The first time I visited Pandharpur was back in 2007 . The names Vitthal and Pandharpur, were just names to me. I had heard of them, but that was about it. Seeing the lord standing on the brick, hands on his hips, was memorable, but more memorable was the sight that greeted us as we walked out of the main sanctum of the temple. In the mandap just outside were a group of devotees singing abhangs , and dancing. This was the first time I had heard abhangs , and even almost 15 years later, I can remember the welling of feeling within me, listening to the songs, and how fascinated I was by the sight of the devotees dancing, lost in their love of the Lord. Over the years, as I have read more about Vitthal, and participated in Ashadi Ekadashi programmes at Puttaparthi, that first experience has stayed clear in my mind and heart. Every time I tell my Balvikas students of the saints who sang of Vitthala, it is that experience that I re-live. I visited Pandharpur again, in 2010, but that experie
It
was cloudy when
we set out from Kanyakumari for Nagercoil, but in the short time it took us to
reach, the rain gods decided to come down with a vengeance! It was pouring cats
and dogs at Nagercoil, and the roads were flooded. We were all set to give up,
but our auto driver was a resourceful man. “There are many roads to the temple”
he said, and though we knew he meant it literally, we wondered at the
philosophical phrasing.
He
wove his way in
and out of traffic, sometimes through what appeared to be knee deep water, and
came to a screeching halt outside a simple looking archway. Thanking him, we
stepped out, opening our umbrellas. By now, we weren’t even thinking of the
temple we were going to see. The only thing on our mind was “It is supposed to
be summer. It is supposed to be hot. And it feels like Mumbai in the monsoons!”
We stepped into the temple complex, holding on to the umbrellas, and stopped
short.
Trees
with idols of snakes at their base are a common sight in the south. Yet, the sheer number
here was unexpected. “I should have remembered. This is after all, a temple to
the Lord of the snakes.” I thought, but I continued to be fascinated by the
variety of snakes carved into the stones.
The
most common motif was Krishna, not surprising, considering his triumph over Kalia.
Here
and there, were
motifs of lingas. Shiva, after all, wears snakes as his ornaments!
Naga
Linga flowers
drooped from the tree, over the snake figures, as if eager to offer themselves.
Interestingly, the Cannonball tree is a familiar sight in many Shiva temples,
though the tree itself is native to Central and South America!
Pulling
ourselves away
from these Naga figures, we headed towards the main shrine.
The
sanctum houses
what is believed to be a swayambhu idol of Nagaraja – the king of the snakes,
in his 5 hooded form.
Outside, are two huge Nagas, the guardians of the shrine.
The
temple is a simple one, and the main sanctum is still said to have a sand floor, and thatched
roof, since it is believed that snakes still visit the shrine. It was, however,
raining so heavily by now, that we thought it prudent to leave before the
entire town flooded and we got stranded here.
The
temple was fascinating on many levels.
I
have seen
plenty of snake figures outside temples, offerings of devotees, usually wishing
for a child. However, this was the first temple to Nagaraja I have visited, and
this is the only one in Tamilnadu. Besides, the sheer variety of Naga figures
was stupendous.
The
temple itself,
on the other hand, is simple, built in the Kerala style of architecture. This isn’t
surprising, since the town is closer to Kerala, but the style is a sharp
contrast to the elaborate architecture of the temples in Tamilnadu.
It is
interesting to think of the origin of this temple. This area, even today, despite
rapid urbanization, is mountainous and thickly forested. Heavy, unseasonal
rains showed us the lush greenery all around. Snakes must be a common feature
in this landscape. The shedding of their skins associates them with
immortality, and they are also associated with fertility. However, to cross
them, in the days before anti-venom, meant certain death. No wonder they are so
feared, and also worshipped.
However,
most interesting
is how this tradition has stayed strong despite the passage of centuries – from
ancient times, when this must have been a forest shrine, through various
periods of rule by kings with varied religious beliefs, through British occupation,
to the present day.
As we
turned back
towards Kanyakumari, I thought about our driver’s words “There are many roads to
the temple”. Yes, there indeed are many roads, of faith. And this temple
embodies just one of them. It is up to
us to find one that suits us. The ultimate destination, however, is the same!
Information:
- Location: The Nagaraja Temple is located in Nagercoil Town, about 20 Km from Kanyakumari.
- How to Reach: Nagercoil is well connected to all parts of the country by Train. The nearest airport is at Trivandrum, around 65 Km away.
- Where to stay: There are plenty of hotels and lodges at Nagercoil, as well as resorts nearby. You can also stay at Kanyakumari and visit the temple.
- Timings: The temple is open from 4:00 AM to 11:30 AM, and from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM.
This post is part of my series on my #summertrip 2015, and I hope to take you along with me as I recount stories from my month long trip, which took me across the country. To get an idea of all the places I visited, and what you can hope to read about, click here.
Related Posts:
- Kanyakumari
That looks beautiful
ReplyDeleteBeautiful
ReplyDeleteAmazing!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! On my wishlist now.
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