Talagaon - One of Chhattisgarh's Many Treasure Troves

Published in "Discover India"

Rudra Shiv at Talagaon, A crowd-puller unto itself

Factfile
By Air: Raipur is the nearest airport, about 85 km from Talagaon
By Rail: Bilaspur is just 30 km away and is the closest rail link. Falls on the Mumbai-Howrah and Trivandrum-Korba, Raipur-Delhi-Haridwar-Lucknow-Amritsar, main lines.
By Road: Car rentals from Korba, Champa, Bilaspur and Raipur are available.
Accomodation: Hotel Babylon International, Golden Tulip, and Celebration at Raipur. There are, however, other reasonable good and budget hotels in both Bilaspur and Raipur.

The sun is right above our heads as my South African neighbour Marie Gideon and I set foot in Talagaon village, home to the 6th century Devrani-Jethani Temple complex on the banks of the Maniyari river. The twin temples, magnificent even in ruins, and the entire 6-acre sprawl on which they stand, are now an open-air museum, direly in need of active preservation.

The entrance to the precincts is of recent origin, the handiwork of artisans from Orissa in typically Oriya architectural style. The head of the archway is sculpted with the idol of Hanuman, flanked by swans on either sides and the pillars holding up the arch have Ganesh and Kartik, and some apsaras carved on them. To the left of this archway are steps leading to the embankment of the Maniyari waters, the opposite bank shrouded in lush greens.

Raj Kumar Nitham, one of two temple caretakers appointed by the state’s cultural department, very reluctantly takes us on a tour of the precincts, narrating several legends associated with it. The chance discovery of segments of ruins by a cowherd who used to bring his cows to graze in this region which was once heavily forested, set in motion a spate of excavations, beginning 1977.

A silver coin of Prasannamatra of the Sharabhapuria Dynasty unearthed here, predispose scholars and archeologists to believe the temples date back to the 6th century AD when the Sharabhapuria rulers reigned supreme here.

It is believed that the Sharabhapuria king had the twin-temples built for his two daughters-in-law, hence the name Jethani-Devrani temple. The red sandstone structures, imposing even in ruins, undoubtedly must have seen their days of immense glory as evidenced by several intricately carved, but damaged and disfigured fragments of sculpture scattered throughout the verdant sprawl.

It is conjectured that the art work discovered at Talagaon must have been derived or at least borrowed in part, from the architectural style of the Guptas who held sway over vast regions of India. While both, the Jethani and Devrani temples lie close to each other, the latter is in a better state of preservation than the Jethani temple that is characteristic of the Saiva-cult. The south facing temple with three entrances reveals that it must have been structured on exceptional plan and design. Two of the four pillars erected at the main entrance, approached by about half a dozen steps, survive in various states of preservation. They are held aloft by the Bharvahaks or weight-bearers. Nitham tells us that the temple was built to resemble a chariot, pulled by a pair of elephants, in the northward direction; hence the temple has entrances facing east, west and south. Most of the figures here including those of elephants, crocodiles and goddesses, though exquisitely sculpted, are damaged to various extent.

We are able to discern better preserved sculptures in the east-facing Devrani temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The doorway to the sanctum sanctorum is ornately bejeweled containing foliate scroll interlaced with birds and swans, and floral garlands besides carvings of mythological characters. Goddess Lakshmi as Gajalakshmi is flanked by the ghandarvs and the pillars themselves are adorned with the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna. Alongside idols of Shiv-Parvati, there lies on a single slab of stone, the navagrahas with other ruins that reveal sages and figures that bear semblance to the tantric idols seen in Khajuraho.

Trying to move one of the ruined pieces, Nitham suggests that the weighty idols associated with Talagaon must have been crafted by men who were powerful, physically and mentally. Several of the idols find their place in the Tala museum that are without heads and include the Sun God with a horse and a wheel, Shiva in various forms and several female deities.

However, Talagaon’s most stunning and unique discovery, unearthed with minimal damage at its feet, is the iconographic eight foot tall image that came to be named Rudra Shiv, believed to be the only one of its kind in the world. The idol is placed under lock and key behind bars, requiring Marie and myself to exercise all our coaxing capabilities and charm to make Nitham unlock it for us to take a few shots with our digital companions. Nitham offers to explain that this idol of Shiva weighing five tones, is characteristic of the tantric cult, much in practice among the villagers and tribals of the region in those times. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the anatomy of the idol is a collage of several species of the animal kingdom, man inclusive!

While nothing is known about the artiste who created this masterpiece, it may be surmised that the serpent has been his favourite subject. Beginning at the top, a pair of coiled serpents serve as head gear, the turban. Serpent hoods adorn the shoulders which come down to the arms in the form of a crocodile with serpents serving as fingertips. The snake also serves as motif for the waist band and the left leg which it entwines. A lizard in descent forms the nose of the idol whose ears are adorned by peacocks, eyes by those of frogs, fishes serving as moustache, and crab as beard. Seven human heads of varying sizes, bedeck various parts of the body. The largest of these forms the abdomen, a pair of smaller ones serve as the chest. Each thigh is sculpted with a pair of smiling heads on its front and exterior sides. The knee is portrayed by heads of the lion. The head and neck of a tortoise denote the genitalia. The feet of the idol are represented by those of the mighty pachyderm.

According to Nitham, though preservation and development work are happening here, much more needs to be done and at a greater pace since the presence of Rudra Shiv alone is attracting, both foreign and domestic tourists here. The locals however, celebrate various festivals here, the major one being Shivratri when a Shiv Barat or Lord Shiva in procession, is taken out every year.
********