The Hindu Business Line : Magic on the waters

It is an awesome sight. The waters of the Kamalalayam tank in the great temple at Thiruvarur defy reality. The rains have failed for three years and the Cauvery has run dry in the Thanjavur delta. Even though some fields fed by borewells are lushly carpeted with paddy, both distress and hope abound in this historical heartland of the Cholas. There is an ancient legend here worth telling. The Goddess Kamalaambika, who wished to marry Lord Thyagaraja, the presiding deity of this Shiva temple, stands in perpetual penance, her prayers unfulfilled. And the locals say, "kallu ther odinaal,kaalai maadu paal kuduttha, Kamalalayam vathi ponaal, Kamalambikaikku kalyanam" (if a stone chariot could run, if an ox could yield milk, if the Kamalalayam runs dry, only then will Kamalaambika be married). This is not only an ode to one woman's determination but also to Kamalalayam's infinite powers. Fed by underground wells that replenish it constantly, this temple tank accomplishes the impossible.

From the tidy and quiet railway stations en route to the bustling small towns that are still agrarian in character, India's rural hinterland has many layers and sub-texts to explore. The Thiruvarur region of Thanjavur is considered sacred soil upon which walked emperors among men. The breathtaking scale of temple architecture, its astonishing evolution in design and aesthetics, the folklore and mythology that infuse stone with palpable character, the link between tradition and utility (the temple tanks that are used for sacred rituals but also perform the vital task of recharging the groundwater) — Thiruvarur is all about living history.

If temple tanks are distinct landmarks, they are also part of sprawling shrines that are set on acres of land. The many circumambulatory paths or prakarams are separated by a series of towers. The prakarams are ideal for leisurely strolls, even as you appreciate the grandeur all around you. There are smaller complexes within the larger one, each distinct in form and imagery. The thousand-pillared hall in the Thiruvarur temple — the Devasraya Mandapam — is located in the third prakaram. Close your eyes, catch the wind that wafts in through the hewn granite, and imagine a world over 2,000 years old.

The gopurams are embellished in exquisite detail - a soaring testimony to creativity and talent. The magnificent entrance is marked by a 120-ft high tower or gopuram. The five-tiered gopuram dates back to the 13th century and is markedly different in appearance from the towers of other great temples such as the Madurai Meenakshi temple. This is only one of the seven towers that define the skyline at Thiruvarur. The main entrance of the Thiruvarur temple, abutting the tank, spans 20 acres on its eastern side alone. Kamalalayam, to its west, is a whole 25 acres.

Thiruvarur is also famous for its ther (chariot). The life-size replica of this chariot stands at the Valluvar Kottam memorial in Chennai. The gigantic 101-ft tall ther rolls during the annual car festival in the Tamil months of Chittarai-Vaikasi (April-May).

While in the region, do not miss the temple at Mannargudi, a 45-minute drive from Thiruvarur town. The journey is marked by scenes from the region's fertile topography — undulating paths, paddy being dried and threshed on roads, sudden stretches of absolute green, earthen dwellings, stray cattle, ponds every few hundred metres (in stretches that are well-inhabited, they have water even at this time of the year) and the occasional canal bereft of the Cauvery.

Apart from the lofty towers and impeccable stonework at its Vaishnavite temple, Mannargudi is also home to another legendary temple tank — the Haridranadhi. This is located a good kilometre away from the temple and a walk along its boundaries would meet recommended daily exercise requirement. Recently restored by repairing its embankments and pumping water from outside, the tank is an apt example of how things can go wrong — and be set right.

Everywhere in the Thanjavur delta, groundwater is being pumped out at alarming rates and the temple tanks are running dry. Some, like the Nithyapushkarani at Thirukannapuram, have survived. At Thirupuhaloor, you will find a water-filled moat instead of a tank — a fine alternative, the likes of which are to be seen at Brihadeeshwara's Big Temple in Thanjavur, except that it is dry and more of a big dustbin now.

Tragedy and sublime beauty live side by side in this land between times.

Picture by the author

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