THE GOA STATE MUSEUM - PART 4

THE CULT OF MAHISASURA MARDINI

Goa was an important center of the Shakti cult in the medieval times and the Goddess was worshiped in the form of the Bhagavati or Mahishasura-Mardini. The cult still has a large number of followers who believe that the Goddess is the Supreme Power unlike popular Hindu belief that it is the Trimurti consisting of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Protector and Shiva the Destroyer which controls the cosmos. In this form, the Devi is seen slaying the fierce demon - Mahishasura or the Buffalo Demon with her trishul.

The most beautiful of the three Mahishasura Mardini sculptures displayed in the Gooa State Museum is the one from Surla-Tar in Bicholim belonging to the 14 ^th century. The four armed Goddess carved out of Compact Soap Stone is standing with the demon in the form of a buffalo below Her left feet. A well embellished 'prabhavali' has a 'kirti mukha' (Victory Face) at the centre is carved behind her. The Devi is grabbing the demon with Her left hand whereas Her right arm is broken; She holds a trishul in Her upper right hand and a 'Shank' (Conch) in the upper left hand. A lion - the vahana of the Goddess is seen attacking the demon from behind. A look at this image and you realize that certainly the contemporary Goan sculptors were masters of their trade.

Mahishasura Mardini - 14th century AD

The 14^th century Talc Chlorite Schist sculpture of the Goddess found at Torxem in Pernem taluka is in fact a 'true' Mahishasura Mardini image for the fact that here, She is seen goring the buffalo with the trishul in Her right hand. Like the revious image, she is seen holding the demon's tongue with Her left hand; she holds a sword in Her upper right hand and a shield in the upper left hand like a medieval warrior. A well-decorated 'prabhavali' in the back ground lacks a 'kirti mukha'. Now that is strange and so is the absence of the lion!

Mahishasura Mardini - 14th century AD

The much older Talcose Chlorite Schist stone sculpture of the Devi was found at Assoledem in Quepem taluka of Goa and belongs to the 12^th century AD. The four armed Goddess holds a broken sword in Her upper left hand and a shield in the upper right hand. She is seen crushing the demon Mahishasura with Her right hand and simultaneously thrusting her trishul into him. Unlike the previous two idols, the demon is shown here in a human form, sitting upon a buffalo. He is holding a sword and a shield in his hand. The idol has a beautiful 'prabhavali' and a 'kirti mukha' on the top. A lion and a 'chauri' (fly whisk) bearer are seen on the bottom left and right of the image respectively.

Mahishasura Mardini - 12th century AD

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More from the series: GOA STATE MUSEUM

(1) An Introduction (Link)

(2) The Hero Stones (Link)

(3) The Sati Stones (Link)

(4) The Gajalaxmi Stones (Link)

(5) The Cult of Mahishasura Mardini (Link)

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Reference: Catalogue of the Remarkable Sculptures in the Goa State Museum

THE GOA STATE MUSEUM - PART 3

THE GAJALAXMI PANEL

The third of my many posts on the Goa State Museum is the Gajalaxmi panel that are displayed on the ground floor. As the name suggests, the stone slabs were commissioned in the honor of Laxmi - the Hindu Goddess of Wealth.

Gajalaxmi - 14th-15th century AD

The first of the two slabs, the one displayed in the above picture belongs to the 14 ^th - 15 ^the century and was found at Gulle in Sattari taluka in the north-east part of the state. This rectangular structure has an image of the Goddess in the centre, flanked by attendants and a pair of elephants with mahouts. The image of Laxmi is separated from rest of the slab by two small pillars. The lowest panel has people praying to the goddess with two mythical, yali like creatures in the middle, facing each other. In the two sections that make up the middle panel, one can see people playing instruments in the honor of the Goddess whereas the topmost panel has horses at the extreme ends.

Gajalaxmi - 17th century AD

The other basalt stone slab, belonging to the 17^th century found at Dharbandoda in Sanguem consists of the Goddess sitting atop a pedestal, holding lotus buds in her hand. She is flanked by attendants fanning her, two ornate elephants and two warriors in full military gear who are bowing before Her. The middle panel depicts cavalrymen whereas the panel at the bottom shows people dancing and singing hymns in the praise of the goddess. On a closer inspection, one can see two strangely dressed men, perhaps in Persian attire in the lower section.

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More from the series: GOA STATE MUSEUM

(1) An Introduction (Link)

(2) The Hero Stones (Link)

(3) The Sati Stones (Link)

(4) The Gajalaxmi Stones (Link)

(5) The Cult of Mahishasura Mardini (Link)

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Reference: Catalogue of the Remarkable Sculptures in the Goa State Museum

THE GOA STATE MUSEUM - PART 2

THE SATI STONES

Sati as a practice was prevalent in most parts of medieval India and Goa certainly was not an exception. This brutal act of the wife killing herself by plunging into the funeral pyre of her late husband was widely popular and the women who adhered to this custom were celebrated as deities with their blessings being sought by the womenfolk in times of need. Much like the hero stones, Sati Stones commemorate the supreme 'sacrifice' of the brave ladies who chose to end their own lives after the death of their husbands, thereby upholding their chastity and loyalty towards their companion, at least that is what the general view of the society was.

The Sati cum Hero Stone - 14th century AD (left) and Sati Stone - 13th century (right)

Of the four Sati Stones in the Goa State Museum, the most impressive is the one that was found in Majorda in Salcette taluka which belongs to the 14 ^th century. This weathered exhibit made of Talc Chlorite Schist is in fact, a Sati cum hero stone and such combinations are not very common. Belonging to the Vijaynagara - Adil Shahi period, it depicts a man in 'Anjalimudra' (gesture of adoration) in the middle with one woman, probably his wife in 'Abhayamudra' (gesture of reassurance) on his left and an attendant to his right. In the next section, the hero is seen committing self-sacrifice as the musicians perform whereas the topmost panel depicts a couple worshiping a Shiv Linga. A 'Shikara' crowns the stone slab and on either side of it, one can see carvings of the Sun and the crescent Moon.

Then there is another one made of Meta Basalt stone which has a rather peculiar shape. It consists of a pillar out of which emerges the right hand of a woman, decorated with bangles. Between the hand and the pillar is a couple whereas a motif of lotus is carved on to the pillar which is the symbol of purity. This exhibit belongs to the thirteenth century and was found at Rivona in Sanguem taluka.

A more elaborately carved Sati stone, similar to the one mentioned above which belongs to the sixteenth century is also displayed. Unlike the above mentioned exhibit, this depicts a couple below the hand. Then there is another sculpture which captures a lady with long flowing air, all set to jump into the fire and commit Sati.

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More from the series: GOA STATE MUSEUM

(1) An Introduction (Link)

(2) The Hero Stones (Link)

(3) The Sati Stones (Link)

(4) The Gajalaxmi Stones (Link)

(5) The Cult of Mahishasura Mardini (Link)

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Reference: Catalogue of the Remarkable Sculptures in the Goa State Museum

THE GOA STATE MUSEUM - PART 1

THE HERO STONES

The first of the many posts I intend to write on the exhibits in the Goa State Museum, as the name suggests, is on the Hero Stones which are common in this part of the country. These are carved stone slabs that commemorate the death of those brave men who laid down their lives on the battlefield fighting to either protect or uphold the honor of their kingdom or its people from adversaries. Alternatively known as Virgal, they are generally divided into three panels, though in rare instances as many as five panels are seen. Of these, the lowest shows the hero decked up in full military armour, vanquishing the opponents before falling on the ground himself. In the middle panel, he is shown being lifted towards the heavens, accompanied by nymphs and other mythical figures celebrating his ascent whereas the topmost panel shows him seated in the Swarga Lok (Heaven) worshiping the Gods, a fitting tribute to a person who had perished for the 'larger cause'. Besides, accompanying inscriptions, either in Devnagari or Kannada give the name of the hero, sometimes the year of his death and the battle in which he met his ultimate end.

Goa being an important trading centre along the western coast was always the bone of contention amongst the various dynasties vying for power in northern and central Deccan. As such, battles were frequently fought for the control of the rich port and these would have resulted in casualties running into hundreds and thousands, each time the opposing armies met on the battle field. The valor displayed by some of these brave men was 'immortalized' in this unique form. Perhaps, this is the most probable explanation for the large number of hero stones to be found in this region.

Hero Stones or Virgal - 12th century AD

There are two Hero Stones in the State Museum, both of these dating back to the 12^th century AD which corresponds to the time when Goa was ruled by the Kadambas from their base at Chandrapur (modern Candor). The one on the left made of Compact Chlorite Schist was found at Khandepar in Ponda taluka whereas the one on right was found at Malkarne in Sanguem taluka and is made of Talc Chlorite Schist stone.

The one one the left is particularly interesting. The lowest panel of this memorial shows the hero being slayed by a person with a sword. However, the interesting bit about this panel is that there is a person on the extreme left who is playing a musical instrument as the hero is being killed as if it was some kind of a ritual and not a regular battle scene. Could this be the depiction of an instance of human sacrifice, perhaps the stone was commissioned to recount the bravery of a villager who volunteered to be killed for the betterment of entire society as a whole; if yes, what was the reason for this gory ritual and whom are the contemporary people who inhabited Khandepar aiming to please by this act. The middle section show the celebrations in the honour of the hero whereas the topmost panel depicts him merging into a Shiv Linga and being worshipped by a priest and an attendant.

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More from the series: GOA STATE MUSEUM

(1) An Introduction (Link)

(2) The Hero Stones (Link)

(3) The Sati Stones (Link)

(4) The Gajalaxmi Stones (Link)

(5) The Cult of Mahishasura Mardini (Link)

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Reference: Catalogue of the Remarkable Sculptures in the Goa State Museum

THE GOA STATE MUSEUM - AN INTRO

AN INTRODUCTION

Though the Goa State Museum is dwarfed in size by the neighboring Goa State Central Library (now known as Kishan Das Shamal State Library), it is an excellent place to explore the state's rich heritage and witness some of the glimpses from its glorious past. For what it lacks in size, it more than makes up with some of the artifacts showcased here being priceless gems for people like me who are eternally in love with the beach state and its history. Situated in Patto - the industrial hub of Panjim, sadly, it is not amongst the top tourists attractions in the capital city and hosts relatively few visitors in spite of the fact that in comparison to other government museums in cities across the country, it is well maintained.

As per the brochure, the Goa State Museum was established in 1977 and was initially set up in St. Inez locality of Panjim before being shifted to its present location in June 1996. It is managed by the Directorate of Museum - Government of Goa. The entry to the museum is free, photography is allowed and there is also a guide available for those who are interested in the details. A book titled - 'The Remarkable Sculptures of the Goa State Museum' which available at the counter for Rs. 300/- gives a much detailed overview of the approximately 50 odd sculptures displayed here and is worth the money.

Name	The Goa State Museum
Location	EDC Complex, Patto - Panjim
Timings	Monday to Saturday - 9:30 am to 5:30 am
Entry Fee	Free
Camera	Allowed (Not Additional Camera Fee)
Approximate Time	1 - 3.5 hours

The one storied building has as many as thirteen different galleries of which the first and in my opinion, the most impressive is the Sculpture Gallery. Amongst the exhibits displayed here include Hero memorials, Sati Stones, Gajalaxmi panels as well as a few inscriptions discovered in the state. An equally beautiful second gallery showcases beautiful wooden carvings of various Christian saints, portraits of a few Portuguese Governor Generals and a flag commemorating the Portuguese naval victory over the Dutch. The theme for the third section is the 'History of Printing Press in Goa' which is also the first of its kind in the whole of Asia whereas the next gallery manifests the collection donated by S K Bannerji, the ex Lt. Governor of Goa and is named after him. The fifth section depicts the religious expressions of Goa; objects relating to daily life are exhibited in the sixth whereas paintings and sculptures of several Indian artists are shown in the next gallery. The eight section is the Numismatics gallery whereas the ninth is a photo walk through Goa's independence struggle. The tenth gallery houses objects from the Menezes Braganza Institute; the Furniture section showcases amongst others the chair of the Governor General and the 'Table of the Inquisition'. The last two sections developed with the help of the WWF showcase the natural heritage of Goa.

In the next few posts, I will be posting about the beautiful artifacts in the Goa State Museum that left me spellbound.

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More from the series: GOA STATE MUSEUM

(1) An Introduction (Link)

(2) The Hero Stones (Link)

(3) The Sati Stones (Link)

(4) The Gajalaxmi Stones (Link)

(5) The Cult of Mahishasura Mardini (Link)

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GOA DIARIES: APRIL'15 - Part 2

THE SUNSET AT MIRAMAR

Located three kilometers from Panjim, the Miramar Beach is situated at the mouth of the Mandovi River and is the closest beach to Goa's capital city. No wonder, it is one of the most popular destination for Panjimites to head towards to spend an evening; the stalls around the place and the children's play area only add to its popularity.

On the first day of the Goa trip, I and a school friend of mine - Neeket met here to watch the spectacular sunset. We sat on the steps of the Samadhi of late Dayanand Bandokar - Goa's first CM and witnessed the Sun slowly going down the Arabian Sea through the trunks of the coconuts trees while recollecting the beautiful memories of our school and college days.

For more posts in the series: Goa Diaries - April 2015, click here (Link)

MORE BIRDS AT GOA VELHA

GOA DIARIES: BIRDING AT GOA VELHA - PART 2

April is that time of the year when most species of birds in Goa breed. Since my visit coincided with the breeding season, I did get a few snaps of the avians as they were occupied in various activities relating to passing on their genes. Bhabi's mom spotted an Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis) from the kitchen. I followed this beautiful bird as she went to the road, collecting small twigs and deposited them into a tree hollow right at the entrance of the home. After reading about them on Wikipedia, I concluded that it was a female and she would lay her eggs within a week. Besides, I also saw a pair of Jungle Mynahs (Acridotheres fuscus) catching insects and feeding it to their young who were holed up, quite literally in a coconut tree. In every 15 minutes, one of the two parents would fly back to the nest with some food - usually an insect in their beak for the chicks to eat. Unlike the Robins, both the male and the female Jungle Mynah chip in while raising the young ones.

Oriental Magpie Robin

Jungle Mynah

Aaar - Paar: A hole in the coconut tree

For more on the Goa trip:
(1) Life is a Beach (Link)
(2) Birds at Goa Velha (Link)

BIRDS AT GOA VELHA

GOA DIARIES: BIRDING AT BHABI'S PLACE - PART 1

I got up early in the morning on the second day and was surprised to see that Bhabi's parents were already awake. The plan for the second day was to meet my friends from Mushtifund school. After having morning tea, I headed off to the balcony on the top floor to click some birds. Though I did sight the Black-rumped Flameback (Dinopium benghalense) several times, I just couldn't get the right shot. Nonetheless, watching a group of three hoping on a tall coconut tree in a spiral manner from the top to the bottom was funny and at the same time, equally frustrating as I just couldn't get a good image. Like the woodpeckers, the Red Whiskered Bulbuls (Pycnonotus jocosus) are common here and I found this one, hunting for insects on a small Ashoka tree. I clicked a Black Kite (Milvus migrans) as it descended from a nearby tower on to a palm tree. And finally, I spotted a Jungle Owlet (Glaucidium radiatum) perched on a leafless tree at the very edge of the bhatt. It flew away as I came closer but I tracked it at a distance. Over the next few days, I was really lucky to spot this bird several times. Even Bhabi's dad was elated at seeing the pictures of this glorious bird of prey that seems to regularly visit his compound.

Black-rumped Flameback

Red Whiskered Bulbul

Black Kite

Jungle Owlet

For more on the Goa trip:
(1) An Evening in Vagator - Part 2 (Link)
(2) Life is a Beach (Link)
(3) More Birds at Goa Velha (Link)

LIFE IS A BEACH

THE GOA DIARIES: FUN AT VAGATOR

DD: Niks, kite karta re tu?

Sav: Oye, purro atta

Kadam Kadam badaye ja...

DD in Deep Retrospection

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Small Green Bee Eater (top) & sea life (below)

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All Hail the King

PS: The images posted here were clicked by me and my friends Sai and Sav.


For more on the Goa trip:
(1) An Evening in Vagator - Part 1 (Link) 
(2) An Evening in Vagator - Part 2 (Link)
(3) Birds at Goa Velha (Link) 
(4) More Birds at Goa Velha (Link)

DIL DOSTI ETC

GOA DIARIES: MEETING THE ENGIGOS

From Left: Sai, Pri, Niks, DD & Sav

Almost two years... or to be precise, nineteen long months had passed since June 2011 when we had graduated from GEC (Goa Engineering College). With me leaving for Bengaluru in July, few others going to Pune and the rest staying back in Goa, it had been a long time since we friends had a reunion. I am pretty sure that like me, the rest of the gang was looking ahead to a get-together. The preparations for this day had already begun about a month back at around the third week of March. Once my trip to Goa was confirmed, I immediately called up the guys in Pune - Niks, Sav & DD to check if they could make it and they were more than happy to come down over the weekend (April 27 - 28). Pri was reluctant initially. However, constant persuasion on WhatsApp paid off as she finally gave a green signal. Actually, we had made it clear that we were not going to listen to any of her natkas and I don't think she had any other options.

Though Rach was a little disappointed as we had declined her invitation to come to her new house (Next time pakka ayenge), she was sporting enough to adjust her tight schedule to make some time for us. This was inspite of the fact that she was expecting guests at home on the same day. And finally, one phone call was enough to convince His Majesty - Sai to 'grace the occasion with his auspicious presence'. While this will certainly be one of the most memorable days of this year, atleast for me, I am pretty sure that everyone present there will agree that it would have been much more fun had Amba joined us. The group seems to be incomplete without him. Amba, if you ever read this then remember one thing - you have to be there for the next reunion irrespective of whether it is held in the frozen caverns of Antarctica or the hot sand dunes of the Sahara desert.

The Fantastic Four

Now continuing from my last post (Link), I joined Niks and DD in the latter's car at the Goa Velha bypass road. In the many months since we had not met, the two guys occupying the front seat of the Wagon R had not changed at all, well... except for DD's new hair style. Though he may be more famous in the gang for his 'classic jokes' aka PJs, one cannot deny the fact that DD is one of the best brains in Goa. After all, not all of us can crack the tricky NTSE (National Talent Search Examination) tests. Besides this, what sets him apart from the rest is that he is a 'good boy', firmly entrenched in the values that his parents have imbibed in him. Actually, his decision to come by his car on that day proved to be a masterstroke as it allowed us the liberty to even go to Vagator beach in the evening, thereby doubling the fun and on a personal note, fulfilling my desire of visiting my favourite beach in the state (Link). Thanks DD... mein tera yeh eshaan kabhi nahi bhoolunga.

The other guy occupying the front seat was Niks - arguably the most bankable of all my friends. A non-Goan like me, he is undoubtedly the 'soul' of our group. From collecting notes and question papers prior to semester exams to printing our projects and assignments to organizing group picnics, you can give any kind of work to him, no matter how mundane, yet he will do it with complete dedication. Actually, even this reunion was largely arranged by him. Niks belongs to the rare breed of people who treasure friendship above everything. Many a times, I have seen people exploit this quality of his but he still continues to go that extra mile even for the guys who do not deserve it. Apart from this, he is a complete techno-freak who (according to his own CV) enjoys exploring new softwares and repairing computer hardware. Itle bhopke purro dista re.

Clockwise: Sai, DD, Niks and Sav

DD seems to be pretty good behind the steering wheel and he raced along the Margao-Panjim road. As our Wagon R zoomed ahead, I remember seeing paddy fields along the way. Since it was summer, the fields had turned wheatish brown. I was enthralled at the sight of cattle grazing in one such field which had a Khuris (Cross) at the centre against the backdrop of the clear blue sky. Sights like this that make this state so special to me. Some time later we rode along the winding uphill road at Bambolim which is dotted with advertising boards of various telecom subscribers, alcoholic beverages, banks and what not. The view down below from this road is enchanting as the Zuari river meanders across the plains covered with dense vegetation. Next, we went past the famous Phulancho Khuris (Shrine of Holy Cross), the brightly painted Shiv Krishna temple and the Goa Medical College (GMC) - Asia's first medical college which was bustling with activity as usual, all in quick succession. Seeing all these places which I would often google on the internet in Bengaluru was very satisfying. As we descended along the slopes of Bambolim towards the north, I got my first glimpse of beautiful town of Panjim on this trip.

In the next five minutes we reached the Hanuman temple at the Kadamba bus stand where Sav was waiting for us. If you ask me or my batch mates who was the best programmer amongst us, I guess the answer would be pretty easy and unanimous. Be it pointers, data structures or performance optimization, Sav was at ease working with even the most complex aspects of computer programming while the rest of us would struggle. His grasping power is brilliant; he would study just for a few hours prior to the semester exams and still manage to pass with more than good marks. Wow! However, what I have admired the most about him is his simplicity and sincerity. Inspite of the fact that he was brilliant academically, his feet were always planted in the ground and he was always ready to explain different coding concepts to dumbos like me in college days. Besides, in the four years we spent together, I do not remember even a single instance of him not completing a program or an assignment on time. And finally, the best part is that he loves cricket in general and Sachin Tendulkar in particular. Actually, he is a chalta-phirta encyclopedia of the game and knows all the stats since the mid-1990s.

Striking a Pose

Once in Panjim, DD asked to me for directions to Hotel Texas. We took the road encircling the Ambedkar garden at Patto and then took a right near the beautiful traffic island dedicated to Divja and then passed by the new Patto bridge. The drive through the road with the Mandovi river on the left and city on the right was amazing and has always been something that I look up to, no matter how many times I have done this before. Passing by those places that are so dear to my heart - the Post Office which looks like a spatial Portuguese styled villa coloured in red and white; the Mermaid Garden; the Adil Shah's Palace which also served as the Secretariat till it was shifted to Porvorim in early 2000s; the Jetty which was getting a face-lift; the Quarter deck restaurant where he had our Std X farewell and so on felt very good. The girls who had who had already reached the city some time back were waiting for us at the Ferry Boat bus stop which Niks confused for Jetty - the most hilarious part of the day. Finally, after searching them for about 5 minutes, we picked them and headed towards our destination - Hotel Texas.

As we reached there and were finding space to park our car, I saw a guy of shorter stature coming towards us on a Honda Dio, flashing a perfect 'Coalgate smile'. In his trademark style, he managed to park his bike in between two cars and sprinted towards us. Flamboyant, charismatic, out-going, argumentative, confident, friendly, street-smart and Mr. Popular are just a few of the many words that one can describe Sai with. Always a delight to be with, his ability to get along with all and his positive attitude make him unique. If I am not wrong, I remember him being friends with everybody - with people across the myriad groups that our class was split into, with our seniors and juniors, with our batch mates from other sections of the college, with guys from other engineering colleges, GMC, GPP, Pharmacy and so on. Though he was the butt of most jokes we cracked amongst us, he would never take anything to his heart. I seriously respect him for this but that doesn't mean that I will stop making fun of him anywhere in the near future.

The Sun, Sand, Sea and Friends

All the seven of us then walked to Hotel Texas where we had decided to have our lunch. Situated close to the National theatre, this restaurant aims to re-create the ambiance of the southern American state after which it is named courtesy PoP (Plaster of Paris) sculptures depicting cowboys chasing bulls, waiters dressed in typical hats and leather jeans, guns hanging from the walls and so on. Though it hopelessly fails in this endeavour, the food served here is excellent, probably the best I have had in Goa. It looks like Lady Luck too was on our side as we got a table the moment we entered in which is extremely rare, especially on a Saturday. DD had just turned 23 on the previous day (April 26) and we had decided to celebrate his birthday. The girls had already got a cake from Monginis - Goa's favourite cake shop. Though we didn't give him Birthday bumps, we made sure that we had smeared chocolate all over DD's face, much to the distress of the hotel staff. In fact, like him all the guys ended up having their faces coloured in dark brown.

After spending some twenty-five minutes there on the birthday celebration, we ordered some starters and drinks to begin with. Just having finished her beverage, Rach who was already getting late left soon after with Sai doing the honours of dropping her to the bus stand. Once he was back, we ordered the main course and were done by 3:30 pm. We had the whole evening and of course, DD's car at our disposal. As such, we decided to go to the Vagator beach. After dropping Pri at the KTC, we waited for Sai near the Divja statue as he had gone to Altinho to complete some unfinished business. Once he was back, he parked his Dio at a parking lot in the vicinity (below the bridge) and the five of us left for the beach.


For more on the Goa Trip:
(1) A Trip to Goa... Finally (Link)
(2) The Chance Encounter (Link)
(3) An Evening in Vagator - Part 1 (Link)
(4) An Evening in Vagator - Part 2 (Link)
(5) Life is a Beach (Link)