The many Thrones of India

Well, Mysore has been in the news for the last few days and much has been written and televised about the golden throne of  the Wodeyars.

An invaluable artifact, which according to legend goes back to the times of the Pandavas, the origin of the throne is shrouded in mystery.

What many do not know is that today, the golden throne is the most magnificent piece of its kind in India. There is no other throne that even comes remotely near it in terms of heritage, myth, legend or even beauty.

Of course, here we are only taking about thrones in India and not those which have been lost forever or destroyed such as the priceless Peacock throne of the Mughals and the golden throne of Tipu Sultan.

So let us take a look at some of the thrones of India.

The Peacock Throne of the Mughals was commissioned by Emperor Shahjahan and it has been described by scores of travelers and visitors to the Mughal Empire as the most magnificent throne of its time.

History tells us that the Peacock Throne was carried away by Nadir Shah after he sacked and looted Delhi in 1739.

Nadir Shah massacred the entire population of Delhi and took away the entire wealth of the Mughals, including the Peacock Throne and the Kohinoor diamond to Iran.

The throne was destroyed by assassins who murdered Nadir Shah. Today, there is no remnant of this throne but a replica made by Indian craftsmen exists in the Topkapi palace in Istanbul, Turkey.

This is also a Mughal style throne and it was also supposedly carted away by Nadir Shah, who gifted it to the Ottoman Emperor. This throne too is believed to be only a small part of the Delhi loot of Nadir Shah.  

The throne is on public display and it is in the form of a high-edged table with four legs. The cushion is decorated with pearls and a gold braid.

The Kohinoor, we know, is with the British monarch.

Apart from these two thrones, contemporary texts and accounts say that the Mughals had at least nine other thrones and almost all of them were in the red fort in Delhi and at the fort in Agra. There was also a throne in the fort at Lahore.

Nine of these thrones, including the Peacock Throne, were taken away by Nadir Shah.  

After Nadir Shah left India, a weakened Mughal Empire shrunk considerably in area and extent. The power they once wielded was almost gone. This is best represented by the throne they sat on. The throne was a crude replica of the peacock throne and it was almost entirely made of silver.

The last Mughal Emperor to sit on this throne was Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1857. The British broke it up and carted it away to their homeland after the first war of Indian Independence.

The British also plundered the Red fort and took away rubies, diamonds, gold, silver, jade and all jewels and artifacts that they could lay their hands on.

The 20th century Pahlavi dynasty in Iran also called their ceremonial seat “the Peacock Throne,” though this throne has no relation to the original peacock throne.

Another throne that was Indian and held a lot of sentiment was the gold throne of Ranjit Singh, the Sikh ruler. This throne was made by the goldsmith Hafez Muhammad Multani sometime between  1820 to 1830.

It was made of wood and resin core and then carefully covered with sheets of engraved gold. The base is two tiered and it is crafted with lotus, a symbol of Hindu purity. The throne today is an exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Incidentally, the octagonal shape of the throne is based on courtly furniture of the Mughals. Since Ranjit Singh was renowned for his simplicity and dislike of ceremony, he rarely sat on this throne, preferring to sit cross-legged on carpets.

The throne was taken by the British in 1849 on the annexation of Punjab, after the second Anglo-Sikh war.

A throne that the British willfully broke up was the throne with the tiger motif that belonged to Tipu Sultan of Mysore. When Tipu died in Srirangapatna on May 4, 1799, the British troops looted his treasury, mint, palace and broke down the throne. Today, only a few tiger motifs-three of the eight that were crafted on the throne-and the gold Huma bird which was perched on the umbrella on the throne has survived. The rest have been lost.

Similarly, it is believed that the Vijayanagar Empire had several thrones. Most of them appear to have been destroyed or broken apart when the Muslim states of the Deccan wantonly destroyed Hampi or Vijayanagar after the battle of Talikota in 1565.

The golden throne of Mysore was one of the many thrones that the Vijayanagar Emperors sat on. It was unearthed from a secret pit in Peunkonda by one of the founders of the Vijayanagar empire, Harihara, in 1348.

The then Rajguru of  Vijayanagar, Vidyaranya, helped Harihara excavate the throne. The throne was at Anegundi when the Muslim armies marched into Vijayanagar in 1565. It then was transported to Srirangapatna and from there it came into the possession of the Wodeyars.     

This throne, the Bhavishya Purana says, originally belonged to Indra, the King of Gods. Inbdra gave it to Vikramaditya, the second son of  King Gandharvasena of Ujjaini who belonged to the Paramar dynasty.

The Bhavishya Purana also portrays Vikramaditya as the first great Hindu King among the ten great kings. He received the throne from Indra as he settled a dispute between Rambha and Urvasi. In his judgment, Urvasi's dance was superior to Rambha's because Rambha lost confidence and her garland flowers became pale as she worried about victory while dancing.

The throne then passed into the hands of Bhoja Raja and later to the Guptas and finally into the hands of the King of Kampili, Kampiliraja.

 Kampili was a tiny kingdom on the banks of the Tungabhadra river in present day Karnataka state during the 13th century. The founder of the kingdom was a Hoysala commander, Singeya Nayaka-III (1280 - 1300) who declared himself independent and created a small chiefdom. He was succeeded by his son Kampiliraja who buried the throne at Penukonda when he was forced to take on Muhammad Bin Tughlaq in 1327.

The throne remained buried in Penukonda till Vidyaranya directed Harihara to excavate it.

Another throne of the Vijayanagar can be seen on festive occasion when the idol of Virupaksha is taken in a procession. Historians believe that the Vijayanagar Emperors gave the throne to the temple in 1565 just before or soon after their defeat in Talikota, which is a small town in Bijapur district.

We have descriptions of the thrones of the Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas, Chalukyas and even Kadambas but none of them exist. There is also no evidence of the throne of the Adil Shahs and the Bahamani Emperors.

However, we can still see some of the most unique thrones in India.  

The Salar Jung museum in Hyderabad today has a golden wooden throne used by the Nizam during the last silver jubilee celebration.

The Chowmahalla Palace or Chowmahallat (four Palaces), is also a palace of the Nizam of Hyderabad. It was the seat of the Asaf Jah dynasty and was the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad while they ruled their state.

The palace is even today held in high esteem by the residents of Hyderabad, as it was the seat of the Asaf Jahs. The grand pillared Durbar Hall has a pure marble platform on which the Takht-e-Nishan or the royal seat was laid. Here the Nizams held their durbar and other religious and symbolic ceremonies.

Another unique throne is in the Junagadh fort in Bikaner. It has the sandalwood throne. There is also a throne set on a swing. The silver throne of Jaisalmer is an added attraction of the city of Jaisalmer.

Similarly, the City palace at Jaipur housed the golden throne in the Diwan-E-Aam (Sabha Niwas) or the Hall of Public Audience.

The Golden throne, called as Takth-e-Rawal, was the seat of the Maharaja during public audience. It was mounted on an elephant or carried by palanquin bearers during the Maharajas’ visit outside the palace.

Indian royals have always set great store by the thrones that they sat on.

Today, we can guess what royalty was lie when we see the Durbar hall in the Red fort in Delhi and Agra, the Amba Vilas in the main palace in Mysore, the durbar room of the Marathas in Thanjavur palace, the durbar hall of the Lakshmi Vilas, Jai Vilas palaces and the many palaces in Rajasthan and Gujarat.  

The tantric temple that Bheema built

The Purana Quila in Delhi is one of the oldest monuments of Delhi and the legendary city of Indraprastha, the capital of the Pandavas, was located here.

Thousands of tourists come to Purana Quila every day to watch the city built by Sher Shah on the ruins of the Indraprastha. But only a handful make it to an ancient temple that is located ban opposite the Purana Quila.

This is the Kala Bhairava Temple and it was built by Bheema, one of the Pandavas.

According to local folklore, Bheema constructed the temple when the Pandavas were building Indraprastha after they were given a barren piece of land.

The Pandavas had cleared the forests and went about building one of the most magnificent cities of the Vedic ages. Bheema built two temple behind the erstwhile Indraprastha and one of them is  the Kala Bhairava Temple while the other is the Doodiya Bhairon Temple.

Both the temples are located towards the north east of the Purana Quila.

If you offer alcohol as Naivaideya in one temple, it is milk in the other. Both the temples are dedicated to Kala Bhairava, a fierce and tantric incarnation of Shiva, believed to possess matchless powers .

The deity in the Kala Bhairava Temple expects devotees to offer alcohol and no other articles. On the other hand, you are to offer milk to the deity of Bhairon in the other temple Hence, the name Doodhiya Bhairon or Bhairava who drinks milk.   
Bheema worshipped the Kala Bhairava here and is assumed to have been blessed and received siddhis. Since them the Kala Bhairava here is known as the giver of Siddhis. Hence, this temple is a favourite of sadhus and people believing in Tantra and Tantric art.
The full name of the temple is more than a mouthful. It is called Pandava kaleen Sri Kilkari Bhairav Temple. Bheema had to consecrate the idol of Kala Bhairava here itself though he wanted to carry it to Indraprastha.

It is said that Kala Bhairava had agreed to come with Bheema to the new city of Indraprastha. However, he had put a condition, saying that ob no account should Bheema place him anywhere else except Indraprastha.

Bheema inadvertently placed the idol just outside the rear gates of Indraprastha and the idol refused to budge. Bheema then had no other go but to build a temple there itself. 

If you like to offer alcohol to Kala Bhairava, you have to purchase it from shops first and then go to temple, as you won't find them near the temple.

Saturdays and Sundays are special for Bhairava and the temple is the most crowded on that day. The temple is generally crowded as there is a belief that Kala Bhairava grants all the wishes of a devotees.

The idol is situated just above a well and whenever an Abhisheka is performed, the water flows into the well. Kala Bhairava holds a Trident in one hand and he has an umbrella or chatri on his head. 

Beware, there is a warning outside the temple, prohibiting devotees from giving alcohol to the beggars sitting outside the temple.

However, the message on the signboard is ignored and you find beggars and street urchins tipsy, and asking for more. The urchins and beggars run around in drunken stupor.

On Sundays, after the pooje, sweepers dust off the area and claim to haul in more than a thousand bottles of Jonny Walker and other brands of alcohol, including Desi brands.

One more warning. As a dog is the vehicle of Bhairava, you will find plenty of dogs outside the temple. Be sure not to harm them as you can get onto trouble with the locals.

The other Bhairava is a normal deity and you can offer milk to it as you do in other Shiva temples. The temples are situated side by side.       

The throne of the Pandavas

Ranked among the most popular tourist destination in India, Mysore has several well kept secrets. While many of the sights such as the Amba Vilas Palace, Jaganmohan Palace, Chamundi Hills, Zoological gardens are well-known, there are a few others that people are not aware of.

One of the most important artifact in Mysore  and perhaps the most priceless of all is exhibited every year only during Dassara. This is  the most valuable and mythologically well-known artifact whose history goes back to the times of the Mahabharata.

It is also kept away form public view almost throughout the year except for the ten days of Dassara. This is the golden throne, perhaps the only one in India that gees back to antiquity.

The throne belongs to the royal family of Wodeyars. So while the tourists make a beeline for the Palace, not many know that the golden throne in the palace is on view for the public only a limited period.  

The golden throne has an interesting history that lends an element of mystique to it. Popular legend has it that this throne belonged to the Pandavas and it was used by them when they ruled from Hastinapur. 

After the Pandava dynasty came to an end, the throne disappeared from history and was later believed to have been in the possession of the Guptas and then the legendary Vikramaditya and Bhoja Raja.

After Bhoja, the throne once again disappeared from history only to reappear during the time of  the Vijayanagar Emperors.    

Kampilaraya, is credited with excavating the throne from Hastinapura and bringing it  to Penukonda in Andhra Pradesh. It was once again buried in Penukonda till Vidyaranya, the Raj Guru  of the Vijayanagar Emperors, including its founders Hukka and Bukka, helped retrieve it in 1336 AD.

Locals in Penukonda even today point to the spot where Vidyaranya discovered the throne and directed Harihara I to take it and rule from the royal seat.

The throne then came to be places in the royal palace at Anegundi where the Vijayanagar kings used it. Krishna Deve Raya is believed to have used the throne during the Dassara celebrations in Vijayanagar.

The throne was supposedly gifted to the Viceroy of Srirangapatna by the Vijayanagar Emperors in the 16^th century. Sometime in 1609, the throne came into the possession of Raja Wodeyar who was one of the first rulers of the Wodeyars.

It was from his time that the throne came to be used during the Dassara celebrations. Raja Wodeyar wanted all his successors to follow him in this practice and this continues even today.

When the capital was shifted from Srirangapatna to Mysore, the throne to wended its way to Mysore. There is an interesting anecdote about the throne when Tipu had made Srirangapatna his capital.

Tipu happened to see the throne and he was desirous of ascending it. When this was brought to the notice of  Purnaiah, the Revenue Minister if Tipu, he tried to dissuade Tipu from ascending the throne. When Tipu remained firm in his decision, Purnaiah warned him that if anyone but a Hindu ascended the throne he would be burnt to cinders.

When Tipu dismissed this remark, Purnaiah got a handful of  “ bhatta” and gently put it on the throne. It immediately caught fire, leaving Tipu dumbfounded. Since then, Tipu did not dare to claim the throne, which continued to remain with the family of Wodeyars.

There is another story of the golden throne but this is not all that romantic. It says the throne belonged to the Mughals and that the last great Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, gifted it to Chikkadevara Raja Wodeyar in 1700 AD. However, this is doubtful as there is epigraphic evidence to prove that the golden throne was in the possession of the Wodeyars in 1699.

Yet another story about the throne is that it was found in the palace of Tipu and it was handed back to the Wodeyars after Tipu died in 1799. The throne was then repaired and from then on used on ceremonial occasions.

Unlike other thrones, the Mysore throne is dismantled every year after Dassara. It is mainly made up of three parts. The first is a series of steps that lead to the throne. The second part is the seat and the third is the golden umbrella which protects those seated on the throne.    

The throne is adorned with gold, silver, gems and other precious stones. The umbrella has shlokas engraved on them. There are 24 slokas in Anusthup metre.

The four sides of the throne are decorated with creepers. There are elephants on the east, horses on the south, soldiers on the west and chariots on the north. In the corners of the throne are Vijaya and four lions, two of the mythical Shardulas, two horse and swans in the four corners.

The throne has a tortoise seat (Kurmasana). The four sides of the throne are decorated with Vyalas and creepers. Elephants on the east, horse on the south, soldiers on the west and chariots on the north decorate the royal seat. Gods too are engraved on the throe with Brahma on the south, Maheshwara on the north and Vishnu in the centre.

The throne is further adorned with Naganymphs and Asthadikpalakas or the guardians of the eight quarters

During Dassara, the royal scion-Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar- ascends the throne in a private durbar ceremony which is called Khasa darbar. After this, it is open for public display in the rosewood room. 

The assembling of the golden throne itself is an elaborate and laborious process.

Be sure to visit Mysore during the Dassara to view the throne. It is a once in a lifetime view.

The temple built by the Pandavas

This is one of the few temples in India that was consecrated by the Pandavas. Though it is located at the foothills of the Western Ghats, very little is known about it to the outside world.

The rock inscriptions scattered around the area traces the origin of the temple to the Pandavas. Another legend connects this place with the death of Bakasura at the hands of Bheema.

This place is strategically located in one of the richest areca growing places in India. Yet, its name continues to evoke a little more than  a passing interest.

This is Vittla in Bantwal taluk which is not only famous for the temples built by the Pandavas but also an old palace the ruins of which can still be seen.

It is also called Vittel and it is situated 18 kms from Bantwal in Dakshina Kannada district. It is also 14 km from Putur and 40 km from Mangalore.

Apart from its temple, Vittla is famous for Arecanut, cocoa, pepper and coconut.

There are five lingas in Vittla and it is enclosed within a three-storied temple. The temple faces West and the sanctum has the Lingas -Sadyojotha, Vanadeva, Aghora, Ishana and Thatapurusha. These are the five features of Shiva. 

The size of the linga corresponds with the size and stature of the Pandavas. It is commonly known as the Panchalingeshwara Temples.

The temple is sculpted like the back of an elephant. The Domba Heggade family runs the temple

The Pandavas had come here during the Agnathavyasa.

The Sthalapurana ascribed the consecration of the idols to all the five Pandavas. What is remarkable is that the geographical features mentioned in the Upa Katha of  Bakasura Vadhe in the Aranya Kanda of the Mahabharata can been seen on the periphery of the temple.

The cave or Gavi where Bakasura lived near here is on a hillock in the thick forests of Kalenjimale.The place where Bheema killed Bakasura can be seen . Other places associated with the Bheema-Bakasura legand are Netthare Kere (puddle of blood), Chipparu where the head of Bakasura was found and Kayyaru where the hands of Bakasura were discovered.

Another important landmark is the Vittla palace.

The ruler of Vittla, Achuta Heggade, was captured and hanged to death by Hyder Ali with whom he had a running battle. Achuta Heggade was supported by the British in his war against Hyder.

One of  Achuta’s descendents, Ravivarma Narasimha Domba Heggade, fanned the fire of revolt against the British after the death of Tipu in 1799, but he was captured and hanged by the British.

The Heggade family still lives in the palace.

Vittla is located on a junction of four roads connecting Puttur, Kasargod, Mangalore and Saletur. Vittla is an easily accessible place.