Sringeri, Kollur, Udipi, Dharmastala, Kukke and Mysore Temples - Karnataka.
As an Indian and as marketer, I feel India, especially South India needs better marketing. Let me explain.
People know Taj Mahal and Leaning tower of Pisa, as architectural marvels. See picture below. There are 5 temples just in state of Tamil Nadu built between 7th and 9th centuries mostly by Chola & Pandya kings, Brahadeshwara temple, Chidambaram Nataraja temple, Madurai Meenakshi temple, Annamalaiyar temple, Ranganatha Swamy temple, Rameshwaram temple.
They are taller and grander with perhaps hundreds of intricate statues and sculptures compared to Taj or Pisa. They were built hundreds of years before Pisa or Taj. They use geometry astronomy mettalurgy architecture civil engineering apart from spirituality and religion which are hardly known outside thier own province. To this add the vidyashankara temple in sringeri, channakeshwara temple in Belur, the virupaksha temple in hampi from karnataka.
Just this week (Nov 23) we as family had a pilgrimage in Karnataka. Fortunate to visit and have darshan of Sringeri Sharada Devi, Kollur Mookambika devi, Udipi Sri Krishna, Dharmastala Manjunatha swami, Kukke Subramanya and Mysore Chamundeshwari all within 5 days. Driving via beautiful forests, coffee plantations, mountains and beaches. It's amazing how our ancestors built these temples in such interior areas surrounded by beautiful hills and valleys. Anna prasad (Free meals) are served both at Udipi and at Manjunatha Swamy temple. There is no restaurant which can give such tasty food as the Prasad served to God. It's amazing how these temples are able to judge the size of crowd and cook the right amount of food for thousands and thousands of people every day, free of cost to the devotees.
Want to give an example of just one temple, the vidyashankara temple in sringeri. Built 650 years back in 1338 AD. In the eastern half of the temple is the mandapa with 12 zodiacal pillars (called raashi-stambhas), huge monoliths on which are carved the twelve signs of the zodiac. These pillars are constructed in such an ingenious way that the first rays from the rising sun fall on each pillar in the chronological order of the twelve months of the Hindu calendar. Moreover, inside the temple, on the floor, there is an elevated circle with converging lines which captures the shadows cast by each pillar when the sunlight falls on the Zodiac pillars. Imagine how much knowledge our ansectors must have had in astronomy, architecture, construction engineering to design such a beautifully sculptured building.
Forget the foreigners, how many Indians would know of such a great heritage we possess? Now a short quiz.
Which is the longest dynasty to rule major parts of India? Longer than mughals with an area comparable to them?
Which dynasty had the largest navy in the world in 1000 ad, 300 years before Chinese Zheng He and 500 years before Portuguese?
Which dynasty, ruled Entire South India, Orissa, South Bengal, to Sri Lanka, Cambodia, parts of current day Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia were part of this mighty kingdom?
The 10 biggest temples like Brihadeeswarar Temple built by them from 7th to 12th century is still standing well after many floods and earth quakes?
Who curated the Idli dish famous in South India, which was inspired by a fermented dish from their province in current day Indonesia?
Which dynasty? The Cholas.
This is just one south indian dynasty. Imagine the splendor of Pandyas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Vijayanagara empires who built cities like Hampi (bigger than London and Paris in 1600), Madurai (which is the 2nd oldest city in India after Kashi), Kancheepuram (Bodhi Dharma the pallava prince went from here to China to establish Chan Buddhism and Shaolin), Belur, Halibedu, Badami, Aihole, we can go on and on.
We celebrate the Romans, Moghuls and British. How about the dynasty which ruled for over 1500 years from 2nd century BC to 13th century AD? Let's salute our ansectors who taught us so much, and made India a global power much before many other dynasties.
In this regard, we must learn from Chinese. Who not only preserve but also teach thier children the correct history and instill a sense of huge national pride. Indian history text books, must be written to be more inclusive. I'm sure many of you reading this post would have found these facts fascinating.
Jai Hind.
November 2023
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