'Mahanavami Dibba (16th century AD), Hampi, India, Part-I' - by K J S Chatrath

I spent a few days in Hampi area of Karnataka, India in January this year. One is just overwhelmed by the quality and spread of the monuments that await the visitor. The present post is about visit to the Mahanavmi Dibba.

Indicative map of world showing location of India

Map of India showing Hampi, located in Karanatalka state. 

 

 Mahanavmi Dibba or the Great Platform. This pyramidal, three tired stone platform, rising to a height of 8 metres is located to the north-east of the Royal Enclosure. It was one of the most important ceremonial structures of royal use, built in granite and subsequently encased in sculptured  schist stone. It is dated to 16^th century AD.

 

 The terraced platform is nearly 35 sq. metres and has an approach flight of steps on the east, west and south. The southern flight of steps has a balustrade that opens on the west. The western flight of steps are located almost in the centre of the platform and the two eastern flight of steps have common chamber, which opens on the east. Each tier of the platform has sculptured mouldings in the typical Vijayanagara style of architecture. The lower tier has low relief relief sculptural friezes depicting the social-cultural activities of the time.

Three dancers in different poses showing movement.

Look at the clothes to appreciate the craftsmanship of the makers.

One can alsmost hear the beating of the drum and the music. Woth notice are the ornaments worn by the lady.

A male dancer in the centre flanked by two women dancers- each one of them is in a differnt pose.

  Dancer in a garden dancing in gay abandon. Distance between two feet indicates how vigorous was the dance form.

This is an unusual and rare depiction of two men wrestling. How masterly is the depiction showing one wrestler putting his leg around the leg of the other wrestler intertwining it.

Dance and music.

The extant pillar bases in the centre of the platform by the royal family. For important festivals like Mahanavami. (By Abdur Razak and Domingo Paes, visitors to this Vijayanagara city, in 1n 1520 AD and 1442-43 AD respectively.) *

*Source: Archeological Survey of India.

'Beautiful carvings on the entrance to Jagomohana of Konark Temple, 1250 AD, Odisha, India' - by K J S Chatrath

I visited Konark temple in Odisha for the first time in 1968.  I took a State transport department bus, which was full to the brim and everyone in the overcrowded bus was sweating profusely. The 65 kms road from Bhubaneswar to Konark was narrow, but the countryside was lush green- shades of green that I have seen only in Odisha.

Thereafter I have visited Konark a number of times- the last one being in 2017. My overall impression is that the Archeological Survey of India has done an excellent work of trying to restore and maintain the temple and its surroundings.

Here is an old sketch imagining the full Konark Temple in Odisha. 

 

The Sun Temple at Konarak – 1847. A lithography plate from James Fergusson’s Ancient Architecture in Hindoostan (1847) showing part of the main tower still standing. 

 

Photo source: http://www.thekonark.in/index.html

Photo source: http://www.thekonark.in/index.html

Photo source: http://www.thekonark.in/index.html

Photo source: http://www.thekonark.in/index.html

Photo source: http://www.thekonark.in/index.html

Photo source: http://www.thekonark.in/index.html

 

 Photo source: http://www.thekonark.in/index.html

The focus of the present article is on the entrance to Jagamohan. This what it looked like in this old photograph.

This is how the entrance looks now. Photo©KJS Chatrath2017

 Photo©KJS Chatrath2017

The history of conservation of the Konark temple started in 1901, 118 years back. There were 11 reports prepared by different authorities in different years. One must feel indebted to the Indian engineer  Bishan Swarup, who gave a big push to conservation of this temple.  He was an engineer who worked at the site from 1901-04 and the first report was prepared by him. He pointed out that the structure faced disaster in the shape of collapse. The initial masonry work done under his supervision saved the temple from being destroyed.

Photo©KJS Chatrath2017

Photo©KJS Chatrath2017

 Photo©KJS Chatrath2017

The entrance is made out of chlorite stone and is profusely carved. There are eight rows of carvings with different motifs including mainly Nagas, loving couples who are depicted as celebrating life.

Photo©KJS Chatrath2017

Photo©KJS Chatrath2017

Photo©KJS Chatrath2017

Photo©KJS Chatrath2017

Visit Odisha- the one place you must visit before dying!

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