Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar » Sattari http://www.parrikar.com/blog Satyam Shivam Sundaram (Truth, Divinity, Beauty) Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:08:39 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Brahma of Goa http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2010/01/12/brahma-of-goa/ http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2010/01/12/brahma-of-goa/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:44:18 +0000 Rajan P. Parrikar http://www.parrikar.com/blog/?p=1513 Note: To see full-size images in this post, please view the original post by clicking here.

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva constitute the Trimurthi of the Hindu pantheon. Of the three, Brahma the Creator is the odd one out: He has less than 10 temples dedicated to Him alone in the whole of India. The puranas ascribe this anomaly to a curse inflicted on Him by Lord Shiva.

The Brahma temple in Pushkar, Rajasthan, is well known. Not as well known is the temple at Carambolim (also called Brahma-Karmali) in northeast Goa. The idol worshipped here is an 11th C masterpiece of scuplture.

The Brahma temple in Goa was originally located at Carambolim (Karmali) near Panjim. After its sacking by the Portuguese in the 16th C, the idol was moved to its current remote outpost and re-consecrated. Later, in a nod to its original home, the area around it came to be known as Brahma-Karmali.

 
From: Socio Cultural History of Goa by V.R. Mitragotri (published by Institute Menezes Braganza, 1999)

p. 206
The stone sculpture of Brahma from here is one of the best specimens of Kadamba art. Like Brahma from Sopara, the stone sculpture of the Carmoli Brahma has a beard on the central face. The sages were supposed to have a beard. In this respect Brahma is similar to them. Brahma in his front right hand is holding chanting beads (akshmala) and the hand in the blessing pose (varada) and in the rear right hand he is holding the sacrificial ladle (sruka). In the front left hand he is holding ghee pot (ajya-sthali). In the rear left hand he is holding a book (pustaka). The consorts of Brahma, Savitri and Saraswati are shown standing on either side of Brahma.

Three small niches found in the intricate torana are housing tiny images of the deities. The central niche has Ganapati, Vrishabhavahanashiva is in the right hand side niche and Vishnu is found in the left hand side niche.

 
 

There are other ancient Brahma images in Goa worshipped in subsidiary shrines in the villages of Parsem, Virnoda and Colomb. A striking Brahma head also figures in the museum collection in Old Goa.

The Carambolim temple recently got a complete makeover. These photographs were taken in November 2009.

 

Temple of Lord Brahma in Carambolim, Goa
5D Mark II, TS-E 17L

 
 

Detail of 11th C Brahma sculpture in Carambolim, Goa
5D Mark II, 85L II

 
 

Lord Brahma in Carambolim, Goa
5D Mark II, 24-105L

 
 

Priest Sandeep Kelkar at the Brahma temple
5D Mark II, 85L II

 
 
]]> http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2010/01/12/brahma-of-goa/feed/ 4 Morning in Mauxi http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2009/10/04/morning-in-mauxi/ http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2009/10/04/morning-in-mauxi/#comments Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:39:37 +0000 Rajan P. Parrikar http://www.parrikar.com/blog/?p=494 Note: To see full-size images in this post, please view the original post by clicking here.

The tiny village of Mauxi (pronounced “Mao-shi”) lies in the densely forested and as yet unmolested taluka of Sattari in northeastern Goa. I set out very early one morning from Panjim for the 60 or so minutes drive to sample sunrise in Mauxi and its pastoral purlieus. These tranquil settings and experiences, not long ago readily accessible, are becoming increasingly scarce in a Goa that is fast becoming uncivilized. As we shall see, even in this fairly remote settlement, unmarked on most maps of Goa, there are surprising delights to be found for the discerning.

Sunrise in Mauxi, Goa
5D, 24-105L

 
 

Nearby in a grove and out in the open lie ancient sculptures, among them an exquisite Vetal, au naturel.

Vetal in Mauxi, Goa
5D, 70-200L f/2.8 IS

 
 

The villagers then point me to a mass of rocks bearing prehistoric petroglyphs, unmarked and with no official protection. Only the recent intervention of a committed Goan environmentalist – Rajendra Kerkar – has alerted the villagers to the significance of this site.

Prehistoric rock art in Mauxi, Goa
5D, 24-105L

 

Close-up of prehistoric rock art in Mauxi, Goa
5D, 24-105L

 
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