed the deity and the temple to turn towards him. It is the vision that matters!

The song is humble yet vocal, prayerful yet critical of the unbecoming conduct of the Pandits. Namdev does not condemn the Pandits; as a son of God he is incapable of harbouring animosity towards other children of God. He only rues their bharam or misguided notions of God, and suggests ever so gently that they should mend their ways and stop dishonouring the very God they profess and pretend to serve.

The lyrics in Gurmukhi and English translation are given in Endnotes.[i]

Lyrics

I do not know Marathi, yet wished to read this song in Marathi to get a feel of Namdev’s voice in his own language. I could not locate the lyrics, but got English transliteration of the song in Hindi. Maybe, this song was translated to Punjabi and included in the Guru Granth Sahib.

I quote the climactic couplet from this poem:

de.ul ke pīchhe naama allarv pukāre

jidar-jidar naama udar de.ul hī phīre

If I have got the wrong song, my Marathi and Punjabi friends will surely lead me to the original song.

Here is the song.[ii]

Comments

Subject for Blog

A friend asked: Curious - how do you pick on a subject?

My reply: A dear friend shared a Gurbani which I loved. That was my first ever reading of Namdev! Isn't it fascinating that a mediaeval Sant who sang in Marathi reached me through an English translation of Punjabi?

Namdev's Prayers - written version

Comment by a friend: If I'm not mistaken the only authentic written record of Bhagat Namdev's writings is in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Miracles

Comments by P. Rangarajan, a friend:

U have alluded to the 'miracle'. There are many such tales. It is mean to dismiss them as mere hogwash.

After all, in that milieu, who would have concocted such a story, one which is a slap in the face for those in authority ?

Perhaps such stories are apocryphal, but may be people were really struck by the shining devotion / nobility of the protagonist and moved to immortalize it through such tales.

Man must Rebel

Comments by Kedar C Rout, a friend and a voracious reader:

Man must rebel to get his due...! There is no escape...!! In one fundamental sense, human history is the history of rebels.. and Namdev was rebelling through his verses against the atrocious caste system.

Albert Camus famously said 'I rebel therefore I exist'.. in The Rebel. Man rebels against many layers... parents, family, caste, class, own country, an  empire...Kafka rebelled against his  domineering father( The Metamorphosis) and against the overpowering bureaucracy in...The Trial and The Castle. Lady Chatterley (Constance Reid) rebelled against her husband (Sir Clifford Chatterley)... Lady Chatterley's Lover- DH Lawrence, Mrinalini rebelled against her family (Mrinaliner Chitthi- Tagore) Gandhi/Mandela rebelled agaist imperial rulers, Martin Luther King( jr) rebelled against American white supremacist.... and today Palestinians are rebelling against Israelis..

In our own country we hear rebelling voices in many corners....

Rebel is universal (and perhaps eternal)....!!!

Temple that swivelled!

A reader suggested that it was the Sri Krishna temple at Udupi that swivelled. Another reader confirmed it:

"The entry to the Lord Srikrishna temple in Udupi temple is from the backside and the presiding deity is worshipped through  a window. It is believed that the Lord turned to face the window to give Darshan to a devotee who was denied entry."

I have not visited this temple. 

---

[i] (Source: https://www.searchgurbani.com/amrit-keertan/shabad/16586/Mo-Ko-Thoon-Na-Bisaar-Thoo-Na-Bisaar )

 

Mo Ko Thoon Na Bisaar Thoo Na Bisaar
ਮੋ ਕਉ ਤੂੰ ਨ ਬਿਸਾਰਿ ਤੂ ਨ ਬਿਸਾਰਿ ॥

This shabad is by Bhagat Namdev in Raag Malar on Page 842
in Section 'Hor Beanth Shabad' of Amrit Keertan Gutka.

ਮਲਾਰ ॥

Malar ||

Malaar:

ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕੀਰਤਨ ਗੁਟਕਾ: ਪੰਨਾ ੮੪੨ ਪੰ. ੧
Raag Malar Bhagat Namdev

 

ਮੋ ਕਉ ਤੂੰ ਨ ਬਿਸਾਰਿ ਤੂ ਨ ਬਿਸਾਰਿ ॥

Mo Ko Thoon N Bisar Thoo N Bisar ||

Please do not forget me; please do not forget me,

ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕੀਰਤਨ ਗੁਟਕਾ: ਪੰਨਾ ੮੪੨ ਪੰ. ੨
Raag Malar Bhagat Namdev

 

ਤੂ ਨ ਬਿਸਾਰੇ ਰਾਮਈਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Thoo N Bisarae Rameea ||1|| Rehao ||

Please do not forget me, O Lord. ||1||Pause||

ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕੀਰਤਨ ਗੁਟਕਾ: ਪੰਨਾ ੮੪੨ ਪੰ. ੩
Raag Malar Bhagat Namdev

 

ਆਲਾਵੰਤੀ ਇਹੁ ਭ੍ਰਮੁ ਜੋ ਹੈ ਮੁਝ ਊਪਰਿ ਸਭ ਕੋਪਿਲਾ ॥

Alavanthee Eihu Bhram Jo Hai Mujh Oopar Sabh Kopila ||

The temple priests have doubts about this, and everyone is furious with me.

ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕੀਰਤਨ ਗੁਟਕਾ: ਪੰਨਾ ੮੪੨ ਪੰ. ੪
Raag Malar Bhagat Namdev

 

ਸੂਦੁ ਸੂਦੁ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਰਿ ਉਠਾਇਓ ਕਹਾ ਕਰਉ ਬਾਪ ਬੀਠੁਲਾ ॥੧॥

Soodh Soodh Kar Mar Outhaeiou Keha Karo Bap Beethula ||1||

Calling me low-caste and untouchable, they beat me and drove me out; what should I do now, O Beloved Father Lord? ||1||

ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕੀਰਤਨ ਗੁਟਕਾ: ਪੰਨਾ ੮੪੨ ਪੰ. ੫
Raag Malar Bhagat Namdev

 

ਮੂਏ ਹੂਏ ਜਉ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਦੇਹੁਗੇ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਜਾਨੈ ਕੋਇਲਾ ॥

Mooeae Hooeae Jo Mukath Dhaehugae Mukath N Janai Koeila ||

If You liberate me after I am dead, no one will know that I am liberated.

ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕੀਰਤਨ ਗੁਟਕਾ: ਪੰਨਾ ੮੪੨ ਪੰ. ੬
Raag Malar Bhagat Namdev

 

ਏ ਪੰਡੀਆ ਮੋ ਕਉ ਢੇਢ ਕਹਤ ਤੇਰੀ ਪੈਜ ਪਿਛੰਉਡੀ ਹੋਇਲਾ ॥੨॥

Eae Panddeea Mo Ko Dtaedt Kehath Thaeree Paij Pishhanouddee Hoeila ||2||

These Pandits, these religious scholars, call me low-born; when they say this, they tarnish Your honor as well. ||2||

ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕੀਰਤਨ ਗੁਟਕਾ: ਪੰਨਾ ੮੪੨ ਪੰ. ੭
Raag Malar Bhagat Namdev

 

ਤੂ ਜੁ ਦਇਆਲੁ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਲੁ ਕਹੀਅਤੁ ਹੈਂ ਅਤਿਭੁਜ ਭਇਓ ਅਪਾਰਲਾ ॥

Thoo J Dhaeial Kirapal Keheeath Hain Athibhuj Bhaeiou Aparala ||

You are called kind and compassionate; the power of Your Arm is absolutely unrivalled.

ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕੀਰਤਨ ਗੁਟਕਾ: ਪੰਨਾ ੮੪੨ ਪੰ. ੮
Raag Malar Bhagat Namdev

 

ਫੇਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਦੇਹੁਰਾ ਨਾਮੇ ਕਉ ਪੰਡੀਅਨ ਕਉ ਪਿਛਵਾਰਲਾ ॥੩॥੨॥

Faer Dheea Dhaehura Namae Ko Panddeean Ko Pishhavarala ||3||2||

The Lord turned the temple around to face Naam Dayv; He turned His back on the Brahmins. ||3||2||

ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕੀਰਤਨ ਗੁਟਕਾ: ਪੰਨਾ ੮੪੨ ਪੰ. ੯
Raag Malar Bhagat Namdev

 

[ii] https://sufinama.org/dakni-sufi-kavya/namdev-dakni-sufi-kavya-2

 

hiin diin jaat morī pañDhrī ke raayā

aisā tum ne naama darjī kāykū banāyā

Taal binā leke naamā de.ul meñ gayā

puujā karte bahan unne bāhar Dhakāyā

de.ul ke pīchhe naama allarv pukāre

jidar-jidar naama udar de.ul hī phīre

naanā varn gvā unkā ek varn duudh

tum kahā ke bahān ham kahā ke suud

man mero suī tan mero dhāga

khechar-jī ke charan par naama siñpī laagā

 My Note

The word 'deul' meaning a temple derives from Sanskrit 'dev' (a divine being). While mandir is also a popular word for temple, deul being the habitation of a dev may be more apt. Hindi has both the words - deval and mandir. In Odia, deula means a temple, and also refers to the Kalinga architecture for temples - Shikhar Deula, Pidha Deula, Khakhara Deula, etc. Interesting to note that Sant Namdev used the word deul and SGSS retained the word!