This article first appeared on IndiaFacts website
The first chapter of the book demolishes popular existing
theories aimed at veiling the fact that Muslim invaders were inspired by their
religion’s express and unambiguous hostility to idols. Jain discusses how
apologists attempt to shield Islamic revulsion for idols by describing temples
as “pre-eminently political institutions” that stood for “shared sovereignty of
king and deity” and thereby became politically vulnerable. She points out how
this argument conveniently excludes mosques since it is hard to recall a mosque
built by a Muslim ruler and vandalized by a successive Muslim sovereign.
If stones could speak, the story of Indian temples and
deities would have been one of resilience and rebirth in the face of
persecution and annihilation. But as things stand, discomfiting truth has been
surrendered for a more ‘suitable’ narrative. With academics driving this shift
of truth-gears, the task of unravelling facts has become even more riddled.
Meenakshi Jain, Senior Fellow at the Indian Council of Social Science Research,
takes this challenge head-on in her latest book ‘Flight of Deities and Rebirth
of Temples’.
The book traces the journey of deities and pulls out
historical references to outline how temples were built again and again despite
being razed by Muslim invaders. With this approach, she establishes that
temples were not just plundered for wealth but, more importantly, desecrated
with the intention of wiping out the faith associated with them. She also
traces the journey of deities to counter the argument that the practice of
desecrating temples was started by Hindu rulers.
She also exposes the facile argument that mosques built of
temple parts displayed “a productive engagement with local traditions of temple
architecture.” Jain points out how these
approaches reduce temples to transactional institutions bereft of any
sacredness. Not only do they assume harmonious translation of one type of
sacred space in terms of another but also mute the millions who vested faith in
these deities and temples.
Jain tears into the apologist assertion that Hindu kings
routinely dishonoured temples of rivals from their own faith. She draws a clear
distinction between image desecration which was practiced by the Muslim
invaders and image appropriation which was in some cases practiced by
victorious Hindu kings.
“Instances of appropriation of images by Hindu kings in
times of conflict reiterated the contrast with Islamic iconoclasm. Almost
without exception, Hindu rulers honoured the images they acquired, thereby reaffirming
a shared sense of sacred. In Islamic case, seizure of an image entailed its
very dismemberment.”
Jain tracks the journey of Kalinga Jina, Vatapi Ganesh,
Buddha images from Magadha, Nag Kaliya and Vaikunth Vishnu to illustrate the
shared sense of sacredness among various victorious Hindu sovereigns. She draws
upon the Purva Karana Agama to bear out that it was incumbent on the triumphant
king to bring deities from the vanquished kingdom and arrange for their
worship. In contrast to this were the Muslim invaders who razed temples to the
ground or disfigured the images.
The writer throws light on another facet that has received
little academic attention. She discusses how the temples that had been
destroyed were constantly reconstructed, ensuring continuity of faith and name,
though without the grandeur. Interestingly, with temples drawing the ire of
invaders, the deities were whisked away. Jain notes the numerous cases where
they were either buried, replaced, changed hands, and a number of times even
lost, damaged or forgotten.
Jain has created a unique place for herself in the academic
world by taking on difficult subjects and challenging existing theories. Her
books include Rama and Ayodhya, The Battle for Rama, Sati, and a three-volume
study titled The India They Saw: Foreign Accounts of India from the 8th to
Mid-19th Century. But her particular merit lies in her research approach and
ability to tap into primary sources. She approaches her controversial subject
with the equanimity of an academic and what gets sieved into her work is only
authentic research material and observations – you are entirely on your own
when it comes to views.
The chapters of the book are not organised in a linear or
chronological order. Jain approaches her subject by geography – beginning with
Multan where the invaders first struck and ending with south – and invites
readers to begin with any chapter. I started with Delhi where I found myself
drawn into the journey of the capital’s famous Iron Pillar from Udayagiri to Quwwat-ul-Islam
Mosque. Other chapters include Hallowed land of Krishna: Mathura, Braj,
Vrindavan; Kashi and Ayodhya; Rajasthan; Eastern India; Gujarat; Maharashtra
and Vijayanagara, Tirupati, Guruvayur.
Jain’s final chapter titled ‘Unanticipated Assault’ outlines how Hindu
temples and deities remained vulnerable even when the threat of invaders had
faded. She lists numerous instances when the temples faced danger from
atheists, smugglers, rationalists, and skeptics in Independent India.
‘Flight of Deities and Rebirth of Temples’ is a landmark
work. For scholars and enthusiasts alike, this book is a must-have as it
presents a fascinating account of Indian history via Hindu temples and deities.
Yet, it is not a book for the fainthearted as it makes no attempt to gloss over
the accounts of desecration and destruction. Jain sticks to her trail of
temples and deities and allow their journey to tell the story. You get to read
snippets from an array of historical texts ranging from Rajatarangini of
Kalhana to writings of Alberuni, Hiuen Tsang and Muslim and European historians
and missionaries. With this book in hand, the sequence of events that followed
the advent of Muslim invaders makes more sense: Hindu worshippers switching
from temples to worship indoors, the advent of Bhakti movement and move to
bhajans and leelas in place of idols. It does bring to mind the seminal work of
Sita Ram Goel, but the eclectic approach of this book takes you beyond
documentation of temple destruction. It draws on archaeological, literary as
well as social sources besides the standard historical works to complete story
of how countless faithful followers risked their lives trying to ensure the
survival and continuity of our civilization.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the sharing the wonderful post , keep share more post
Tirupathi Tour Packages From Chennai