Tales of temples and rivers

NIMI KURIAN

Two new books from Neve, an imprint of Business Publications Inc., are the Legends of India's Temples and Legends of India's Rivers. Written by Manoj Das, these books give readers an insight into the faith, dreams and aspirations of generations long past. Das has received the National Sahitya Akademi Award and also the Bhasha Parishad Award. Both books are intertwined, so you cannot read one without reading the other. From the Black Pagoda of Konark, which is the grand shrine of the Sun god to the Temple of Rameswaram, where an incarnation of Shiva is worshipped, Das takes you on a journey that tries to unravel the countless legends of temples and rivers in India. There is a tendency to forget the past, and take for granted the rich traditions and architectural splendours. These books gently awaken your curiosity so that you would want to know more about the past - mythological and historical.

The book opens with a quote from Mayamata which says: "If the measurement of the temple is perfect, there will be perfection in the universe as well." The book Legends of India's Temples talks of 16 temples. The stories are well researched and interesting. The illustrations are impressive and have well captured the rich traditions and architectural grandeur of these monuments. We are also reminded that we do not take care of these majestic monuments.

This could well be the right time to reprint Legends of India's Rivers. Originally published almost 30 years ago, Business Publications has decided that this is something of interest today. The book speaks of rivers as compassionate dieties. So these rivers were considered holy and treated with respect. But what has happened? Today they are polluted and we fight over them.

According to legend, the boon granted by Shiva to Narmada was that she would always be able to go where ever she wanted. The Kaveri it is said flowed into the Chola kingdom because of a special request from sage Agastya on behalf of King Thondaman to Kavera, king of Coorg. When the monsoon failed in the Chola kingdom this seemed the only solution. King Kavera readily agreed and the new river name Kaveri, named after the king, flowed into the kingdom.

Almost every river has a legend or a Puranic story behind it.

The story of the Ganga, its source to the sea, from old times to new, is the story of India's civilisation and culture, of the rise and fall of empires, of great and proud cities, of the adventure of man and the quest of the mind which has so occupied India's thinkers, of the richness and fulfillment of life as well as its denial and renunciation, of ups and downs, of growth and decay, of life and death.

Jawaharlal Nehru, Discovery of India.

Legends of India's Rivers, Rs. 40

Legends of India's Temples, Rs. 55

by Manoj Das. Published by Neve an imprint of BPI(India)PLtd.

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