THERE WAS A TEMPLE WHERE BABRI MASJID STOOD

Excavations Proved It

The history of the excavations at Ayodhya proves beyond doubt that the Babri  Masjid was built after destroying a pre existing temple.The court verdicts have recognized the findings.Here is the c complete story:

In 1862-63, Alexander Cunningham, the founder of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), conducted a survey of Ayodhya. Cunnigham identified Ayodhya with Sha-chi mentioned in Fa-Hien’s writings, Visakha mentioned in Xuanzang’s writings and Saketa mentioned in Hindu-Buddhist legends. According to him, Gautama Buddha spent six years at this place. Although Ayodhya is mentioned in several ancient Hindu texts, Cunningham found no ancient structures in the city. According to him, the existing temples at Ayodhya were of relatively modern origin. Referring to legends, he wrote that the old city of Ayodhya must have been deserted after the death of Brihadbala “in the great war” around 1426 BCE. When King Vikramāditya of Ujjain visited the city around first century CE, he constructed new temples at the spots mentioned in Ramayana. Cunningham believed that by the time Xuanzang visited the city in 7th century, Vikramaditya’s temples had “already disappeared”; the city was a Buddhist centre, and had several Buddhist monuments. Cunningham’s main objective in surveying Ayodhya was to discover these Buddhist monuments.

In 1889-91, an ASI team led by Alois Anton Führer conducted another survey of Ayodhya. Führer did not find any ancient statues, sculptures or pillars that marked the sites of other ancient cities. He found “a low irregular mass of rubbish heaps”, from which material had been used for building the neighbouring Muslim city of Faizabad. The only ancient structures found by him were three earthen mounds to the south of the city: Maniparbat, Kuberparbat and Sugribparbat. Cunningham identified these mounds with the sites of the monasteries described in Xuanzang’s writings. 

Like Cunningham, Führer also mentioned the legend of the Ramayana-era city being destroyed after death of Brihadbala, and its rebuilding by Vikramaditya. He wrote that the existing Hindu and Jain temples in the city were modern, although they occupied the sites of the ancient temples that had been destroyed by Muslims. The five Digambara Jain temples had been built in 1781 CE to mark the birth places of five tirthankaras, who are said to have been born at Ayodhya. A Svetambara Jain temple dedicated to Ajitanatha was built in 1881. Based on local folk narratives, Führer wrote that Ayodhya had three Hindu temples at the time of Muslim conquest: Janmasthanam (where Rama was born), Svargadvaram (where Rama was cremated) and Treta-ke-Thakur (where Rama performed a sacrifice). 

According to Führer, Mir Khan built the Babri mosque at the place of Janmasthanam temple in 930 AH (1523 CE). He stated that many columns of the old temple had been utilized by the Muslims for the construction of Babri mosque: these pillars were of black stone, called kasauti by the natives. Führer also wrote that Aurangzeb had built now-ruined mosques at the sites of Svargadvaram and Treta-ke-Thakur temples. A fragmentary inscription of Jayachandra of Kannauj, dated to 1241 Samvat (1185 CE), and a record of a Vishnu temple’s construction were recovered from Aurangazeb’s Treta-ke-Thakur mosque, and kept in Faizabad museum.

The team of archaeologists of the ASI, led by former Director-General ASI (1968–1972), B.B. Lal in 1975–76, worked on a project titled “Archaeology of Ramayana Sites”, which excavated five Ramayana-related sites of Ayodhya, Bharadwaj Ashram, Nandigram, Chitrakoot and Shringaverapura. At Ayodhya, the team found rows of pillar-bases which must have belonged to a larger building than the Babri Mosque. In 2003 statement to the Allahabad High Court, Lal stated that after he submitted a seven-page preliminary report to the Archaeological Survey of India, mentioning the discovery of “pillar bases”, immediately south of the Babri mosque structure in Ayodhya. Subsequently, all technical facilities were withdrawn, and despite repeated requests, the project wasn’t revived for another 10–12 years, despite his repeated request. Thus the final report was never submitted, the preliminary report was only published in 1989, and in Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) volume on historicity of Ramayana and Mahabharat. Subsequently, in his 2008 book, Rama: His Historicity Mandir and Setu, he wrote, “Attached to the piers of the Babri Masjid, there were twelve stone pillars, which carried not only typical Hindu motifs and mouldings, but also figures of Hindu deities. It was self-evident that these pillars were not an integral part of the Masjid, but were foreign to it.”

B. B. Lal’s team also had K. K. Muhammed, who in his autobiography claimed that Hindu temple was found in excavation and said that left historians are misleading the Muslim communities by aligning with fundamentalists.

Accordingly, archaeological findings of burnt bases of pillars made of brick, a few metres from the mosque, indicated that a large temple stood in alignment with the Babri Mosque since the 11th century. In a trench at a distance of four metres south of the mosque, parallel rows of pillar-foundations made of brick-bats and stones were found.

In July 1992, eight eminent archaeologists (among them former ASI directors, Dr. Y.D. Sharma and Dr. K.M. Srivastava) went to the Ramkot hill to evaluate and examine the findings. These findings included religious sculptures and a statue of Vishnu. They said that the inner boundary of the disputed structure rests, at least on one side, on an earlier existing structure, which “may have belonged to an earlier temple”. (Indian Express, 4 July 1992.) The objects examined by them also included terracotta Hindu images of the Kushan period (100-300 AD) and carved buff sandstone objects that showed images of Vaishnav deities and of Shiva-Parvati. They concluded that these fragments belonged to a temple of the Nagara style (900-1200 AD).

Prof. S.P. Gupta commented on the discoveries:

“The team found that the objects were datable to the period ranging from the 10th through the 12th century AD, i.e., the period of the late Pratiharas and early Gahadvals. (….) These objects included a number of amakalas, i.e., the cogged-wheel type architectural element which crown the bhumi shikharas or spires of subsidiary shrines, as well as the top of the spire or the main shikhara … This is a characteristic feature of all north Indian temples of the early medieval period (…) There was other evidence — of cornices, pillar capitals, mouldings, door jambs with floral patterns and others — leaving little doubt regarding the existence of a 10th-12th century temple complex at the site of Ayodhya.”

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) excavated the Ram Janambhoomi/Babri Mosque site at the direction of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court Uttar Pradesh in 2003. The archaeologists also reported evidence of a large structure pre-existed the Babri Masjid. A team of 131 labourers, including 52 Muslims was engaged in the excavations. On 11 June 2003 the ASI issued an interim report that only listed the findings of the period between 22 May and 6 June 2003. In August 2003 the ASI handed a 574-page report to the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court.

The ASI, who examined the site, issued a report of the findings of the period between 22 May and 6 June 2003. This report stated:Among the structures listed in the report are several brick walls ‘in east-west orientation’, several ‘in north-south orientation’, ‘decorated coloured floor’, several ‘pillar bases’, and a ‘1.64-metre high decorated black stone pillar (broken) with figurines on four corners’ as well as inscription of holy verses on stone in Arabic language” 

Earlier reports by the ASI, based on earlier findings, also mention among other things a staircase and two black basalt columns ‘bearing fine decorative carvings with two crosslegged figures in bas-relief on a bloomed lotus with a peacock whose feathers are raised upwards’.

The excavations gave ample traces that there was a mammoth pre-existing structure beneath the three-domed Babri structure.

Ancient perimeters from East to West and North to South have been found beneath the Babri structure. Beautiful stone pieces bearing carved Hindu ornamentations like lotus, Kaustubh jewel, alligator facade, etc., were used in these walls. These decorated architectural pieces were anchored with precision at varied places in the walls. A tiny portion of a stone slab is sticking out at a place below 20 feet in one of the pits. The rest of the slab lies covered in the wall. The projecting portion bears a five-letter Devanagari inscription that turns out to be a Hindu name claimed by VHP but is disputed and thus still unproven whether it is a Hindu name or not. The items found below 20 feet should be at least 1,500 years old. According to archaeologists about a foot of loam layer gathers on topsoil every hundred years. Primary clay was not found even up to a depth of 30 feet. It provides a clue to the existence of some structure at that place over the last 2,500 years.

More than 30 pillar bases have been found at equal spans. The pillar-bases are in two rows and the rows are parallel. The pillar-base rows are in North-South direction. A wall is superimposed upon another wall. At least three layers of the floor are visible. An octagonal holy fireplace (Yagna Kund) was found. These facts prove the enormity of the pre-existing structure. Surkhii has been used as a construction material in our country for over 2,000 years and, in the constructions at the Janma Bhumi, Surkhii has been extensively used. Molded bricks of round and other shapes and sizes were neither in vogue during the Middle Ages nor are they in use today. It was in vogue only 2,000 years ago.

 Many ornate pieces of touchstone (Kasauti stone) pillars have been found in the excavation. Terracotta religious figures, serpent, elephant, horse-rider, saints, etc., have been found.

The Supreme Court order recognised the deity Ram Lalla’s title rights to the disputed 2.77-acre Ayodhya land.In its judgment, the Supreme Court referred to an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report to observe that the Babri Masjid, which stood on the disputed site until its demolition in 1992, was not built on vacant land and that there was evidence of a temple-like structure having existed on the land before the mosque was built.

THE MEDICINAL PEEPUL

The peepul is in the fig family, with curiously heart-shaped leaves that taper off at the point in a small “tail.” Rather mysteriously, the leaves of this tree rustle even when there is no breeze to move them, which is attributed to the long leaf stalk and broad leaf structure. This tree, also known as “Ashvatta,” is purportedly the most worshipped tree in India. Lord Krishna, the original incarnation of Lord Vishnu and the supreme lord of the universe according to the Vaishnava faith, identifies with the peepul in the sacred text Bhagavad Gita. He states, “Of all trees, I am the holy fig tree.” 

In addition, the Hindus associate the roots of the tree with Lord Brahma (the creator of the universe), the trunk of the tree with Lord Vishnu (the protector and preserver), and the leaves of the tree with Lord Shiva (the destroyer). The Buddhists also revere this tree since Lord Buddha is thought to have attained enlightenment under the peepul tree. Thus it is also called the Bodhi Tree or Tree of Enlightenment. 

A red thread or cloth is often tied around the tree for worship and it is considered very inauspicious to ever cut one down.This sacred tree native is a storehouse of medicinal value and is used to treat many ailments and diseases, ranging from a simple incident like a snake bite to Asthma, skin diseases, kidney diseases, constipation, dysentery, impotency and various blood-related problems. Peepal tree leaves contain Glucose, Asteriod and Mennos,Phenolic while its bark is rich in Vitamin K, tainen and Phaetosteroline.

All of these ingredients make the peepal tree an exceptional medicinal tree.

According to the science of Ayurveda, every part of the peepal tree – the leaf, bark, shoot, seeds and its fruit has several medicinal benefits, and it is being used since ancient times to cure many diseases. 

 Medicinal  uses of Peepal:

1. For bleeding diarrhoea: Take soft stems of peepal, coriander seeds,crystal sugar in equal quantity and mix them well and take its 3-4 grams twice a day and it is very useful in this disease.

2. For poor appetite: Take ripe fruits of Peepal. Peepal fruit can also be taken for cough, pitta, blood-related problems, burning sensation and vomitting etc.

3. For stomach pain: Make paste of 2.5 leaves of a peepal plant and mix with 50 grams jaggery and make small tablets of the mixture and take it 3-4 times a day. It will soothe the stomach pain.

4. For Asthma: Take a bark of plant and its ripe fruits. Make their powder separately and mix them in equal quantities. In take of this mixture thrice in a day is very effective in this problem. Make a powder of dry fruits of peepal and take it with two to three grams of water for 14 days twice a day and this will prove very effective.

5. Snake Bite: In case of a snake bite give 2-2 spoons of the extracts of Peepal leaves three to four times to reduce the effect of the poison

6. For skin diseases: Eat the soft leaves of Peepal and the problem itching and other skin diseases are cured. Taking 40 ml tea of this leaf is equally effective.

7. Eczema itching: Take 50 gms peepali bark ash and add lime and ghee properly and make the paste of the mixture. Apply this paste on effective areas and it will prove soothing effects. Take 40 ml tea of peepal bark regularly and it will also be useful.

8. Cracked Heals: Apply Peepal leaf extracts or its milk on cracked hands and heels to get best results.

9. For blood purification: Take one to two gm of Peepal seeds powder and take it with honey twice a day and it will purify the blood. In the gastric-related blood disorders take 40 ml kwath and five gms of honey for best results.

10. For impotency: Take half spoon of peepal fruit powder thrice a day with milk. You will get rid of impotency and give strength to the body.

Equal quantity of peepal fruits, its roots,bark and shunthi may be mixed and treat it with milk and then add sugar candy and honey in it and take the mixture twice a day and it will improve sex power.

Take equal quantity of peepal fruit, roots, bark and shunga and add sugar and honey in it. It will increase sex power.

11. For constipation: Take 5-10 fruits of peepal daily and it will cure the problem of constipation permanently

12. For Liver and spline disease: Take 3-4 fresh leaves of Peepal and mix crystal sugar in it and make its powder. Mix the powder in 250 ml water and then filter the mixture. This squash has to be given twice a day to the patient for 5 days. This medicine is very effective for patient of Jaundice.

13. For Swelling in Spline: Take 10-20 gms of peepal bark and burn it out and add equal quantity of Kalmi Shora and pour it in ripe banana and eat one such banana each day and it will cure swelling of spline swelling.

14. For Hiccups: Take 50-100 gms bark of peepal and make tis charcoal and extinguish it in water. The intake of this water is very useful for patients of Hiccups

15. For eye pain: Take the milk of the leaves of the plant and apply on the eye. It will cure eye pains.

16. For tooth disease: Take barks of both peepal and banian tree in equal quantity and mix them well and boil the mixture in hot water. Use it for rinsing in the mouth and it will cure teeth pain.  

LOTHAL AND HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION

Maritime Museum Comes Up

The first Indian Maritime Museum has been announced in the Union budget;it will come up  in Lothal,Gujarat.Why Lothal?

Lothal  was one of the southernmost cities of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, located in the Bhāl region of the modern state of Gujarāt and first inhabited c. 3700 BCE. Discovered in 1954, Lothal was excavated from 13 February 1955 to 19 May 1960 by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the official Indian government agency for the preservation of ancient monuments. According to the ASI, Lothal had the world’s earliest known dock, which connected the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati river on the trade route between Harappan cities in Sindh and the peninsula of Saurashtra when the surrounding Kutch desert of today was a part of the Arabian Sea. However, this interpretation has been challenged by other archaeologists, who argue that Lothal was a comparatively small town, and that the “dock” was actually an irrigation tank. The controversy was finally settled when scientists from The National Institute of Oceonography, Goa discovered foraminifera (marine microfossils) and salt, gypsum crystals in the rectangular structure clearly indicating that sea water once filled the structure.

Lothal was a vital and thriving trade centre in ancient times, with its trade of beads, gems and valuable ornaments reaching the far corners of West Asia and Africa. The techniques and tools they pioneered for bead-making and in metallurgy have stood the test of time for over 4000 years.

Lothal is situated near the village of Saragwala in the Dholka Taluka of Ahmedabad district. It is six kilometres south-east of the Lothal-Bhurkhi railway station on the Ahmedabad-Bhavnagar railway line. It is also connected by all-weather roads to the cities of Ahmedabad (85 km/53 mi), Bhavnagar, Rajkot and Dholka. The nearest cities are Dholka and Bagodara. Resuming excavation in 1961, archaeologists unearthed trenches sunk on the northern, eastern and western flanks of the mound, bringing to light the inlet channels and nullah (“ravine”, or “gully”) connecting the dock with the river. The findings consist of a mound, a township, a marketplace, and the dock. Adjacent to the excavated areas stands the Archaeological Museum, where some of the most prominent collections of Indus-era antiquities in India are displayed.

The Lothal site has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its application is pending on the tentative list of UNESCO.

When British India was partitioned in 1947, most Indus sites, including Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, became part of Pakistan. The Archaeological Survey of India undertook a new program of exploration, and excavation. Many sites were discovered across northwestern India. Between 1954 and 1958, more than 50 sites were excavated in the Kutch (notably Dholavira), and Saurashtra peninsulas, extending the limits of Harappan civilisation by 500 kilometres (310 miles) to the river Kim, where the Bhagatrav site accesses the valley of the rivers Narmada and Tapti. Lothal stands 670 kilometers (420 miles) from Mohenjo-daro, which is in Sindh.

The meaning of Lothal (a combination of Loth and (s) thal) in Gujarati to be “the mound of the dead” is not unusual, as the name of the city of Mohenjo-daro in Sindhi means the same. People in villages neighbouring to Lothal had known of the presence of an ancient town and human remains. As recently as 1850, boats could sail up to the mound. In 1942, timber was shipped from Broach to Saragwala via the mound. A silted creek connecting modern Bholad with Lothal and Saragwala represents the ancient flow channel of a river or creek.

After the core of the Indus civilisation had decayed in Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, Lothal seems not only to have survived but to have thrived for many years. Its constant threats – tropical storms and floods – caused immense destruction, which destabilised the culture and ultimately caused its end. Topographical analysis also shows signs that at about the time of its demise, the region suffered from aridity or weakened monsoon rainfall. Thus the cause for the abandonment of the city may have been changes in the climate as well as natural disasters, as suggested by environmental magnetic records. 

THE FRAGRANCE OF SANDALWOOD

The wood with a divine smell

These small trees, with glossy green leaves and tiny scarlet flowers, are related to mistletoe and live off the roots of other trees. The harvested wood is yellowish, fine-grained, very aromatic, and, unlike other woods, has the distinction of retaining its prized fragrance for decades. 

A special paste called “Chandana” created from sandalwood is often used on the body, applied to the head, chest or neck either cosmetically or as part of a religious ceremony. The fragrant and sweet-smelling pastes of sandalwood are also very often used to worship the gods and goddesses.

There is an account connected with this tree wherein the Goddess Parvati (Shiva’s wife) created Lord Ganesha out of a sandalwood paste and breathed life into the figure. Sandalwood is also prized by Buddhists who use the scent in their own ceremonies and meditations. It is very often used to purify temples and holy places in both the Hindi and Buddhist faith.  Indian sandalwood is very sacred in the  Ayurveda and is known in Sanskrit as chandana. 

The wood is used for worshipping the god Shiva, and it is believed that goddess Lakshmi lives in the sandalwood tree. The wood of the tree is made into a paste using sandalwood powder, and this paste is integral to rituals and ceremonies, to make religious utensils, to decorate the icons of the deities, and to calm the mind during meditation and prayer. It is also distributed to devotees, who apply it to their foreheads or necks and chests. Preparation of the paste is a duty fit only for the pure, so is entrusted only to priests when used in temples and during ceremonies.

The paste is prepared by grinding wood by hand with granite slabs shaped for this purpose. With the gradual addition of water, a thick paste forms (called kalabham in the Malayalam language and gandha in Kannada) and is mixed with saffron or other such pigments to make chandanam. Chandanam, further mixed with herbs, perfumes, pigments, and some other compounds, results in javadhu. Kalabham, chandanam, and javadhu are dried and used as kalabham powder, chandanam powder, and javadhu powder, respectively. Chandanam powder is very popular in India and is also used in Nepal. In Tirupati after religious tonsure, sandalwood paste is applied to protect the skin. In Hinduism and Ayurveda, sandalwood is thought to bring one closer to the divine. Thus, it is one of the most used holy elements in Hindu and Vedic societies.

Sandalwood use is integral part of daily practices of Jainism. Sandalwood paste mixed with saffron is used to worship tirthankar Jain deities. Sandalwood powder is showered as blessings by Jain monks and nuns (sadhus and sadhvis) to their disciples and followers. Sandalwood garlands are used to dress the body during Jain cremation ceremonies. During the festival of Mahamastakabhisheka that is held once in every 12 years, the statue of Gommateshwara is then bathed and anointed with libations such as milk, sugarcane juice, and saffron paste, and sprinkled with powders of sandalwood, turmeric, and vermilion.  

Sandalwood is mentioned in various suttas of the Pāli Canon. In some Buddhist traditions, sandalwood is considered to be of the padma (lotus) group and attributed to Amitabha Buddha. Sandalwood scent is believed by some to transform one’s desires and maintain a person’s alertness while in meditation. It is also one of the most popular scents used when offering incense to the Buddha and the guru.  

SIGNIFICANCE OF BAEL TREE ( KOOVALAM )

The bael is a slender, aromatic tree that bears a sweet, yellow-green fruit. It is a very medicinal plant as well as a sacred tree. All parts of it are used for different healing purposes—the roots, leaves, and fruits—and it has proven effective in combating many different kinds of bacteria. It is referred to as “Sivadruma” by the Hindus, and the leaves are often offered to Lord Shiva, who is known to be particularly pleased by this tree. Baels have trifoliate leaves, i.e. a leaf structure of three, and this is sometimes thought to symbolize Siva’s trident as well. 

 

It is known as Koovalam in Malayalam.Its Botanical name is Aegle Marmelos.

Earliest evidence of religious importance of bael appears in Shri Shuktam of Rig Veda which reveres this plant as the residence of goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity. Bael trees are considered an incarnation of goddess Parvati. Bael trees can be usually seen near the Hindu temples and their home gardens. It is believed that Hindu deity Lord Shiva is fond of bael trees and its leaves and fruit still play a main role in his worship.

In the traditional practice of the Hindu and Buddhist religions by people of the Newar culture of Nepal, the bael tree is part of a fertility ritual for girls known as the Bel Bibaaha. Girls are “married” to the bael fruit; as long as the fruit is kept safe and never cracks, the girl can never become widowed, even if her human husband dies. This is a ritual that guarantees the high status of widows in the Newar community compared to other women in Nepal.

The fruits can be eaten either fresh from trees or after being dried and produced into candy, toffee, pulp powder or nectar. If fresh, the juice is strained and sweetened to make a drink similar to lemonade. It can be made into sharbat or Bela pana, a beverage. Bela Pana made in Odisha has fresh cheese, milk, water, fruit pulp, sugar, crushed black pepper, and ice. Bæl pana, a drink made of the pulp with water, sugar, and citron juice, is mixed, left to stand a few hours, strained, and put on ice. One large bael fruit may yield five or six liters of sharbat. If the fruit is to be dried, it is usually sliced and sun-dried. The hard leathery slices are then immersed in water. The leaves and small shoots are eaten as salad greens. 

 Aegeline is a known constituent of the bael leaf and consumed as a dietary supplement with the intent to produce weight loss.It causes liver injury.

SIGNIFICANCE OF ASHOKAM

This is a small evergreen tree, with dark green leaves and fragrant orange-yellow to deep red flowers. The name of this tree means “without grief” or “one who gives no grief.” Water in which the ashoka flowers have been washed is used as a protective and healing draught against sorrow. It is representative of Kama Deva or the God of Love in the Hindu faith, and thus it is also associated with fertility. In fact, the bark of the tree is used as a remedy for reproductive disorders and to restore fertility. It is also thought that Lord Buddha was himself born under an ashoka tree and so it is often planted in Buddhist monasteries.    In Mahākāvya, or Indian epic poetry, the ashoka tree is mentioned in the Ramayana in reference to the Ashoka Vatika (garden of ashoka trees) where Hanuman first meets Sita. The ashoka is a rain-forest tree. Its original distribution was in the central areas of the Deccan plateau, as well as the middle section of the Western Ghats in the western coastal zone of the Indian subcontinent.

The ashoka is prized for its beautiful foliage and fragrant flowers. It is a handsome, small, erect evergreen tree, with deep green leaves growing in dense clusters.

Its flowering season is around February to April. The ashoka flowers come in heavy, lush bunches. They are bright orange-yellow in color, turning red before wilting.

As a wild tree, the ashoka is a vulnerable species. It is becoming rarer in its natural habitat, but isolated wild ashoka trees are still to be found in the foothills of the central and eastern Himalayas, in scattered locations of the northern plains of India as well as on the west coast of the subcontinent near Mumbai.

The ashoka tree is closely associated with the yakshi mythological beings. One of the recurring elements in Indian art, often found at gates of Buddhist and Hindu temples, is the sculpture of a yakshini with her foot on the trunk and her hands holding the branch of a flowering ashoka tree. As an artistic element, often the tree and the yakshi are subject to heavy stylization. Some authors hold that the young girl at the foot of this tree is based on an ancient tree deity related to fertility.

SIGNIFICANCE OF NEEM TREE

Neems are drought-resistant evergreens in the mahogany family, with small tapering leaves and white, fragrant flowers. The flowers and leaves are used in traditional Indian cooking and small preparations of neem are consumed as part of the New Year’s celebration in several provinces. Deities are sometimes garlanded with offerings of neem flowers and leaves. It is greatly respected for its medicinal uses, including anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and even sedative properties. It is also commonly used as a “toothbrush.” People in India (as well as Africa and the Middle East) have been chewing on neem twigs to clean their teeth for centuries. In Hindi culture, neem is manifested as the Goddess Durga, also known as Parvati (the wife of Shiva). In some parts of India, the neem tree itself is thought to be a goddess, Neemari Devi. It is associated with Goddess Sitala Devi in the north as well as Goddess  Mariamman in the south, who are both associated with giving and healing of skin ailments like small-pox. The beautiful and famous Jagannatha deities in eastern Odisha are formed from neem wood. Neem flowers, leaves and even smoke from burning the leaves is often used to ward off evil spirits.  

Neem (Azadirachta Indica) is an ancient medicinal tree, celebrated for its remarkable healing properties as far back as 5,000 BCE. Described in ancient Indian Ayurvedic texts as ‘Sarva roga nivarini’ (the universal healer of all ailments) and ‘Nimba’ (giver of good health), neem’s name is ‘Arista’ in Sanskrit – meaning ‘perfect, complete and imperishable’ .

Throughout Indian history and culture, the neem tree has been imbued with spiritual significance and presented as a symbol of health. According to Hindu mythology, the neem tree was born through drops of Amrita (the elixir of immortality) sprinkled onto the Earth by divine beings known as Devas. Neem is  revered as one of the manifestations of the Mother Goddess, Kali or Durga,

The Siddha Medical system, from the Tamil Land, in the south of India, was the foremost medicinal system in the world. It is said to have originated with the Dravidian civilization in the legendary, and now submerged, ancient island of Kumari Kandam, between 10,000 and 4,000 BCE . The wisdom in the Tamil Citta, as this traditional medicine is also known, is said to have come from the Siddhars, or enlightened ones, such as Agathiyar, father of Siddha medicine. 350 year old palm leaf manuscripts attributed to this sage describe several remedies, using neem, to cure and treat a wide range of diseases. One example is the Agathiyar Gunavagadam, which prescribes the neem flowers as treatment for bile disease, the neem leaves for ulcers, and the bark for psychiatric disorders 

Further north, where Pakistan is today, the Indus Valley civilizations of the Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro civilizations were discovered in the beginning of the last century. The excavations of these ancient ruins uncovered the first solid proof (various therapeutic compounds) of the medicinal use of neem for small pox and chickenpox, long before any written records, between 2,600 and 1,800 BCE .

In the Thirumular Thirumantiram-Ennayiram, an ancient Tamil text, one of the earlier written mentions of neem comes to life in the poetic form of the era, circa 200 BCE .

Though known for centuries in rural settings across Asia as the ‘Village Pharmacy’, and while research into neem has been underway in India since the 1920s, it was only in 1959 that a German entomologist in Sudan made a groundbreaking observation. A locust plague surged near his area of study, ravishing all in its path, with exception of the neem tree. This discovery sparked global interest in neem, inspiring several of the world’s most prominent institutions to examine the tree’s agricultural and medicinal applications .  

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BANYAN TREE

The  Banyan tree is one of the most venerated trees in Hinduism. It has the ability to grow and survive for centuries and is compared to as God’s shelter to his devotees. It has large leaves, which are commonly used worship and rituals.

The banyan tree is considered as the symbol of immortality. It has aerial roots that grow down from its branches forming additional trunks and anchor the tree to the ground, therefore this tree is also known as Bahupada,  or the one with several feet. This tree symbolizes the creator Brahma, as it symbolizes longevity.

Banyan is also associated with Yama, the God of death. This is why it is planted outside of villages near crematoriums. This tree does not let even a blade of grass grow under it. That is why it is not used for any fertility ceremonies like childbirth and marriage, as it does not allow renewal or rebirth.

The Hindu religion considers two types of sacredness, temporary material reality, and permanent material reality. Trees like the coconut and banana fit in the first category as they represent the flesh, constantly dying and renewing itself, while the Banyan represents the latter, it is like the soul, neither dying nor renewing. The Banyan represents one’s spiritual aspirations. It is said to be immortal or Akshaya, and can even survive Pralaya or the destruction of the world. The banana tree is cons In Hinduism, trees have held great significance. They are considered sacred and are often associated with Gods and goddesses. While the Banana tree is considered an equivalent to the householder,  the Banyan is considered and equivalent to the hermit.

Just as a hermit cannot raise a family or support a household and only has spiritual aspirations. The same way, the banyan tree represents the spiritual aspirations; free from materialism. Under the banyan tree are usually seen hermits who have left the materials aspects of their lives. They reject the flesh in search of the soul alone. The greatest of hermits, Shiva is represented as a stone called Lingam under the shade of the banyan tree. Shiva was never part of the village, he didn’t fear ghosts or spirits, and used to stay comfortably in the shade of this immortal tree.

Lord Shiva is seen as Dakshinamurti or the one who faces south, which is regarded as the direction of change and death. In iconography, he is usually depicted sitting under a Banyan tree, the embodiment of universal soul. He faces the terror of change and death and looks unafraid because he possess all the knowledge in the world. At his feet are the recipients of his knowledge. This is usually depicted on the south-facing wall of the temple.

This tree is also highly regarded in Buddhism as it is believed that Gautama Buddha sat under this tree for seven days after he attained enlightenment to absorb his new-found realization.

The banyan tree also has medicinal properties and is used extensively in Ayurveda. The bark of the tree and its leaves can be used to stop excessive bleeding from wounds. The latex of the plant is used to cure piles, rheumatism, pain, and lumbago.

In the Gujarati language, banya means “grocer or merchant”, not “tree”. The Portuguese picked up the word to refer specifically to Hindu merchants, and passed it along to the English as early as 1599 with the same meaning. By 1634, English writers began to tell of the banyan tree, a tree under which Hindu merchants conducted their business. The tree provided a shaded place for a village meeting or for merchants to sell their goods. Eventually, “banyan” became the name of the tree itself.

In Hinduism, the leaf of the banyan tree is said to be the resting place for the god Krishna.In the Bhagavat Gita, Krishna said, “There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down, and the Vedic hymns are its leaves. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.” (Bg 15.1).

Here the material world is described as a tree whose roots are upwards and branches are below. We have experience of a tree whose roots are upward: if one stands on the bank of a river or any reservoir of water, he can see that the trees reflected in the water are upside down. The branches go downward and the roots upward. Similarly, this material world is a reflection of the spiritual world. The material world is but a shadow of reality. In the shadow there is no reality or substantiality, but from the shadow we can understand that there is substance and reality.  

THE EVIL INSIDE NALA AND EVERY MAN

When Kali Embraces Man

Though the gods went away wishing the couple a happy life, a demigod named Kali was upset that Damayanti had chosen a human in preference to a god.

Kali was the most malicious and vengeful of the demigods. “For insulting the gods by her choice, Damayanti should be punished,” Kali said, angrily. He turned to his companion, Dwapara. “I will teach Nala a lesson. I will bring about his ruin. He is fond of the game of dice. Through this game, I will make him lose his wealth, his kingdom and Damayanti. Dwapara, be a part of my plan. I will enter and take control of Nala’s mind. You enter and influence the dice.”

“You can count on me,” Dwapara replied.

The two demigods went to the neighbouring king, Pushkara, a cousin of Nala, who had always been envious of him. They said to him, “Invite Nala to play dice. We’ll help you win and all Nala’s possessions will be yours.” Pushkara was only too glad to agree.

Pushkara challenged Nala to play. Nala refused Pushkara’s invitations time and again. Damayanti was glad. Then, Kali took possession of Nala’s mind. Damayanti was surprised to hear that the next time Pushkara sent his invitation, Nala had accepted. Pushkara eagerly fixed the day of the game. The two began to play.

Dwapara had stealthily entered the dice. At every single throw, the dice fell against Nala. He staked his gold, his wealth, his kingdom. He lost them all. Damayanti, his courtiers and his people begged him to stop. But Nala did not listen. His mind was inflamed by Kali, and he played on and on like a mad-man.

Damayanti realised something was terribly wrong. She sent the twins to her father’s kingdom with their trusted charioteer, Varshneya.

When Nala had lost the last of his possessions, Pushkara said with a great laugh, “Only Damayanti is left. Will you stake her now?” Nala was shaken out of his madness. Pushkara, his own cousin, was speaking these words. They broke his heart. Without a word, he removed all his jewels and rich robes and laid them down. And dressed in a single cloth, he walked away from his kingdom and his old life without a backward glance. Damayanti too changed into the simplest of clothes, and quietly followed Nala.

Pushkara announced, “Anyone who helps this beggared king will be put to death.” The people wept as they watched the two figures leave. They could do nothing for their beloved king and queen.

Nala and Damayanti spent three days at the margin of a nearby forest. They lived only on water from a stream. Then, tormented by hunger, Nala went in search of food. He saw some birds in a clearing. “I may be able to catch at least one,” he thought. He removed his cloth and threw it over the birds. In a whirr of wings, the birds rose up, carrying away the cloth with them. “Ha, ha! Do you know who we are? We are the dice who fell against you every time. Taking the form of birds, we came to take away the very last thing you own.”

Kali of Nalacharitham

Nala stood there in naked humiliation. “My queen, I have fallen into the lowest condition to which a man can sink,” he said. Damayanti quickly tore away and wrapped half of her own cloth around him. “Do you see these roads branching away from here? They lead to your father’s kingdom, Damayanti; they go straight to your father’s kingdom.”

“Are you trying to send me away, making me leave you all alone in the dark forest? Instead, let us both go to Vidarbha together. My kingdom is also yours.”

“No, Damayanti. I cannot let your family see me in this state.”

“Then I am staying with you. We will face whatever lies ahead together.”

They spent the night in a traveller’s shelter. To ensure Nala stayed with her, Damayanti tied the end of her cloth to his and then went to sleep. Nala lay awake. His mind whirled, thinking of the future. Then he made up his mind. “I cannot bear to see Damayanti sharing in my suffering.” There was an old sword lying nearby. He took it and carefully cut the knot that joined their cloths. “Once I am gone, she will go back to her parents where she will be safe,” he thought. He hurried out of the hut. Then he went back to take one last look at Damayanti. Every time he walked away, again and again, love brought him back. He whispered a prayer. “May the gods protect you. Your goodness and purity are the best shields that will guard you against all dangers. Goodbye, my beloved.” Wretched and weeping, Nala finally fled into the trees.

A little later, Damayanti woke up. “Where is my husband?” she cried out and ran outside. “Nala, you cannot have deserted me, who so faithfully followed you into the forest. You are playing with me, aren’t you? I can see a shadow behind that bush. It is you, is it not? No, he is not here.” Frightened and crying, she searched the wild overgrown paths for Nala. They led her deeper and deeper into the forest.

Suddenly, a huge python reared its head and caught her in its coils. She called out for help. A hunter passing by, came up, quickly killed the snake and released Damayanti. “Who are you?” he asked her. Damayanti told him her story. He looked long at her. Then talking softly and winningly, he came towards her. “Do not come one step closer,” she warned him. “I am the devoted wife of a good man. That is my protection. If you touch me, you are tempting fate.” But the hunter was full of desire for Damayanti and came nearer. The next moment, he dropped to the ground, as if hit by a stroke of lightning.

Damayanti ran away from there. Hot tears ran down her face. “May those who brought my husband and me to this state, be thrown into an abyss of torment,” she said. At once, the condemning words that fell from her sped towards Kali who had caused all their misery.

Damayanti wandered in the forest, searching for Nala. Her mind affected by sorrow, she began to speak to the mountains and trees. “Where is Nala?” she asked them. “O Mountain Mother, with your peaks rising into the sky, can you see my Nala? I am like your daughter. Comfort me. Tell me, where can I find my Nala? When can I hear his voice again − that voice which is sweet as nectar? He would tell me, O trees: ‘There is no one dearer to me than you.’ Then, why did he leave me? Nala, won’t you come and answer my call?”

Soon, she saw ahead a meditation grove of rishis. They welcomed her, blessed her, assured her that she would soon regain Nala and her earlier life. Then the grove and the rishis vanished before her eyes. “Was that a dream? Am I seeing things?” Damayanti murmured, and with stumbling steps, began her search again.

Fortunately, she met a group of travelling priests. They had not seen Nala, but they asked her to join them. In their company, she reached the bright capital city of the Chedi king, Suvahu. The street boys surrounded her at once, pointing, staring and laughing. They followed her till she stopped to rest near a fine building. It was one of the palaces of the royal family. From the terrace, the queen mother of Chedi saw Damayanti. “Who is that woman? She is badly dressed and covered in dust. But I see a nobility in her. How calm she is, though surrounded by teasing boys. Bring her to me,” she told her maid.

Damayanti was brought to the terrace. She narrated her story, but hid her true identity. The queen mother and her daughter offered her the place of Sairandhri or personal friend and maid. Damayanti gratefully accepted.

Meanwhile, after Nala had left Damayanti, he saw a great blaze of fire. Someone was caught in it and was shouting for help. “I am coming. Don’t be afraid,” Nala called out. He had been given a boon by the fire-god, Agni, that he would not be harmed by fire. So, Nala passed easily through the flames. He saw a huge snake in their midst. “I am the Naga, Karkotaka. Because of a curse, I am rooted to one spot, and cannot move to save myself. Carry me out. I will be your friend.” The snake became as small as a thumb. Nala picked him up and took him out of the fire. At Nala’s tenth step, the snake sank its little fangs into Nala’s hand. At once, Nala lost his earlier handsome looks. His skin turned jet black, the ends of his limbs became reddish, and his body stunted. “Don’t be upset, Nala,” the snake said, regaining his large form. “I have done this with a reason. No one will recognise you now. My poison will cause you no pain. But it will burn and torture the evil Kali inside you.” Thus, through Karkotaka, Damayanti’s curse against Kali took effect.

“Take up the post of charioteer with Rituparna, king of Ayodhya. He is an expert at dice. Learn the art from him. In return, give him your knowledge of horses. Here are two cloths. Just put them on and think of me, and you will become the old Nala again.” With these words, Karkotaka vanished.

Nala did as the snake had advised him.

Nala and Damayanti, wandering far apart, had begun a new life. But day and night, they pined for each other.

IT IS A DANCE THAT KILLS APASMARA

Nataraja-The Image and the Meaning

Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of Lord Shiva, and in particular, marks the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance. There is a Shivaratri in every lunisolar month of the Hindu calendar, on the month’s 13th night/14th day, but once a year in late winter (February/March, or phalgun) and before the arrival of Summer, marks Maha Shivaratri which means “the Great Night of Shiva”.

It is a major festival in Hinduism, and this festival is solemn and marks a remembrance of “overcoming darkness and ignorance” in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as honesty, non-injury to others, charity, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva. The ardent devotees keep awake all night. Others visit one of the Shiva temples or go on a pilgrimage to Jyotirlingams. This is an ancient Hindu festival whose origin date is unknown.

In Kashmir Shaivism, the festival is called Har-ratri or phonetically simpler Haerath or Herath by Shiva faithful of the Kashmir region. Cannabis is also smoked to mark this festival, especially in countries like Nepal and India.

Unlike most Hindu festivals which are celebrated during the day, the Maha Shivaratri is celebrated at night. Furthermore, unlike most Hindu festivals which include expression of cultural revelry, the Maha Shivaratri is a solemn event notable for its introspective focus, fasting, meditation on Shiva, self-study, social harmony and an all-night vigil at Shiva temples.

 The celebration includes maintaining a “jaagaran”, an all-night vigil and prayers, because Shaiva Hindus mark this night as “overcoming darkness and ignorance” in one’s life and the world through Shiva. Offerings of fruits, leaves, sweets and milk to Shiva are made, some perform all-day fasting with vedic or tantric worship of Shiva, and some perform meditative Yoga. In Shiva temples, “Om Namah Shivaya”, the sacred mantra of Shiva, is chanted throughout the day.

Maha Shivaratri is celebrated over three or ten days based on the Hindu lunisolar calendar. Every lunar month, there is a Shivaratri (12 per year). The main festival is called Maha Shivaratri, or great Shivaratri, which is held on the 13th night (waning moon) and 14th day of the month Phalguna. In the Gregorian calendar, the day falls in either February or March.

The Maha Shivaratri is mentioned in several Puranas, particularly the Skanda Purana, Linga Purana and Padma Purana. These medieval-era Shaiva texts present different versions associated with this festival, & mention fasting, and reverence for icons of Shiva such as the Lingam.[   According to one legend in the Shaivism tradition, this is the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation and destruction. According to another legend, this is the night when Shiva and Parvati got married. Another legend states that the offering to Shiva icons such as the linga is an annual occasion to get over past sins if any, to restart on a virtuous path and thereby reach Mount Kailasha and liberation.

Maha Shivaratri has served as a historic confluence of artists for annual dance festivals at major Hindu temples such as at Konark, Khajuraho, Pattadakal, Modhera and Chidambaram. This event is called Natyanjali, literally “worship through dance”, at the Chidambaram temple which is famous for its sculpture depicting all dance mudras in the ancient Hindu text of performance arts called Natya Shastra.

Meaning of Nataraja

At The European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN, in Geneva stands a beautiful Nataraja, a gift from the Indian government in 2004. The plaque beneath it states that the “dance” of subatomic particles that physicists observe has parallels in Indian philosophy, where the creation, movement, and dissolution of everything in the universe is considered the dance of Shiva. The dancing god, always moving, is a representation of the eternal movement of everything in the universe. A statue, the epitome of permanence, represents impermanence.  

A little demon is seen crushed under Nataraja’s foot. A short, chubby figure with a coarse face, like a baby with a man’s head. His name is Apasmara. He is the focus of the Nataraja statue.

Apasmara is generally translated as “ignorance” in English descriptions of the Nataraja statue. The Sanskrit roots “apa”, meaning negation, and “smara”, meaning memory or recollection (as in Smarana and Smriti).“Apasmara” translates better as “loss of recollection”.Apasmara is also the Sanskrit term for epilepsy, the medical term for “fits” or seizures.

The most striking feature of a seizing patient is how they suddenly disengage from the world – they forget who and where they are. When the seizure is over, they usually have no recollection of what just happened.

Apasmara was one of the eight mahagada, or dreadful diseases, in Ayurveda, for good reason. The reason a seizure is so striking is that for its duration, you see the animal that hides behind the human. A healthy brain maintains a neat, manicured appearance. In a seizing patient, though, the pretence breaks down, and for a brief interlude, you see the raw power of the brain.

The early Greeks too considered epilepsy “sacred”, and, in fact, one of the best-known texts of the Hippocratic corpus of works is titled On the Sacred Disease. It is sacred because of its link with memory.

The link between epilepsy and memory goes beyond the mere fact that many people do not recollect having a seizure. The most common form of epilepsy in adults is called temporal lobe epilepsy, so named because it originates in the temporal lobes of the brain, which lie near the ears. Swati Thirunal the King musician, had this disease. The temporal lobes are also the seat of memory. This suggests that the primary meaning of the Nataraja statue is that Shiva is the deity who helped one not forget.

The philosophical tradition named Kashmiri Shaivism has a concept of Pratyabhijna.  Pratyabhijna means recognition. As in re-cognition – remembering something which one already knew but had temporarily forgotten. And what you have forgotten, according to Kashmiri Shaivism, is the knowledge of the self. In their philosophy, your inner consciousness or self is of the nature of Shiva. Their concept of divinity was the conscious self within each of us, which was identical to the universe as it existed.

Nataraja is telling us that most “unawakened” people are living their entire lives as though in a continuous seizure. Ever forgetful, caught up in the machinations and worries and ruminations of everyday life.  

The Chidambaram temple in Tamil Nadu was built by the Chola emperors, who considered Nataraja their kula devata.  

The Chidambaram deity is also known as “Sabesan” – a shortened version of the phrase “sabayil aadum eesan”. This is a Tamil phrase, but Sanskrit-heavy. Sabayil – in the sabha; aadum – who dances; eesan – ishwara/deity. 

Sabha usually refers to a dais, stage, or hall. What’s interesting about the Chidambaram Nataraja temple is that the sanctum sanctorum is referred to as “Chit Sabha”. Chit means consciousness or awareness. So the Chidambaram Nataraja is the deity who dances in the hall of consciousness. 

The Chidambaram temple has nine gateways, possibly meant to represent the nine gateways of the human body – one mouth, two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, anus, and genitals. One writer claims that the Chit Sabha has five pillars, to represent the five senses and that the number of tiles on the roof of the sabha is supposed to correspond to the number of breaths a person takes in a day.

It does seem likely, then, that the Chidambaram Nataraja temple is intended as a representation of the human body – a representation of ‘you’.

Nataraja stands within you, in the hall of your consciousness, holding down Apasmara, the embodiment of your forgetfulness. Nataraja’s grace is meant to save you from forgetting your true nature, so you may come out of the seizure-like condition that is the fate of most people’s daily lives.

(Thanks to Anand Venkataraman who works at the Neurology Department at Harvard University)