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News18
2 days ago
- News18
'Dynasties of Devotion': All About Forgotten Whispers Beneath Temple Spires
Last Updated: The author has turned the spotlight on the rulers who shaped the seven iconic temples in her book -- the Cholas, Hoysalas, Cheras, Rashtrakutas, and Khmers When we visit a grand Hindu temple, most of us do the predictable: we marvel, we click pictures, we leave. But author Deepa Mandlik's book, Dynasties of Devotion, urges us to pause, dig deeper and listen to the whispers of stone, chisel, and myth. Because behind every towering gopuram and intricate carving lies a saga of devotion, not just to the divine, but to the art, architecture, and empire. In this beautifully written travel-history hybrid book, Deepa Mandlik retraces her family's footsteps through seven iconic temples — Ellora's Kailasa temple, Thanjavur's Brihadeeswara, Airavatesvara, Chennakeshava, Padmanabhaswamy, and Cambodia's Angkor Wat and Bayon. Mandlik's book takes us through lessons that integrate history and architecture, but more than that, weaves heart into stone, tracing dynasties, decoding sculptures, and listening for forgotten whispers beneath temple spires. The book is not a dry archaeological log. It's a storytelling feast, rich in legend, behind-the-scenes stories and civilisational exchange. When you walk through the ancient corridors of Hindu temples in Cambodia or south India, the intricate carvings of deities, the echo of chants long silenced, and the sheer audacity of stone carvings make you wonder: how did Hinduism travel this far? What winds carried these gods across oceans and dynasties? Most temples are known for their presiding deity, but the author refreshingly turns the spotlight on the remarkable rulers who shaped them — the Cholas, Hoysalas, Cheras, Rashtrakutas, and Khmers. Their architectural visions were not mere constructions but cosmic declarations, each temple a testament to power, piety, and profound cultural exchange. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on the Brihadeeswara temple. Mandlik takes you to the court of Rajaraja Chola, where a group of sea-faring traders return from Cambodia after a profitable trip. The merchants complain about being robbed by the navy of the Cheras of Kerala and presented the king with a golden miniature replica of a Hindu temple built in Cambodia and sang its praises. Rajaraja had been thinking of making a grand temple, and seeing the miniature stirs something deep inside him. He had dreams of building a magnificent temple and, thus, begins the saga of Brihadeeswara — a temple that would take years, weather palace and family intrigues and eventually stand as a monumental embodiment of that vision and sacred grandeur. Everyone talks about its towering vimana and grandeur. But, Mandlik also delightfully explains the dancing sculptures of Hindu deities, Shiva and Parvati, and explores how this Chola dynasty temple was once a prestigious stage for Bharatanatyam with nearly 400 dancers and 250 musicians in residence. The temple wasn't just sacred, it was sensory. This blending of fact and folklore is her magic. You don't just learn, you imagine. The book is peppered with fascinating stories and she tackles popular myths with gentle clarity. One enduring legend is that the Brihadeeswara temple is so huge that its shadow never touches the ground. Advertisement While this is not true, the origin of the myth is even more delightful. Mandlik narrates the story of how when the temple was completed, Rajaraja was inspecting it accompanied by the chief architect. He was quite impressed since it was exactly how he had envisioned it. However, looking at the stupendous temple, he asked his chief architect: 'Will this temple ever fall?' To which, the architect quipped: 'Forget the temple, even its shadow won't fall on the ground.' This conversation between the king and his architect became a legend that has endured. Sometimes, legends endure because we need them to. In later chapters, Mandlik travels to Angkor Wat, where the visual poetry of the Mahabharata and Ramayana is carved into stone. But she doesn't stop there, she also explores the Buddhist Bayon temple, which is not Hindu but is still included in her list for its symbolic connection to Mount Meru. advetisement The Bayon was at one time also converted into a Hindu temple. Its carvings still reflect the shared motifs and deities of Hindu cosmology. On a side note, 'meru' in Sanskrit means 'high" and the 'Sumeru Throne" is a common feature in Chinese pagodas. Mahameru, the sacred five-peaked mountain, is central to Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist cosmologies, and is imagined as the axis of the universe — the abode of Brahma and the celestial realm. While modern academics often dissect Hinduism and Buddhism with surgical precision, I applauded Mandlik's inclusion of Bayon because it reminds us that the origins of both practices were, for centuries, entwined, and still are. Coming back to the book, it has been written with affection not abstraction. It preserves the bhaav, the emotion of faith, while offering rich historical and architectural context and massive amounts of data. The anecdotes are compelling, the research strong, and the writing warm and accessible. The book is interspersed with full-page photographs and you feel like you are standing in the mandapas, touching the cool stone hearing the distant rhythm of temple drums. advetisement top videos View All If you ever plan to visit these temples, carry this book along. It is better than any guidebook. Even if you're not planning a trip anytime soon, read it anyway. Because this is time travel. This is devotion, dynasty, and drama, and I wish history was taught like this in school. When you finish the book, I guarantee goosebumps and a warm feeling at the sheer magnificence of the architecture and the wonder that was Bharat. (The writer is a lawyer, author and founder of YogaSmith, whose next book, 'Dharma Ecology of Bishnoi Warriors', will be out in July. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views) tags : hindu temples Hinduism religion Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 30, 2025, 07:00 IST News opinion Book Review | 'Dynasties of Devotion': All About Forgotten Whispers Beneath Temple Spires
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
How Tamil Nadu remained a global trade hub for many centuries
The economy of Tamil Nadu has shifted decisively to a high growth trajectory with the service sector contributing more than 54 % of the GDP and the manufacturing sector at around 34%. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This figure when seen in the light of historical evidence is neither surprising nor unexpected. Industrial goods have turned up in archaeological excavations at Keeladi, Adichanallur, Kodumanal, Pattaraiperumbuddur and several other places. The megalithic sites distributed over the dry plains of Tamil Nadu have yielded beads made of carnelian and other semi-precious stones like agate, beryl and amethyst. The social organization necessary for such sophisticated industrial enterprises is reflected in the development of craft guilds and specialized merchant bodies which traded goods produced in Tamil Nadu, like steel, textiles, ceramics and metalware all across the Indian Ocean from the Red Sea to the Straits of Malacca and beyond. The history of trade and mercantile activity from the Coromandel Coast to port towns located in present day Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam forms the mainstay of research both by Indian and Western scholars. Inscriptions of the early medieval period in both Tamil and other languages attest to the presence of merchant bodies like the famous "nanadesi" merchants who traded in the "five hundred directions". This particular guild which is revealed in early inscriptions had a long presence and seems to have operated almost till the end of the twelfth century. Originating in Aihole in Karnataka, this merchant body worked in nagaram or trading centres where they carried out business activities which included sale of commodities which included essentials like rice, salt and cloth. Luxury goods like silk and aromatic products were dealt with by specialized merchants. Inscriptions from Kanchi Managaram from the early Chola period speak of the active role played by traders carrying out trade in luxury products. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Farm products like arecanuts, flowers, ginger, turmeric figure prominently in medieval inscriptions. Forest products like timber, animal skins and elephant tusks are also known to have formed part of the goods involved in trade. We also have finished goods like iron ingots, gold and silver jewelry and textiles being exported from the region. The rise of the Cholas in the Kaveri region around the middle of the ninth century AD gave further fillip to the flourishing trade with South East Asia, particularly the Srivijaya empire. Chinese sources speak of trade missions that reached China from the Pandyan kingdom. The archaeological evidence from the port of Quanzhou suggests that merchants from Tamil Nadu were living in the port and an inscription of AD 1279 points to the presence of a temple at that site. Excavations have led to the discovery of a temple whose fragments are now preserved in the museum. Similarly, an seafaring vessel was recovered from Kadakkarappally, a site in Kerala which can be dated to the medieval period. Artifacts of Tamil origin have been found in South East Asia and these include textiles, religious icons, vessels made of copper and bronze and iron tools and weapons. Historians are unanimous in placing the Tamil region as a preeminent trading and commercial hub of the medieval period. In AD 1025 when Rajendra Chola I (1014-1044) launched a naval expedition against Srivijaya, it appears that mercantile interests were significantly impacted as several towns and cities in Srivijaya were destroyed. The trade in goods was sustained by the organized production of artisans in craft centres which contained weavers, carpenters, jewelers, metal workers and potters all of whom carried out their trade in fixed peasant localities termed as nadus. Merchants and traders belonging to various guilds gathered the goods produced and helped distribute them across the region and through the trans-oceanic routes to China and Southeast Asia. Marco Polo's testimony of the shipping he witnessed when he arrived at Kayalpattinam suggests that even as late as the 13th century, goods produced in the region were finding their way across the Bay of Bengal. More recently, we have seen trading communities from South India emerge as entrepreneurs and bankers in different parts of Southeast Asia particularly Malaysia and Myanmar. Falling back on historical links with regional trading communities, backed by entrepreneurial knowhow and social capital, helped build businesses that could hold their own even against discriminatory practices of colonial rulers. The author earned his PhD in Medieval History from the University of Hawaii and was a lecturer at Pondicherry University for 35 years
Time of India
22-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
INS Nilgiri joins Eastern Naval Command in Vizag
: INS Nilgiri, the first of the indigenously built Project 17A stealth frigates, arrived at Visakhapatnam. She joined the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) and would be an integral part of the Eastern Sword-Sunrise Fleet. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now INS Nilgiri is a major advancement over the Shivalik-class frigates. These multi-mission frigates are capable of operating in a 'blue water' environment dealing with both conventional and non-conventional threats in the area of India's maritime interests. Built in Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited Mumbai, the INS-Nilgiri has made Visakhapatnam her home port. This state-of-the-art warship was welcomed to Visakhapatnam in the traditional manner. This state-of-the-art warship is driven by her motto — "Adrish Yabalam, Ajeya Shauryam." INS Nilgiri is dedicated to the naval empire of the Cholas. These ships are fitted with supersonic surface-to-surface missile system, medium range surface-to-air missiles system, 76 mm upgraded gun, and a combination of rapid-fire close-in weapon systems.
The Hindu
18-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Coimbatore's school students put together a photo exhibition on Nature and wildlife
On Sunday mornings over the past year, when most of the city was fast asleep, a group of students quietly ventured out for peaceful strolls armed with cameras in their hands. Their stop is Krishnampathy Lake. The lake, originally constructed by the Cholas to prevent flooding from excess water in the Noyyal, serves as home to a variety of flora and fauna. The wetland is also a crucial stopover for several migratory birds, especially between the months of October and February, making it one of India's best birdwatching destinations. The students of class IX to 12 from Yuvabharathi Public School, representing the photography club Shutterbugs of set out on an ambitious project - to document the bird species at the lake. 'Project Birds of Krishnampathy Lake' was born out of this collective ambition of the students. Within one year, this dedicated team of students, guided by Sathish Ramamoorthy, founder of TREE, an NGO, successfully identified and documented nearly 106 bird species of the 222 bird species mentioned in the eBird portal. Geetha Jayachandran, Principal of the school says that the students actively took the initiative to work on the project all by themselves. The students, awed by the pristine front of the lake and captured images of migratory, native, and resident birds. As they immersed themselves deeper into the project and ventured further down towards the rear side of the lake, they discovered another sight, a sight of utter destruction. Here, the water was dark, murky, and contaminated with organic matter - styrofoam, thermocol, and plastics were found in heaps, posing a hazard to aquatic animals, birds, cattle and stray dogs. And the B stench from sewage dumped in the lake. The students collected water samples from the lake and sent it for laboratory testing. The findings revealed that the lake exhibits high levels of BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), higher Iron and Manganese ion, and higher levels of turbidity than normal. Geetha recounts, 'The sight of plastics and irresponsible dumping of waste, liquor bottles, stench and filth initially shocked our students. However, their cameras continued to capture all that their eyes saw. What began as a photography project extended to an awareness initiative, as our students got worried about the destruction of the pristine lake's ecosystem.' They documented their findings in the form of a book titled The Loud Silence, which features a collection of images from this birding project. Geetha adds, 'The students stretched beyond their comfort zone, and walked the path with resilience and conviction. Our students not only captured pictures but also captured hope of a revival of this beautiful lake. The outcome is this book.' In a bid to conserve the lake, and promote environmental responsibility, the young volunteers further led an awareness campaign and distributed pamphlets to local residents. Officials from the Corporation, as well as the Forest Department supported the students. Further, the students also explored the wild in Bandipur as well, to capture exclusive moments of animals. A collection of images from Bandipur and Krishnampathy Lake will be displayed at Yuvabharathi School Auditorium on June 17. The exhibition will also feature the launch of the book, The Loud Silence
The Hindu
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
New NCERT textbooks don't carry ‘poverty and colonised' narratives, says PM's advisory council member
The new social science textbooks developed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has broken away from the 'old poverty and colonised narratives', Sanjeev Sanyal, member of the PM's Economic Advisory Council (PM-EAC) and chairperson of NCERT's Curricular Area Group Economics, said on Tuesday. 'The new NCERT textbooks for Class 7 are out… Note that the images are clear and in colour, the economics section teach ideas using modern examples, and history tries to focus on storytelling rather than dates. I am sure these too will be improved with iterations but we have broken away from old poverty and gratefully colonised narrative,' Mr. Sanyal stated on X. Mr. Sanyal further said that the economics segment in the old textbooks (from 2012) were 'deliberately', designed for 'povertarian narratives'. 'Images from Partition-time refugee schools, all technology was steam engines, the chapter on markets was about how fair price shops and how shopkeepers were 'hoarding', and the chapter on finance was all about women's self-help groups,' he said further on X. The Hindu had earlier reported that the new social science textbook for Class 7 – Exploring Society: India and Beyond has combined previously separate textbooks on history, geography and social and political Life (which also had a section on economics) into one. The new NCERT textbooks for class VII are out. Below are images of the integrated social science textbook (history, economics, geography etc). Note that the images are clear and in colour, the economics section teach ideas using modern examples, and history tries to focus on… — Sanjeev Sanyal (@sanjeevsanyal) June 10, 2025 Digital money in The new Class 7 social science book deals with economics in Theme E in two chapters – From Barter to Money and Understanding Markets. The new book's 'From Barter to Money' chapter goes into the basic details of barter system, the history of money, coinage system during Chalukyas, Cholas, and goes on to discuss use of digital money, including systems of net banking and United Payments Interface. The second chapter, Understanding Markets, also delves into the history of markets by featuring a section on Karnataka's historical Hampi Bazaar, and goes on to explain how modern markets work. In comparison, the previous NCERT textbook for Class 7, focussed only on contemporary agrarian markets, dedicating a section to weavers' cooperatives and included exercises like writing a letter to the Minister asking what a student thinks should be the proper payment to workers after providing graphics on the current situation of labour charges in the garment industry. While the old textbook is replete with multiple examples, the new textbook too, delves on a similar exercise in the context of modern-day setting where a family would bargain with a vegetable seller to lower the price of vegetables, but would go to supermarkets and end up buying it at a slightly higher price. Similarly, Mr. Sanyal also mentioned that while the economics sections of Classes 6 and 7 textbooks had been revised, his team is now looking at revising Class 8 books. Missing farmers and debt The economics section in old NCERT textbooks of Class 6 was distinctly divided into two chapters – 'Rural Livelihoods' and 'Urban Livelihoods'. The Rural Livelihoods chapter touched upon daily wage workers working in paddy fields of rural Tamil Nadu. An entire section was dedicated to farmers being in debt, on the hardships faced by people living in fishing villages, and so on. In comparison, one of the chapters in the new Class 6 textbook's economics section begins with a quote from Kautilya's Arthashastra, with a segment on the dairy cooperative revolution and the Amul's role in Gujarat. While the old Class 6 textbook had detailed case studies on farmers and debt, the new textbook does not include these details. The new textbooks for Class 8 are now awaited. NCERT officials told The Hindu that while the new English textbooks were made available from May 17, rest of the subjects, including social science, will be out by June end, before the schools re-open in July after the summer break.
