Iconography of the Recently Discovered Naga Sculptures from Pamba River Basin, Pathanamthitta District, South Kerala Ambily C.S. 1 , Ajit Kumar 2 and Vinod Pancharath 3 1 . Excavation Branch II, Archaeological survey of India, Purana Qila, New Delhi – 110001, India (Email: [email protected]) 2 . Department of Archaeology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Thiruvananthapuram - 695581, Kerala, India (Email: [email protected]) 3 . Industrial Design Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (Email: [email protected]) Received: 25 September 2015; Accepted: 18 October 2015; Revised: 09 November 2015 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 3 (2015): 618-634 Abstract: Recent exploration by the first author brought to light interesting Naga sculptures from the middle ranges of Pamba River basin. All the sculptures are made out of granite and can be classified into Nagarajas and Nagayakshis except one which is a female naga devotee. This paper tries to briefly discuss the iconography, chronology and significance of the sculptures. Keywords: Exploration, Pamba River Basin, Kerala, Nagarajas, Nagayakshis, Iconography, Chronology Introduction Pamba is one of the important and third longest rivers in Kerala. It is apparently the river Baris/Bans mentioned in records of Pliny (Menon 1967-62). It originates from Pulachimalai hill in Peermade plateau at an altitude of 1650 MSL and has a length of 176km. It flows through Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts and finally empties into the Vembanadu Lake. During medieval period Pamba basin harbored prosperous settlement like Kaviyur, Thiruvanmandoor, Perunnayil and Thiruvalla. Naga and yakshi images have earlier been reported from Niranam-Tiruvalla area (Mathew 2006). The present discoveries add to the list of known images. While the earlier discovered images from the lower reaches of Pamba, four of these discovered sites are from the higher hilly and forested tracts of Pathanamthitta district in Pamba basin. Stylistically these images divulge early features and indicate that these forested tracts were inhabited at least from the 12 th -13 th centuries. Ten female and six male naga sculptures were discovered from the exploration (Fig. 1). These are found in localities of Kurichy, Allumkal-Kattathippara, Appoppankavu,
Transcript
Iconography of the Recently Discovered Naga Sculptures from Pamba River Basin, Pathanamthitta District, South Kerala
Ambily C.S.1, Ajit Kumar2 and Vinod Pancharath3 1. Excavation Branch II, Archaeological survey of India, Purana Qila, New Delhi –
110001, India (Email: [email protected]) 2. Department of Archaeology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus,
Thiruvananthapuram - 695581, Kerala, India (Email: [email protected]) 3. Industrial Design Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, Mumbai,
Received: 25 September 2015; Accepted: 18 October 2015; Revised: 09 November 2015 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 3 (2015): 618-634
Abstract: Recent exploration by the first author brought to light interesting Naga sculptures from the middle ranges of Pamba River basin. All the sculptures are made out of granite and can be classified into Nagarajas and Nagayakshis except one which is a female naga devotee. This paper tries to briefly discuss the iconography, chronology and significance of the sculptures.
Keywords: Exploration, Pamba River Basin, Kerala, Nagarajas, Nagayakshis, Iconography, Chronology
Introduction Pamba is one of the important and third longest rivers in Kerala. It is apparently the river Baris/Bans mentioned in records of Pliny (Menon 1967-62). It originates from Pulachimalai hill in Peermade plateau at an altitude of 1650 MSL and has a length of 176km. It flows through Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts and finally empties into the Vembanadu Lake. During medieval period Pamba basin harbored prosperous settlement like Kaviyur, Thiruvanmandoor, Perunnayil and Thiruvalla. Naga and yakshi images have earlier been reported from Niranam-Tiruvalla area (Mathew 2006). The present discoveries add to the list of known images. While the earlier discovered images from the lower reaches of Pamba, four of these discovered sites are from the higher hilly and forested tracts of Pathanamthitta district in Pamba basin. Stylistically these images divulge early features and indicate that these forested tracts were inhabited at least from the 12th -13th centuries.
Ten female and six male naga sculptures were discovered from the exploration (Fig. 1). These are found in localities of Kurichy, Allumkal-Kattathippara, Appoppankavu,
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015: 618-634
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Ambily et al. 2015: 618-634
631
protectors of springs, rivers and wells. The naga represents cosmic power and considered as the manifestation of Vedic god Agni or fire and as such becomes the fierce spirit, who is the guardian. Nagas are considered as the guardian deities of all the major religions in India. There are various opinions about the origin of serpent worship. Turnenian peoples are believed to be the earliest worshippers of serpent. But some others had an opinion that Egyptians are responsible for this cult. Countries like Japan, China and Mexico etc. also gave greater importance to the serpent worship. In India it was one among the common forms of worship in the whole land. Naga cult spread everywhere and mainly concentrated in Nalanda, Mathura, Assam, Bengal, Kashmir, Kerala etc.
In India the earliest evidence of naga has been reported from the chirand a Neolithic site in Bihar (Vikrama Bhuvan.et.al.2003.103). Terracotta figurines of coiled and hooded snakes have been reported from the excavation conducted by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums in Bihar in the early 1960s, however their significance is not known. The representation of Nagas can be seen on the seal of Mohenjo-Daro. It is represented as half human and half animal form as suppliants to deity. Here naga appears possibly as a devotee.
In Rig-Veda naga is mentioned as Aivritah and Ahibudhnya and appears sometimes as a demonical and sometimes as a divine being. In later Vedic text like Yajurveda and Atharvaveda nagas are mentioned in association with Gandharvas, Apsaras, Yakshas etc. It becomes a part of Aryan religion during the Sutra period (600-400 BC) the Grihya sutras prescribe rites like Sarpabali, Asvalayanasutra, Paraskara Grihasutra for serpents. During the epic period the dread full nature and the divine origin of the Nagas are emphasized. The murder of king Parikshit by the naga Takshila, the hostility between Nagas and Pandavas etc. find mention in the epics. In Ramayana the Sinhalese are referred to as rakshas and nagas as they opposed Aryan invaders (Schoff.1911.250). Descriptions of nagas are found in the texts like Amsumadbhedagama, Silparatna and Maya-Silpa. Amsumadbhedagama states that the image of Nagadeva should have three eyes, four arms a beautiful countenance and be of red colour. Silparatna adds that the image should be half human and half serpentine and must carry a sword and shield in his hand and Maya-mata gives a description of seven great nagas, Vasuki, Takshaka, Karkotaka, Padma, Mahapadma, Sankhapala and kulika with their colour, hoodmarks and attributes (Rao.1997.554-557) Apart from these, indigenous literary sources also refer to the worship of serpents during the invasion of Alexander in 4th century BCE. Terracotta figurine with naga hoods has been reported from Mauryan period. Snake as a device also occurs on punch marked coins. Several naga inscriptions and sculptures are reported from Chharagaon, Mathura etc dated 1st century C.E. In south India 1st to 4th CE witnessed a considerable influence of naga cult. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala etc. came under the influence of serpent cult. It had a close association with Jainism and Buddhism. Nagas plays a prominent role in Jainism. The important are the snake emblems of Parswanatha and of Suprasva. Buddhist considered naga as semi divine spirits or real human beings who bow ultimately to the supreme power of Lord
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Buddha (Kumar.2003). Fa-Hien, the Budhist pilgrim states that Sinhala country was occupied by spirit and nagas and they are treated as the tutelary guardians of precious articles in trade (Schoff.1911. 281).
During megalithic period or Iron Age, Kerala region apparently witnessed demographic buildup. This was apparently due to favorable climatic factors and people gaining adequate knowledge of iron metallurgy and technological knowhow to create durable and effective tool kits for personal safety and exploitation of natural resources. The creation of utilitarian kits in Iron apparently gave people courage to venture into hinterland in search of produces, agriculture and habitation. In the process of exodus, people were approaching and encroaching into the habitats believed to be inhabited by spirits and nagas. To live in their territory their appeasement was deemed mandatory and this belief possibly gave way for naga or serpent worship and images.
The initial naga worship was apparently centered on ant hills which were considered as a passage to the underworld and a safe aboard of the nagas. With the revival of Brahmanical faith around 8th cent CE, the popular local or indigenous cult apparently came to be amalgamated or assimilated into it. In the process, nagas came to be imbibed into the Hindu fold and were assigned alliance subsidiary to Vishnu and Shiva. Despite this amalgamation the naga cult’s entry into Brahmanical temples premises seemed restrained and apparently continue to retain hold and status of a folk cult, which it used to be. Essential due to its non-Brahmanical and folk character many agrarian households in Kerala came to demarcate a separate area in the family estate for nagas and spirits known as kavu. Here, natural wild vegetation was allowed to grow freely and in the absence of natural water source an artificial source was added. This area was a miniature version of the pristine wild habitat that once existed. The fruits and berries of the area were prerogative to the birds and animals around. Lamps were lit in defined areas during twilight hours and offerings were made on special days. With images of stone gaining popularity around 9th – 10th century CE naga images apparently came to be crafted in stone. Some naga images came to be installed in such kavus after which they came to designated as sarpa-kavu. Some naga images in due course of time came to be installed in the open or outside the temple premises. Later, some of the images came to be installed within the walled enclosures of temples and in such temples they were kept in the open or under trees either to the south west or north east corners. Generally all the naga images found in Kerala maintain their hypethral character and are never installed as a main deity in any major temples. Even in major temples associated with nagas in Kerala like Ameda temple, near Tripunithura in district Ernakulam or Pundarikapuram temple, near Thalayolaparmbu, district Kottayam the main deity installed in the temple is not naga. Some temples like Mannarshala which today has an independent status associated with naga, have their roots as family images. Assigning the nagas the regal and protective spirit associated with the yakshi-yakshi cult, they also sometimes come to be referred as Nagaraja and
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Nagayakshi, in popular parlance. Over the recent years their popularity has increased and they are perpetuated to gain prosperity, children and remove obstacles. In the forest tracts of Pamba river basin in Pathanamthitta district, total of sixteen stone naga sculptures were found. All of them were found placed in the open or under some tree close to the precincts of a temple. The nagaraja images have a larger and more dignified presentation. The Nagaraja and Nagayakshi images do not occur in same size, on the same stone block. The Nagayakshi image, even if they are found, on the same stone depicting the nagaraja, they are always regaled to the base of the stone and are diminutive in size when compared to the nagaraja. While the nagaraja is bestowed with the privilege of being carried by a gana, the nagayakshi is shown standing without a carrier. The association of entwined nagas in many of the nagaraja and nagayakshi depiction is interesting and possibly reflects of an indigenous belief and style prevalent in the region. There are also some snakes depicted coiled around each other and possibly denotes their mating or copulation. Some nagas are noticed coiled, possibly around eggs and surrounded newly hatched young ones and this too is a novel theme adopted in the representation here, and possibly has a connotation with fertility cult.
Stylistically these nagaraja and nagayakshi figures seem to divulge a style which is assignable to middle phase (1001-1300CE) and late phase (1301-1800CE) of sculptural and temple activity in Kerala (Sarkar.1978. 97-99). The middle phase also coincides with the decline of the Ay dynasty and the rise of Venad. The later phase coincided with the fall of the Kulashekara Empire and the rise of smaller chieftains and the advent of European traders in Kerala (Menon.1967).
Temple construction and images of stone became popular during these phases. The foreign maritime trade and inland trade escalated during these phases and were reflected also in socio-religious aspects especially in temple building activity in Kerala. Land exploitation and use became vibrant to meet the rising demands of trade. This also apparently instigated and necessitated people to move to upper reaches of the eastern hill ranges of Pathanamithia district to collect forest products and also systematically cultivate them (especially pepper for regular yield and export. Pamba River was part of an excellent waterway to transport hill produces by boats from upper regions in the east Porakkad in the west and to Muzaris in north and finds mention in Periplus (Schoff.1911.233-234). During medieval period the towns of Kollam- Kayamkulam- Thiruvalla- Chengannur-Niranam-Porakkad etc, which were trade centers from ancient times were all connected to each other by water ways for trade and travel.
To achieve and sustain tangible results in exchange and agriculture, appeasement of the intangible spirits and naga dwelling in the area also seemed mandatory to the migrants. This possibly resulted in creation of the nagaraja and nagayakshi images. They were assigned the responsibility of protecting their produce and bestowing prosperity and wellbeing to the kin and kith of its appeasers. Since the nagaraja and
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nagayakshi cult was essentially based on folk conceptions any individual wanting to have them installed could do so either, in gratitude for benefactions received on wanting them. It is for the first time the phenomenon of having large number of naga and Nagayakshi images from a limited area, come to notice. This now meagerly populated area yielding such large number of nagaraja and nagayakshi images but no major temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu or Devi is definitely interesting. Further probe and researches will have to be initiated to see if this phenomenon has parallels sssssselsewhere in Kerala and to understand if the images found in the Pathnamthitta region have further ramifications than now deemed.
Acknowledgement The authors wish to acknowledge the debt and gratitude to the villagers of five localities mentioned in the article, Ganga Devi M.R. and Dr. Margabandhu.
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