Reservoirs of Heritage..

13^th September 2018: India as we all know; not only has a diverse culture but so stands for its architecture and heritage. In my recent trip to South India, wherein my plan was to touch upon some key points in the Indian Peninsula, beginning from Hyderabad (the eastern part) thereon heading to Nanded in Maharashtra , back and then reach Kochi in Kerala, drive to Munnar to view the spectacle of an era i.e Neelkaranji flower bloom; reach Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu, take off for the southernmost tip of India – Arichal Munai via Rameshwaram and come back to Ahmedabad.

As we all know, due to the man-made catastrophe in Kerala, I was in constant hope that rain will certainly stop, life in few days will get back to normal (first week of August), but flood conditions worsened as water from the Dam reservoirs was released through 3 gates, adding on to the upheaval of nature’s fury which made me cancel my bookings from Hyderabad to Kochi... it was quite disappointing; but the news reports of “Neelkaranji” flowers blooming in Kodaikanal urged me to reschedule my flights, as only once in twelve years they bloom, I couldn’t have missed them, they were calling..!!!!!!!

After coming back to Ahmedabad (skipping the Munnar bit) from Nanded..my trip restarted with Coimbatore, 1^st September 2018. Going across Kodai, the Nainital of South India and touching Rameshwaram; I reached Madurai.

Carvings on the East Gate of Meenakshi Ammam Temple

Lotus Pool In Meenakshi Temple

Meenakshi temple, I had always been fascinated by its architecture since childhood. The key structures of this monument built in the sixth century are: Meenakshi Ammam sanctum (Matriarchal origin), Sundareshvara or Shiva temple, wedding hall, thousand pillar hall and last but not the least a sacred golden lotus pool. The pool with a Golden Lotus in the centre is a huge reservoir; 165 ft (50 m) by 120 ft (37 m) in size is another major attraction.

Elephant Rock

As Madurai lies in the southeast tapering end of the Western Ghats, hence amidst the plains one can discover several mountain spurs out of which four are the distinctly known. These are the home to age-old ancient temples, which have been carved through gigantic boulders; these also can also be addressed as cave temples.

Narasingaperumal

The main sanctum of these temples is Monolithic - carved out of a single rock. Seeing these one after the other...I was completely awestruck and kept admiring the beauty of these temples, the crafstmanship and an entire town residing in its bosom reflecting inclusive growth of society. Most of them are dedicated to Murugan, Vishnu and or Shiva. The architecture itself speaks volumes of the expertise and finesse our ancestors had!! There was no technology, there were no great machines; still, they made way into these singular hefty mountains, which I am sure is not possible in today’s era.

Thirupparamkunram Murugan Temple 

Few of such rock-cut temples are Thirupparamkunram Murugan Temple and Narasingaperumal -built in an elephant rock. The other significant temples in and around Madurai are.. Koodal Alagar Perumal Koil, Thirumokur Kovil and Alagar Kovil.

Pool Outside Thirumokur Temple

All these temples have a reservoir or a pool beside or inside the temple. The highly technical and precise approach towards architecture, pranic energy, and having the pools would have been constructed with a larger significance; keeping community interest in mind... but the irony of our heritage conservation is, the pools are full of muck; alongside having boards of preservation by Archaeological departments with a shout out, ‘not to damage the structure in any form’   whereas inside these temples there is loads of gold and money being offered along with the regular defined strict prayer schedules.

Alagar Kovil

Do we not worship water as a deity?  Why can’t these reservoirs or pools have a filling in and a filtration system with a proper modern approach and application? Will this not beautify the entire campus and can serve for gardening or other purposes...Are these reservoirs not an answer to the excessive water which we hold on in the modern Dam(N) reservoirs, “built with a purpose of community development” but the waters are not released in peak summer season when the human civilisation need it the most. We keep holding on (man is a well read civil animal).. and then waters released only when on one side there is excessive rain and other side just take senseless and ruthless approach, let seasonal river water go waste in ocean.. Can’t we channelize the resources properly? River interlinking is a far-fetched story when the temples are very much alive, why are these pools narrating a sad story?

We must also adapt our ways of exchange, and probably Harmandir Sahib at Amritsar can demonstrate and stand as a live example of conserving and respecting our Heritage pools... were these reservoirs of ancient Temples not Amrit Sarovar?? Quite obvious when they are in the Abode of Vishnu, constantly there are prayers and hyms sung, will the positivity not charge up the reservoir water... most of these sanctums are counted as part of the 108 Vishnu Avatars ... but in what state?????

In Punjabi, we say, “Pavan Guru Pani Pita, mata dharat mahat...” means “air is the teacher, water is thy father, earth thy mother” what is the state of the father? Father who is mobile and charge of running of the house, civilizations establish near water resources, rivers!! What's their condition?

Coming to gender, both male and female deities are given proper space and due respect!! (the recent reports on gender ratio dropping 7.5:10 (female-male) portrays our educational evolution.

Conclusion:  our ancestors were far better than us, respecting gender and nature equally.

No Mirror in the pool, are we all fools? ( as the mirrors of introspection are no more!!) Amidst the intellectual man made civilised luxuries have forgotten respecting nature and we think that nature is our slave.. Quite an Irony!!