Dhanashri Sawant
SVKM’s Balwant Sheth School of Architecture, NMIMS (Deemed to be University), Mumbai, India
ecoscapesindia@gmail.com
Introduction
Myth, nature and architecture in the context of sacred water structures do not dominate one another but rather contribute to the mythic nature of the place generating a dialogue between human culture, and expressing how humans interpret and respond to such landscapes.
Myths are narratives that can personify landscapes as gods or goddesses, while the built form reinforces these narratives in a spatial form helping one to perceive the landscape better. Thus these sites must be seen as a symbiotic interdependence serving a spiritual and ecological role.
In this process it becomes a celebration of space sustaining ecological reverence, thus treating the site as alive and inviting community participation in rituals in the landscape rather than isolating it.
Water is symbolic of origin, purity, and renewal. Myths give spiritual legitimacy to ecological features like lakes and springs as in reference to this paper and become manifestations of divine presence allowing the community to engage physically with the spiritual narratives in the form of ablutions and offerings. The reverence of these water sources helps in preserving the ecological systems thus conserving the water structure systems.
Environment & Cultural Context
Figure 1: Topographical maps of Maharshtra & Raigadh indicating the location of the sites.
1: Rajapur 2. Dhamapur (www.topographic-map.com)
The case studies are located in the mountains of the Western Ghats in the Konkon region of Maharashtra in the Raigadh district. The water structures and associated sacred architecture complexes built in Rajapur (late 1200s) and Dhamapur (1530s), are iconic of the relationships of myths, culture, landscapes and the celebration of rituals associated with them.
Rajapur-chi Ganga (the Ganga of Rajapur), Unhale:
Located in the Unhale village of Rajapur, the local legend refers to the miraculous and willful appearance of the original river Ganga in the form of springs once every three years in the region during the driest season when there is absence of water elsewhere. It is believed that the Goddess Ganga appears to visit Lord Shiva worshipped at the Dhutpapeshwar Temple situated 8km. away in a forested area. The appearance of the Ganga is celebrated as a ‘jatra’.(1) The space transforms into a ‘tirthasthan’(2) as revered as the Ganga in Benares.
Figure 2: Rajapur-chi Ganga, Unhale: People taking a dip in the various ‘kunds’. (Source: Dhanashri Sawant)
It is said that a farmer named Gangaji Salunkhe would visit Benaras every year. But in the 13th year of this practice he was unable to go. As he sat along the in his farm, suddenly twelve springs appeared from the rock as if Goddess Ganga herself appeared to meet her devotee.
There are fourteen ‘kunds’(3) in the complex built in basalt, all having water at different temperature named after rivers like Banganga,Yamuna, Saraswati, Narmada, Krishna, Kaveri, Godavari, Chandrabhaga, besides the Chandra, Surya and Agni kundas.
The ‘Mooll Ganga’(4) originates under an old Banyan Tree, while the ‘Kashi kund’ is housed inside the main temple where water from basalt rock is believed to flow through a ‘Gomukh’.(5)
Figure 3: Rajapur-chi Ganga, Unhale: Sketch Plan & Section (Source: Dhanashri Sawant ref. INTACH Report)
As news of the appearance of the Ganga spreads, the place transforms into a ‘jatra’: stalls are put up along the path leading to the temple selling goods related to the temple and otherwise and people from nearby villages and beyond rush to the temple for a holy dip in the kundas and to carry water from the ‘Mool Ganga’. There is no such prescribed path followed, but a dip in each kund and finally the Kashi kund in the temple is believed to give one the piousness of visiting all the ‘tirthakshetras’ based along the revered rivers. Once in a while it coincides with the festival of ‘Shimga’(6) where the ‘Palkhi’(7) procession stops as a ritual at the temple circumambulating around the kundas to rest for a while in the temple complex.
The springs and the water in the kunds becomes a means to connect with the divine, a passage to cross from the material world to the spiritual realm. Just like the vertical column in temple complexes, the water serves as a metaphysical threshold symbolic of purification before transiting to the divine from the mundane (Eliade, Mircea.1959).
Dhamapur Lake & Temple Complex, Malvan
Located in the Dhamapur village of Malvan, the local legend refers to the abundance of the Dhamapur lake which was believed to give the worshipper gold and wealth in return for flower offerings (reference gazeteer). The lake is abundant with biodiversity and an important source of water for the village and the agricultural practice. Hence the preservation of the lake is of utmost importance
Figure 4: Dhamapur Lake and Temple (Source: Dhanashri Sawant)
The temple is built along the bund of the lake, stressing the ecological and cultural importance of the lake and the myths associated with it. The temple has a unique design with the ‘mandapa’(8) and the ‘garbhagriha’(9) both having a distinct roof unlike many other temples in the region. The mandapa’ is believed to be a place of resolving community disputes as the locals believe that people would only speak the truth within the constraints of the ‘mandapa’ thus ensuring an amicable resolution of any dispute.
The myths and belief systems fosters deep respect for the lake as a natural resource within the sacred context of the temple, reinforcing harmony and resonating with the locals to be revered and conserved. The locals believe the myth to indicate the lake personified as a diety that will always oversee the health and abundance of the village, if the villagers take care of it. Most festivals like ‘Diwali’ begin at the temple complex seeking blessings of the ‘morphous’ (idol in the temple) and ‘amorphous’ (natural feature like the lake) form of the diety. The lake here becomes the threshold to connect with the divine, just like the four columns of the ‘mandapa’ and the space enclosed which are believed to be directly resonating to a divine intervention inorder to resolve conflicts
Discussion & Challenges
In spite of tourist influx in these sites, the local are sensitive to uphold these practices ensuring the survival and enrichment of such water management systems. The myth or legend associated with natural and built form are distinct in both cases, preventing homogenization of experiences and hence one is assured that locals will continue to uphold the intangible values associated with the rituals
Conclusion
It is important for the continuation of these rituals associated with the myths for the conservation of the cultural-ecological practices. Such practices allow the preservation of heritage and natural resources associated with it. Both studies highlight the reverence of hydrological and geological implications like appearance of the seasonal springs or of the watershed of the water reservoir, trees and the built space all together contributing to uphold the myth associated with it. As the traditions passes down orally through generations the versions of the legends may vary, but the strength of the practices associated with these myths make the associations of the community with these complexes and within themselves richer.
References
- Eliade, Mircea. 1959. The Sacred & the Profane: The Nature of Religion. Brace & World,Inc.
- IES College of Architecture Mymbai. 2019.The Wilful Waters: Ganga Teerth, Rajapur. INTACH Heritage Academy.
- Knobe, Joshua and Shaun Nichols (eds.). 2008. Experimental Philosophy. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Patwardhan, Ketaki and Pethe, Ashwini. 2021. Emergence of Water Architecture in medieval Maharashtra. Samriddhi.
- Ratnagiri District, 1962. Maharashtra State Gazetteers. Government Directorate of Printing, Stationary & Publication, Maharashtra State.
Footnotes
- jatra’: a large gathering, celebration or festival associated with religious or cultural events
- ‘tirthasthan’: a place of sacred pilgrimage
- ‘kund’: water holding tanks built in the ground
- ‘Mool Ganga’: Original Ganga
- ‘Gomukh’: water spout designed like the head of a cow
- ‘Shimga’: The festival of Holi as celebrated in Konkon
- ‘Palkhi’ A wooden, decorated palanquin which carries the idols of local Gods to every household in the village to be blessed accompanied by villagers drumming and dancing
- ‘mandapa’ The space of assembly in the temple
- ‘garbhagriha’: The inner sanctum hosuing the main idol of the diety
