Satyakala ..
Today 19 th morning visited Satyakala at Kollegal .The way to and fro from Mysore was flanked by rice fields in pretty green slabs . A very fertile area.
Nearly all boards in towns and villages are only in Kannada so couldn't make out as to which building was ,what.
Satyakal is a small village amidst very lush paddy fields,being right besides river Kaveri.The purpose of our visit was to see the ancient deity of Sri Vardhrajar ,who was worshipped by Sri Desikan in 13 th cent AD when he took refuge in this tiny hamlet after fleeing persecution by invaders from north at his original place of residence at Sri Rangam.He stayed here for 12 years and went back when the threat was removed.It was also an exercise in tracing Sri Desikans trail across the south.
The village reeked of prosperity but the roads were poor and muddy and were turned to sludge by a slew of tractors used in the farming operations.But the small temple is very well maintained thanks mainly due to the generous contributions of NRI 's ,mostly US based .The temple that was once said to be in a very bad shape has been very well renovated with halls, kitchens and toilets added for the convenience of pilgrims.The temple was empty save for the priest and a watchman's family.
The turtle like stone slab on which Desikan is said to have sat upon and meditated daily is housed in his sannidhi at the temple.Till 1920 it lay on the bank of the river a short distance away and was brought here for preservation.It made me pause and compelled me to sit before this humble seat of that wise and learned acharya and to meditate and try and gather at least in a little measure the strength it must have absorbed by his sacred presence to see me through in my lonely battle.
The theertham --the taste of the holy water offered by the priest was incredibly sweet unlike in any other temple i visited.What sweetened it? The fact that it was kaveri river water or simply something more?.
A short walk on a mud road flanked by banantrees , lush paddy fields right next to the gently flowing kaveri river is the fig tree under which Desikan sat and meditated .It is no longer in full spread as it is said to be in his days.But the trunk though dried and stunted seems to have survived letting off few leaves to keep it going.
Desikan wrote 'abeedhitatva' a sloka to dispel fear and restore courage in this very scenic and serene spot and recited it several times.This sloka in later year inspired Harri hara and bukkha to establish the Vijayanagar empire that ruled the south for several centuries and its kings built several temples with great enthusiasm.
As and when Desikan wrote this sloka would he have foreseen such a tremendous event in the political history of medieval India ,that his heart felt sloka would sow ?Desikan was a scholar, poet, wise and seeped with bhakthi..A man of religion alone who studiously avoided rulers and kings.Yet ,may be he did.Can't say.
As we passed over river kaveri its gentle unhurried flow seemed to murmur an assuring massage that any one will come and go but i will be going on and on seeing more and more . A detached witness to changes in human history and an affirmation of permanence and solidity amidst rapid changes and insecurities of life.
written on 19 .11.13 9pm in train from mysore to chennai
Nearly all boards in towns and villages are only in Kannada so couldn't make out as to which building was ,what.
Satyakal is a small village amidst very lush paddy fields,being right besides river Kaveri.The purpose of our visit was to see the ancient deity of Sri Vardhrajar ,who was worshipped by Sri Desikan in 13 th cent AD when he took refuge in this tiny hamlet after fleeing persecution by invaders from north at his original place of residence at Sri Rangam.He stayed here for 12 years and went back when the threat was removed.It was also an exercise in tracing Sri Desikans trail across the south.
The village reeked of prosperity but the roads were poor and muddy and were turned to sludge by a slew of tractors used in the farming operations.But the small temple is very well maintained thanks mainly due to the generous contributions of NRI 's ,mostly US based .The temple that was once said to be in a very bad shape has been very well renovated with halls, kitchens and toilets added for the convenience of pilgrims.The temple was empty save for the priest and a watchman's family.
The turtle like stone slab on which Desikan is said to have sat upon and meditated daily is housed in his sannidhi at the temple.Till 1920 it lay on the bank of the river a short distance away and was brought here for preservation.It made me pause and compelled me to sit before this humble seat of that wise and learned acharya and to meditate and try and gather at least in a little measure the strength it must have absorbed by his sacred presence to see me through in my lonely battle.
The theertham --the taste of the holy water offered by the priest was incredibly sweet unlike in any other temple i visited.What sweetened it? The fact that it was kaveri river water or simply something more?.
A short walk on a mud road flanked by banantrees , lush paddy fields right next to the gently flowing kaveri river is the fig tree under which Desikan sat and meditated .It is no longer in full spread as it is said to be in his days.But the trunk though dried and stunted seems to have survived letting off few leaves to keep it going.
Desikan wrote 'abeedhitatva' a sloka to dispel fear and restore courage in this very scenic and serene spot and recited it several times.This sloka in later year inspired Harri hara and bukkha to establish the Vijayanagar empire that ruled the south for several centuries and its kings built several temples with great enthusiasm.
As and when Desikan wrote this sloka would he have foreseen such a tremendous event in the political history of medieval India ,that his heart felt sloka would sow ?Desikan was a scholar, poet, wise and seeped with bhakthi..A man of religion alone who studiously avoided rulers and kings.Yet ,may be he did.Can't say.
As we passed over river kaveri its gentle unhurried flow seemed to murmur an assuring massage that any one will come and go but i will be going on and on seeing more and more . A detached witness to changes in human history and an affirmation of permanence and solidity amidst rapid changes and insecurities of life.
written on 19 .11.13 9pm in train from mysore to chennai
Labels: Hinduism, History, pilgrimage, Sri Desikan, Travel
posted by K.C. Sujata at
6:04 AM
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