The Goddess who protects a womb

One of the most famous temples in South India to whom women in large numbers go is that of  Garbarakshambigal  at Thirukarugavur near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu.

The temple is dedicated to Shiva and Goddess Garbarakshambigal. It is also called  Arulmigu Mullai Vana Temple as it was originally  consecrated in a park of flowers. The name of the Goddess means the mother who protects the womb.

As the name itself suggests, the temple is believed to protect the womb of a woman and help her beget a child. Women who want a child and those who are pregnant come here in large numbers.

The Shiva idol here is very unique as it is made of mud from anthill.

A couple have to participate in a particular ritual here for begetting a child. The Goddess is believed to bless women for a safe pregnancy.    

Once you completed the prescribed rituals, the priest will give castor oil which has to be applied by the woman who wants a child. Ghee is also given which has to be taken for a prescribed period.

I vaguely remember that you have to apply the oil or paste in your house only and you cannot take it outside your house. What I mean is that you cannot stay overnight in any place other than your house till the completion of the ritual.

The locals told me the story of the place. Here it goes.

A couple, Nithuvar and his wife Vedike were living in this garden of Mullai flowers here. One day, Nithuvar was away and Vedike asleep when another saint, Urdhvapada visited their home.

Urdhvapada found that he was not being welcomed appropriately in the house. Vedike did not get up as he was pregnant. The saint felt insulted and cursed her.

The curse had a telling effect on Vedike. She began suffering and the child in her womb also began feeling intense pain and suffering.

Unable to bear the pain and wanting to protect her child which was still in her womb, Vedike prayed to an idol of Parvathi which was near her house.

Goddess Parvathi reincarnated as Garbarakshambigai and came to the help of Vedike. She ensured that the child in the womb remained unharmed. She held a Kalasa near the stomach of Vedike to ensure that the child remained healthy and fit.

Vedike then delivered a healthy child. However, the woes of Vedike had not yet ended. She found to her dismay and disappointment that she could not feed milk to the baby. Goddess Parvathi then saw to it that a cow came near the house of Vedike and gave so much milk   that in course of time the liquid came to be called as lake of milk.

The mantra of Garbarakshambigai is supposed to be very powerful. It is said that if a woman repeats it with devotion, good will come out if it. Here is a portion of the mantra.

Om Garbarakshambaigaie cha vidhmahe

Mangala devadhayai cha deemahi

Dhano devi prachodayath

The temple opens at 5-30 a.m., and closes at 12-30 p.m. It again opens at 4-30 p.m., and closes at 8-30 p.m. You can get details of poojes by sending an SMS to 88700 58269.  As per the temple, it can be contacted on 04374-273423,  Cell No:88700 58269

Or  email ID

eomullaivananathartkr@gmail.com

Putra Kameshteeswar Temple

This is one of the most famous temples of its kind in Tamil Nadu. The temple us situated in a small town called Arani which is in Tiruvanamalai district. It is about 38 kms from Vellore and 56 kms from Tiruvanamalai  Kamandala Naga river.

The temple is very near the bus stand.

Ramayana says that it is at this very place that King Dasarata performed Putra Kamesti Yagna for obtaining children. That is how Rama came to be born.

The temple priests will let you know what rituals you have to perform.

Arani has a large number of  ancient temples and a fort. 

Murugan Temples

Tamil Nadu has scores of  temples dedicated to Murugan. This god is considered to be a bestower of children.

The Murugan Temple in Chennimalai is well-known. Chennimalai is 24 kms from Erode and is therefore easily accessible.

The Murugan temple is on a hill. Those wanting a child have to come here after New Moon and observe Shasti Vrata.

The temple of Sri Periyandavar in Thirunilai seven kms away from Thirukalukundram is another favourite temple for couples wanting a child.

The temple is adjacent to a beautiful lake.

It is here that Shiva, when he was born as a human being, took shelter. There is also an idol dedicated to Angala Parameswari.

The Nandi here is in a standing posture. The deities are supposed to have special powers to bless childless couples.

Locals say that couples have to perform a very simple ritual here. The couples have to take a bathe in the temple pond and perform pooja and abhisheka with their own hands for six weeks.

Kari Krishna Koil

This temple is 35 kms from Chennai. It is called Kari Krishna Perumal koil. It is located in Thiru Aayarpadi, Ponneri.

The temple was constructed by Karikal Chola. The Krishna idol is slanted towards one side.

There is a pond called Santana Puskarni behind the Garba Gudi or sanctum Sanctorum. This is a pond of sacred water and it is believed to have miraculous powers of helping women conceive.

Women visit the temple during Rohini Nakshatra  with two plantains, half a litre of  milk, 100 grams butter and gingely oil. They have to take bath in the pond and perform Archana.

Kanchi

The  Ekambareshwara Temple here is famed for its architecture and the 5,000 year old mango tree. Devotees are expected to eat the mango here if they want a child.

 
Another temple is of  Rajagopalaswamy at Mannargudi.

The temple is among the oldest in Tamil Nadu and the name of the presiding deity is Paravasudevan.

Pray at the Santhana Gopala Krishna idol for a child. The temple is roughly 30 kms from Thanjavur.

Sri Margapandeswarar Temple

This temple is located at Vishnupuram near Vellore and it is off the Chennai-Bangalore road. Take a dip in the three Pushkarnis to get a child.

Vaikuntapathi Perumal Temple

This is dedicated to Vishnu in the form of Vaikuntapati. It is situated on Tiruchendur road in Srivaikuntam which is  37 km from Thirunelveli.

Couples wanting a child must consume ghee offered to the diety for 48 days.

The Queen who defied Aurangzeb and gave shelter to Shivaji's son

Karnataka has not only produced heroic kings like Mayura Verma of Kadambas, Pulakeshi of the Chalukyas of Badami, VishnuVardhana of the Hoysalas, Krishna Deve Raya of the Vijayanagars but also equally brave and heroic queens like Abbaka Devi,  Chennama of Kittur and another queen of the same name-Chenamma of Keladi.

While many have heard and read about Kittur Rani, only a few known about Chenamma of Keladi. This Chenamma was not only a brave warrior but she also provided shelter to one of the sons of Chatrapathi Shivaji. What is more heroic is that she took on the might of Aurangzeb and forced him to come to terms with the small principality.  

Chenamma of Keladi did not belong to any royal lineage. She was a commoner who caught the fancy of  the Keladi ruler, Somashekara Nayaka who had been crowned King in 1663.

The Vijayanagar empire had been extinguished and several small principalities had asserted their independence. In Karnataka, the Palegars and Nayakas had become independent much like the Wodeyars.

Karnataka then was in transition and the Adil Shahis were strong in north Karnataka, while Wodeyars were asserting their supremacy in the southern parts. The Nayakas of Keladi in Shimoga had asserted their independence and they ruled the present Shimoga district with Bidanur as their first capital which was subsequently shifted to Nagara, also in Shimoga.

However, the founding of the Keladi kingdom goes back to 1498 when Chowdappa Nayaka set up the Keladi principality. It was during the time of Shivappa Nayaka (1645-1660) , that the Keladi principality shot into prominence. 

Chenamma was the daughter of a trader Kotepura Siddappa.  Though both lived happily, a dancer came in the life of Somashekara and he fell for her guile. Somashekara died in 1671 and Chenamma ruled Keladi from 1671 till 1696. She was the 11^th ruler of the Keladi dynasty.

Many rulers thought that they could overcome Keladi. How wrong they were.

Chenamma, who by now had taken over the reigns of the kingdom decided not to give in to the Adil Shahis. She shifted her capital along with the treasury from Bidanur to Bhuvanagiri. The Adil Shahis entered an empty city. Though they tried to storm Bhuvanagiri, they could not.

The Adil Shahi army was defeated when they tried to move towards Bhuvanagiri. The thick forests and the narrow passes through which the Bijapur Army had to move provided the Keladi Army with an advantage that they used to the fullest. Chenamma and the Keladi army came back to Bidanur and the people welcomed them back.

After the Adil Shahis, it was the turn of the Wodeyars to take on Chenamma. Chikka Deve Raja Wodeyar sent an army to annex Keladi but the Wodeyars were defeated. Chenamma treated the captured men with respect and this earned the admiration of Chikke Deve Raja Wodeyar.  

One day, while giving alms to the people, Chenamma came across four persons dressed in the robes of monks. The first of the monk saluted Chenamma. The Queen immediately knew that they were no monks as monks blessed people and did not give any salute.

She asked the first monk who he was and what he wanted.  

She was startled when the monk said he was Rajaram, the youngest son of Chatrapathi Shivaji.

Chenamma looked impressed and wanted to know why he had come to her kingdom. She had heard of the exploits of the brave Shivaji and she recalled his services in establishing a Hindu kingdom.

True to her courteous nature, she seated Rajaram said then enquired about the reason for his present disguise. Rajaram truthfully told her that the Mughal Emperor had wanted to extract revenge. “After killing my brother Sambhaji, he wanted to kill me. I managed to escape to Gingee (now in Tamil Nadu) and I had to travel through Karnataka to reach the destination. During the course of my wandering I came here. Can you afford to give me shelter for a few days”, Rajaram asked.

Continuing the story of his escape from the Mughals, Rajaram said no king or kingdom dared to give him shelter. None, he said, wanted to risk the wrath of Aurangzeb and his powerful army. Chenamma was bewildered by the tale. She wanted to know how any king could refuse shelter to a son of a great Hindu King. She instantly took a decision and asked Rajaram and his three companions to stay back at Keladi.

Rajaram was stunned by the turn of events. Here was a queen of a small principality who was ready to risk her life and the very existence of the kingdom to give shelter. This was in stark contrast to other rulers who forced Rajaram to go away from their territories.

Rajaram was a noble son of a noble father. He asked Chenamma not to take any decision in haste. Consult your nobles and courtiers before coming to a decision, he advised the Queen.

Realising the merit in the arguments of  Rajaram, the Queen summoned her officials for a discussion on the issue. None of them, including her father, wanted her to harbour Rajaram. All of them had only one advice. Ask Rajaram to go forthwith. We cannot risk a battle with the Mughals.

The Queen, however, had made up her mind. She spoke in the open court and recalled the services of Shivaji. She also pointed out that Keladi had never a tradition of turning away anyone who came for help. Chenamma’s speech enthused the young men of the  court and they decided to support the Queen. The older people, however, advised caution.      

Meanwhile, Rajaram and his companions were asked to rest at the State guest house where they were given royal treatment. She once again called Rajaram and asked him to stay on at Keladi. She then prepared for war.

The news soon reached Aurangzeb. Surprised at the show of defiance by the queen of a small state, he wrote to Chenamma asking het to surrender Rajaram. He warned her that she would have to face the Moghul army if she did not comply.

By the time the letter reached Chenamma, the son of Shivaji was already on way to Gingee. Chenamma then decided to reply to Aurangzeb’s letter. She extended her hand of friendship to Aurangzeb and said Rajaram was not in Keladi. She said Rajaram was already enroute to Gingee.

Before the letter reached Aurangzeb, he had ordered the huge Moghul Army under his son Azmath Aga to march to Keladi.  

The Mughal army reached Keladi and very soon they learnt that fighting a war in the forests is much different from fighting on the plains. The Mughals could not make any headway and were losing men and equipment.   

The Malnad rains started and the Mughals were at their wit’s end. They had absolutely no training in fighting in such conditions. When all seemed lost to the Mughals, Aurangzeb wrote to Azamath Ara that Rajaram was in Gingee.

Aurangzeb asked his son to immediately proceed to Gingee and capture Rajaram. A much relieved Azamath abandoned the campaign against Keladi and marched towards Gingee. He decided to enter into a treaty with the Keladi Queen.

Aurangzeb too recognized her fighting spirit and called her a female bear. Meanwhile, Rajaram sent a letter to Chenamma thanking her for providing food and shelter.

Rajaram died in 1700 and his wife Tarabai ruled the Maratha kingdom as a Regent. She continued the fight against the Mughals.

Deep down south, Chenamma went from strength to strength. She entered into trade pacts with the Arabs and Portuguese. She also maintained friendly relations with the Wodeyars.

Chenamma led a military expedition and captured Hulikere near Basavapattana. She rebuilt the fort. Basappa Nayaka who came to the throne after Chenamma,  renamed it as Chennagiri.

Chenamma died in 1696 and she was buried in the Koppalu monastery in Bidanur.

The first Madhwa saint to enter Brindavana

There are hundreds of Madhwa Brindavanas all over India. These Brindavanas are generally found in or around holy places. There are more than two dozen Madhwa mathas and some of the institutions such as the Asta Mathas of Udupi date back to the time of Madhwacharya, the great Dwaitha philosopher and fountainhead of Madhwa philosophy.

The saints who have ascended the Madhwa mathas as their head and also Bidi Sanyasis (saints who were not affiliated to a matha and preached independently of the matha) were entomed in a Brindavana.

There are a number of Brindavanas in places such as Nanjungud (in the Raghavendra Swamy Matha which has an idol of Raghavendra Swamy or Rayaru), Nava Brindavanas at Hampi (Nava Brindavana-Anegundi), Shenbakkam in Vellore, Sripadaraja Matha in Erode and Vyasaraja Matha in Sosale, Mantrayala (Raghavendra Swamy), Sode or Sonda (Vadiraja), Tirukoilur (Raghottama Theertha), Mulabagal (Sripadaraja) and other cities and towns.

The first ever saint from the Madhwa Parampare to enter Brindavana was Padmanabha Theertha.

Padmanabha Theertha was the first disciple of Madhwacharya. He was one of the four direct disciples of Madhwacharya-the other three being Narahari Thertha, Madhava Theertha and Akshoba Theertha.

Padmanabha Theertha was known as Shobana Bhatta. He was an advaitha scholar and he lost to Madhwacharya in a debate. He became an ardent follower of Madhwacharya and began propogating Madhwa Siddhantha.

Though his mother tongue was Telugu, he popularised Dwaitha Siddhantha in Karnataka.

Padmanabha Theertha and others got their initiation into the Matha parampare by Madhwacharya at Kanva Theertha, a small town near the seashore, a little away from Udupi. When Madhwacharya left for Badari, he anointed Padmanabha Theertha as his successor.

To him goes the credit of writing the first ever commentary or Teeke on Bhashya of Madhwacharya. Even the redoubtable Jayatheertha, the disciple of Akshiba Theertha and one of the greatest Madhwa scholars, refers to the scholarship of Padmanabha Theertha.

He has written three works on the Bhagavath Geetha- Gitabhaashya-Bhaavadiipikaa: Gitataatparya-Nirnaya-Prakaashikaa and commentaries on the ten Prakaranas. He is also the author of Sattarkadiipaavali, which is a commentary on the  Brahma Sutra Bhashya of Madhwacharya. Another work is  Sannyaayaratnaavali which is a commentary on Anuvyakhana of  Madhwacharya.

He is believed to have entered Brindavana at Nava Brindavana, Hampi, in 1324 or 1325.

He is the first Madhwa saint to enter Brindavana. The other three direct disciples of Madhwacharya who entered Brindavana after him are Narahari Theertha at Chakra Theertha in Hampi, Madhava Theertha also at Hampi before it was shifted to Mannur and Akshoba Theertha in Malkhed.

The location of brindavanas of other great Madhwa saints are Sripadaraja at Narasimha Theertha in Mulabagal in Kolar district, Bramanya Theertha in Abbur near Chennapatna in Ramanagar district, Vyasa Theertha in Nava Brindavana (Hampi in Bellary district), Jaya Theerha or Teekachar and  Raghunatha Theertha in Malkhed of Gulbarga district, Vadiraja Theerttha in Sode which is Sirsi taluk, Kavindra Theertha, Vageesha Theertha and Raghuvarya Theertha (Uttaradi Matha), Rama Theertha, Srinivasa Theertha (Vyasaraja Matha), Sudhindra Theertha (Raghavendra Matha) and Govinda Odeyar all at Nava Brindavana.

The Brindavana of Vedavyasa Theertha of Uttaradhi Matha, Uddanda Ramachandra Theertha of Sripadaraja Matha and Lakshmikantha Theertha are in Penukonda in Andhra Pradesh. You come across this city when you travel from Bangalore to Mantralaya via Anantapur.

The Brindavana of Satyabodha Theertha is at Savanur in Karnataka. He belongs to the Uttaradhi Matha.

Of course the most famous Brindavana is of Raghavendra Swamy in Mantralaya. There is another Brindavana besides the Brindavana of Raghavendra Swamy and that belongs to his great grandson, Vadeendra Theertha.

There are several brindavanas of pontiffs who headed the Raghavendra Matha in an area behind the Matha building. There are also similar brindavanas in the Raghavendra Swamy matha in Nanjungud.

However, what distinguishes the Brindavana of Padmanabha Theertha is that he is the first to enter Brindavana. However, there are only four saints who entered Brindavana when they were alive. They are Vadiraja Thertha in Sode, Raghavendra Swamy in Mantrayala, Raghuttoma Theertha of Uttaradhi Matha at Titukoilur in Tamil Nadu and Satyavrata Theerta of Uttaradi Matha at Sangli in Maharashtra.

The brindavanas of Sripadaraja, Raghuttoma Theertha and Bramanye Theertha are not covered as they belong to the Surya Vamsha. The brindavans are open to the sky though they are surrounded by mathas. There is no building or roof over the Nava Brindavana in Hampi too.

The pioneer of Dwaitha Siddhantha, Madhwacharya, disappeared from sight after giving a discourse on Upanishads from a temple in Udupi. His younger brother, Vishnu Theertha, who was the first pontiff of the Sode Matha and Subramanya Matha also disappeared into a cave near Kukke Subramanya. Purushottama Theertha of Vyasaraja Matha and the teacher of  Bramanye Theertha also disappeared into a cave near Abbur. The cave is there even today and you have top trek a short distance from the Abbur matha to the cave.

Jitamitra Theertha of Raghavendra Matha also disappeared from under a tree in Gulbarga district. The tree exists even today and it is known as Jitamitra Gadde.             

The sword that fell out of a cupboard

There were several locked cupboards in a university. These cupboards had remained unopened for decades. In February 2011, when one of the cupboards were opened, a sword with Persian engravings fell out.
The sword belonged to the last great Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who practically ruled over the whole of India in the late 17^th century. Aurangzeb was the Emperor from 1658 to 1707 and he head succeeded Shahjahan to the throne.
The Mughal kings and royalty, including Aurangzeb, possessed several arms and many of these articles were noted for their magnificent make and beautiful carvings. Swords, daggers, knives, pistols and other arms belonging to the Mughals are found in many museums across India, particularly in Delhi, Agra, Ajmer, Hyderabad and even Lahore.
Aurangzeb’s sword was found in a cupboard in the manuscript section of the library of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. Alipur is a city nearly 345 kms from Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. It s much nearer to Delhi which is  140 kms away. The AMU library is the second biggest in Asia.
There were several cupboards in the manuscript section and when the head of the section, Khurshed, opened one of them on February 26, 2011, the sword tumbled out. Some of the students managed to read one of the many Persian words on the scabbard of the sword. It said Aurangzeb.
The sword was then taken to the Head Librarian, Azarmi Tukht. When none could decipher the wordings, it was taken to Azarmi Tukht, head of the Institute of Persian Studies and Asif  Naeem, a Professor of Persian. Both of them deciphered the Persian couplet on the sword.
It is believed that this sword was presented to Aurangzeb. The sword was not the only artefact found. There are others such as a sapphire pen stand and a paper cutter presented by the then king of Afganisthan, Nadir Shah, to the then Vice-chancellor of AMU in 1933.
Other ancient articles found were photographs of Shahajan and Mumtaz Mahal and 350 manuscripts, including a deed executed by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1602. The AMU has also in its collections royal decrees of Mughal Emperors Babur, Shahajahan, Aurangzeb and Shah Alam from 1602 to the later part of the eighteenth century have been discovered. More than a dozen royal families have presented the AMU with manuscripts and historic artefacts. The sword of Aurangzeb could have come with them. But who gave it, still remains a mystery. 
This is not the only sword of Aurangzeb. Emperors and nobles in India and the aristocracy had several swords. The Mughal Emperors had several swords and in those days it was customary in India to present swords and other arms to a ruler or a nobleman.  
There is another sword belonging to Aurangzeb in the Indian collection of the Victoria and Alfred Museum in London, England. This sword is inlaid in  gold in Persian saying Alamgir Padshah 24. Alamgir was another name for Aurangzeb and Padshah is another name for Badshah or Emperor. The number 24 is believed to be the date on which the sword was manufactured. It was believed to have been cast in 1680.
The sword was in the personal collection of  Lord Kitchner of Khatroum. It was presented to the museum in 1964.
You can also see a sword of Aurangzeb at the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad. This museum has also daggers belonging to Jahangir, Shahajan and Noorjahan.
Well, coming back to Aligarh and the AMU. The manuscript section of the Maulana Azad library has some of the most valuable books of ancient and Mediaeval India in Persian, Sanskrit, Urdu and other languages.
The Persian translation of the Leelawathi, a book on mathematics, by Abul Faizi is in the library. Leelawathi is part of the book Siddantha Shiromani authored by renowned astronomer and mathematician, Bhaskaracharya in 1150. Emperor Akbar had commissioned Faizi, one  of the famed Navaratnas of his court, to translate Leelawathi from Sanskrit to Persian.

The library is reputed to have more than 16,000 manuscripts from almost all the periods of Indian history. Other rare books include a fragment of the holy Koran inscribed more than 1400 years ago by Hazrat Ali, the 4^th Calpih of Islam. The AMU was set up as Mohammadan Anglo Oriental College and Centre for Muslim education, learning and excellence in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. It got its present name. AMU, in 1920. It is one of the most famous central universities.

Aligarh is also well known for locks. It is also historically important as  it was here that Balarama, brother of Krihsna, slew Kol, a demon. Therefore, in ancient days, it was known as Kol. Qutb-Ud-Din Aibak was the first Muslim ruler to subdue Kol or Koil and appoint a Muslim Governor, Hisam-ud-din Ulbak, to rule over the province.

When Bhaskara tried to cheat destiny

Bhaskaracharya or Bhaskara , the great mathematician and astronomer of the 12^th Century was also a well-known astrologer. When his daughter, Leelawathi, was born, he decided to cast her horoscope.

When he was calculating the planetary positions in the horoscope of his daughter, he found to his horror that Leelawathi would become a widow within an year of her marriage.

Bhaskara then decided to groom his daughter in the best possible way. He also wanted to educate her and her brother Lopamudra. Both seem to have taken after Bhaskara as they loved mathematics.

When Leelawathi reached marriageable age, the search for a suitable companion started. Bhaskara had not forgotten the horoscope he had cast of his daughter  and he decided to cheat fate by fixing an auspicious time for the marriage.

Bhaskara, by his precise mathematical calculations, concluded that if the mangalasutra was tied at a particular time, both his favourite child and his son-in-law would live a long and eventful life. He then determined to endure that nothing went wrong and himself determined the exact time when the mangalasutra has to be tied.

All arrangements for the marriage were being made and the marriage party had come to Bhaskara’s house in Ujjaian. Bhaskara was the head of the Ujjain Observatory and he had invited several people to the wedding.

Bhaskara had decided to rely on science to ensure that the mangalasutra was tied at the most auspicious time he had predicted. In this way, he thought he could change the destiny of his daughter.

Bhaskara had kept a simple device in the house to give him the exact mathematical time when the mangalasutra would have to be tied. He took two vessels and placed them one above the other. He filled the upper vessel with water and made a tiny hole in the centre. Water would trickle down to the lower vessel. The time was calculated by estimating the depth of the water that had collected in the lower vessel.

The unit of time was a Nadika. One Nadika was equal to 24 minutes. Thus, this was the water clock that was used in India. It was very accurate. 

Bhaskara had warned Leelawathi not to go near the clock. Curiosity, thy name is woman, says an adage. Leelawathi went near the clock as she was fascinated by the simple mechanism. She bent to look into the vessel. A small pearl set in her nose ring fell into the upper vessel. It sank down and it covered the tiny hole, thus blocking the free floor of water into the lower vessel.

Leelawathi was not aware of the nose ring having fallen into the vessel. Bhaskara too did not know what happened. When he saw that the water flow had stopped, he thought that the auspicious time had arrived.

He got the marriage ceremony performed. This was the very time he had wanted to avoid. Thus all the minute calculations  that Bhaskara had come up with went awry. His daughter was married at the most inappropriate time. Bhaskara realised that something had gone wrong when he went to check the time and found that the water flow had stopped.

However, the marriage had already taken place and nothing could be done to undo the prediction. Leelawathi’s husband died soon after marriage and she came back home.

Feeling cheated by destiny, Bhaskara consoled his daughter saying that he will make her immortal. “I will see you’re your name will live on forever”, he said.

He then began writing his magnum opus, on Mathematics and Astronomy and called it Sidhanta Shiromani.

The first portion of the book was called Leelawathi and it dealt with mathematics. He named it after his daughter.

Leelawathi was good at mathematics and in the book, Bhaskara addresses mathematical and algebraic problems to her. Leelawathi and other portions of Sidhanta Shiromani are in verse form.

Leelawathi has 278 verses and it deals with arithematic, algebra and geometry.

He poses the question to Leelawathi as follows:   

“Partha was determined to slay Karna. Posing his mathematical query, he asks, With half the arrows in his quiver Partha (Arjuna) destroyed those of Karna; with four times the square root of the total, he killed Karna’s horses. Six arrows were needed to kill Karna. With three arrows, Partha cut down Karna’s royal standard, his umbrella and bow, With the last arrow Arjuna killed Karna. Tell me O Leelawathi, how many arrows did Aruna have in his quiver?         
In another verse, he says a peacock which was sitting on a nine foot high pillar saw a snake going towards its anthill at the foot of the pillar. The snake was at a distance of three times the pillar’s height when the peacock swooped down. If both the peacock and snake travelled at the same speed, tell me O Leelawathi how far from the pillar did the peacock peck at the snake?

However, Bhaskara could never forget the incident of the pearl from the nose ring falling into the vessel and ruining Leelawathi’s marriage.

In perhaps the most poignant verse, he says

Whilst making love a necklace broke
A row of pearls mislaid
One sixth fell to the floor
One fifth upon the bed
The young woman saved one third of them
One tenth were caught by her lover
If six pearls remained upon the string
How many (total)  were there in the necklace.
   

Leelawathi was first translated into Persian by Abdul Faizi on orders of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The other portions of Sidhanta Shiromani were translated into Persian during the reign of Akbar’s grandson, Emperor Shahajan.

The story of Leelawathi is narrated by Faizi in his Persian narration and other sources. Leelawathi remained the standard mathematical text for centuries till the advent of the British and the adoption of the English mathematical text.

If you have the time and interest, please go through Bhaskara’s Sidhantha. I can assure you that it is not boring as European mathematical texts. Nor is it uninteresting. It is in Sanskrit and it has been translated into almost all languages, including English.

  

Appanacharya's Raghavendra

If ever there is a book written on friendship, surely the names of Raghavendra Swamy and his friend and constant companion Appancharya would figure among the top.

The friendship and close bonding between Raghavendra Swamy and Appanacharya goes back to the time when Raghavendra Swamy (Rayaru) completed his victorious Sanchara in south India and decided to settle down at Manchale near Adoni (Advani, now in Andhra Pradesh).

Rayaru came to Adoni and met Diwan Venkanna and the Nawab of Adoni, Syed Masood Khan. He discussed the place where he wanted his Brindavana to be built. He then decided to visit Bichale as he had heard a lot about Appanacharya and his Veda Patashala (school) or rather Vedic university. 

When Rayaru first came to Bichale, he saw that the patashala had students coming from different regions. He also came across Appanacharya, a rich Zamindar, who possessed more than 300 acres of fertile lands. Appanacharya was a rich and pious Madhwa and he was well respected in and around Bichale.

A scholar himself, Appanacharya had started the Veda Patashala to impart knowledge in Shastras and Vedas to students. He also taught at the Patashala. He relished teaching from the Japada katte. The students, as part of their duties, were asked to seek Bhiksha from the residents of Bichale.

Appanacharya’s gotra was Atreyasa. He was a religious person and diligently performed rituals every day. He was also called the Jagirdar of 289 villages. The villagers of Bichale respected him and his students adored him.

His deep devotion to God and his simple and noble life marked him as a holy man. His greatness was such that when he put rice in a clothe and hung it from a tree, the rice got cooked automatically.

Appanacharya would conclue his teaching at 12-30. He then offered the rice which was cooked atop a tree without lighting fire as Naivaidya to the gods and then took his meals along with his students.  

It was around this time that Rayaru came to Bichale.  Both met each other for the first time near the Japada Katte. Appanacharya then invited Rayaru to his house. Thus, started the tale of everlasting friendship between the two.

Appanacharya insisted that Rayaru must stay on at Bichale and in his house only. Rayaru smiled and accepted the offer. He asked the officials of the Sri Matha which he was heading at Kumbakonam to bring all the paraphernalia of the Matha to Bichale.

As days passed by, the friendship between the two grew.  Rayaru respected Appanacarya’s devotion and singlemindedness. Appanacharya, on the other hand, realised the greatness of Raghavendra Swamy and did everything he could to serve him.

Appanacharya then decided to personally cook food and look after the comforts of  Raghavendra Swamy. He personally used the grinding stone (Rubbu Gundu and Varakallu) to prepare Dal and Chutney to Rayaru,

Rayaru used the food prepared by Appanacharya to give Naivaidya to the Moola Rama idol and other deities, Appanacharya also prepared Payasa regularly for Rayaru.

Rayaru performed the pooje of Moola Rama Devaru in the hall of Appanacharya’s house. He also slept and took rest there. The Japada Katte became the point where both engaged in religious and philosophical discussions.  

Rayaru stayed on for 13 years at the residence of Apanacharya.  Every day, was a take of friendship between the two. Several years went by and Rayaru desired to hand over the Peetha of the Sri Matha to Appanacharya. The latter replied that he had become addicted to tobacco and he could not give up the habit. Rayaru then dropped the idea of making Appancharya his successor.

The time for entering the Brindavana drew near and Rayaru realised that if Appanacharya was near him, he would not be able to enter Brindavana easily. He then decided to send Appanacharya for Sanchara and then enter Brindavana.

There was an anthill in the house of Appanacharya in which a cobra had made a home.   Rayaru prayed to the snake god every day and placed a vessel of milk for the cobra to drink. When he decided to enter Brindavana, Rayaru realized that he would have to ensure that the snake god moved to a new home. He did not want any harm to come to the snake god after he had gone away from Appanacharya’s home.

The Rayaru prayed to snake god and ensured that it left the ant hill. Appanacharya, however, did not know why Rayaru was doing this. However, his loyalty to Rayaru was so unquestionable that he did not ask about it any further.

The bard of Mantralaya was so pleased with the service of Appanacharya that he gave 12 acres of land at Kaldakumtla village, 12 kms from Mantralaya.

There is another story about the munificence of Rayaru to Appanacharya.  Though Kamalabai was Appanacharya’s first wife, they did not have any children. Rayaru asked Appanacharya to get married a second time. Appanacharya’s second wife was Ratnabai. Subbanacharya was born from this union which was blessed by Rayaru.

Rayaru entered Brindavana when Appanacharya was away. This story is well known and I have already written about it in an earlier post. Suffice to say that Appanacharya was the first person our Rayaru spoke to from the Brindavana. Rayaru completed the last line of a sloka that Appanacharya sang in his praise.

When Appanacharya saw that the last slab on the Brindavana was put in place and that he could no longer see Rayaru he burst into a song

“YoBhaktya Guru Raghavendra

Charana Dwandam SmaranYahaPathet

Stotram Divya Midam Sada Nahibhavetassya

Asukham Kinchana

Kimtvishtartha Samruddhireva

KamalaNatha Prasadodayaat

Keertihi Digvidita Vibhutiratula

A sobbing Appanacharya could not complete the last line. Rayaru completed it from the Brindavana, saying Saakshi Hayastotrahi.

The flood waters of the Tungabhadra destroyed Appanacharya’s house. It was rebuilt. You can still see many articles associated

with Rayaru here and also at the Japada Katte. The Ekashika Brindavana of Raghavendra Swamy at the Japada Katte is the first Brindavana outside Mantrayala.

While Bichale is in Karnataka, Mantrayala is in Andhra Pradesh.    

The Indian mathematician who predated Newton and Liebniz

The city of Bijapur is not only famous for its link with the Adil Shahis but it is also the birthplace of several eminent personalities in the field of literaure and science.

If Narayana of Bijapur, better known as Kumar Valmiki, wrote Torvi Ramayana and Naga Chandra, a devout Jain penned the Jain version of the Ramayana,  there was another writer who became a famous mathematician and astronomer. He is Bhaskaracharya.
Bhaskaracharya or Bhaskara is believed to be born near Bijapur.

Though there are no precise records to tell us where or when he was born, it is believed that he was born in 1114 A D in a Deshastha Brahmin family somewhere near Bijjada Bida, which was the earlier name of Bijapur.

His father, Mahadeva, was an astrologer. It was his father who taught the young Bhaskara the rudiments of mathematics( Bhaskara passed on this knowledge to his son Lokasamudra). In one of his books, Bhaskara himself speaks about how and where he studied. He said he had studied grammer, vedas, Bharata shastras, Mimasa, mathematics, medicine and logic by the time he reached 36 years of age. 

He calls himself a poet. He is the author of  Siddhanta Shiromani (Crown of Treatises), a book of 1450 verses written in 1150 AD. The book can be broadly classified into four parts - Lilawathi, Beejaganita, Ganitadhyaya and Goladhyaya. There are 278 verses in Lilawathi, 213 in  Beejaganita, 451 verses in Ganitadhyaya and 501 verses in Goladhyaya.

This is a book on calculations in arthematic and astronomy. Even today, it is regarded by experts as being one of the nest books in ancient Indian astronomy.

Lilawathi mainly deals with mathematics. Pleas read it to know how mathematics can be written in poetic form. The language is simple and lucid. It was only after the British set up the universities in Bombay, Calcutta and Madrtas did that Indian come to know about present day mathematics. Till then, Indians relied on this magnificent work to unbdersytanbd the nuances of mathematics.

The Lilawathi and Beejaganita is a mathematician’s delight. It gives us easy methods to find the squares, square roots, cube, and cube roots of  numbers. Bhaskara was such a genius that he has proved the Pythagoras theorem in two lines.

Pascal’s Triangle was Bhaskara’s Khandameru. Bhaskara has worked out this number triangle 500 years before Pascal.

Lilawathi has also details on  permutations and combinations in a unique method called Ankapaash. Bhaskara has given us the  approximate value of PI as 22/7 and its more accurate value as 3.1416. He knew infinity and called it khahar rashi.

The two sections has problems on spherical trignometry, interest computation, plane and solid geometry.

Lilawathi is sub-divided into 13 chapters and each covers different branches of arithematic, algebra, geometry and mathematics..

Beejaganita  deals with Algebra  in twelve chapters. It was the first book to recognize that a positive number has two square roots (a positive and negative square root).

It deals with positive and negative numbers, Zero, simple equations, Diophantine and indeterminate quadratic equations.

Chakravala was a cyclic format devised by Bhaskara to solve indeterminate quadratic equations of the form ax² + bx + c = y.

His method also helps us solve other similar problems such as quartic equations, cubic equations, indeterminate cubic equations, indeterminate quartic equations and higher-order polynomial equations.

Check out his poetic forms on Trignomotry and the Sine functions and calculus (integral and differential calculus). His work on calculus predates Newton and Leibnez.

He has also accurately measures the distance between the planets and their farthest and nearest positions with earth as the base.

The two sections has problems on spherical trignometry, interest computation, plane and solid geometry.

Lilawathi is sub-divided into 13 chapters and each covers different branches of arithematic, algebra, geometry and mathematics..

Beejaganita  deals with Algebra  in twelve chapters. It was the first book to recognize that a positive number has two square roots (a positive and negative square root).

It deals with positive and negative numbers, Zero, simple equations, Diophantine and indeterminate quadratic equations.

Chakravala was a cyclic format devised by Bhaskara to solve indeterminate quadratic equations of the form ax² + bx + c = y.

His method also helps us solve other similar problems such as quartic equations, cubic equations, indeterminate cubic equations, indeterminate quartic equations and higher-order polynomial equations.

Bhaskara’s contribution to astronomy is too immense to be written in this part of the article. He calcluated the orbital periods of several planets. He also wrote about several astronomical instruments that he used for his calculations.
He died in 1185. His son Lopamudra built school in 1206 to teach his father's works.
A persian translation of  Siddanta Shiromani says Bhaskara wrote it for his daughter Lilawathi. It also has an interesting anecdote on his daughter's marriage. I will write about this in another article.

 

The rocketman of India

A British scientist is credited with the invention of the modern day rocket. Text books in India of science and books on general knowledge point out to William Congreve as father of modern rocketry. How wrong they are.

Rocketry, as we see today, originated in the Bangalore-Mysore area and the credit for inventing the rocket goes to none other than Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore.

Tiu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore, was so enamored of the rocket that he even wrote a book on it. He refined and fine tuned his father Hyder Ali’s rough artillery pieces and called them rockets. Tipu was so sure of the range and destructive power of the rockets that he raised a separate unit of 6,000 people and called then the artillery brigade.

Tipu stored his artillery in Bamboo Bazar area in Bangalore and also on the present lanes and by lanes of City Market. Some of the long range rockets, which could cover upto 1,000 yards, were stored at his armoury behind the Bangalore Medical College in Bangalore.

Tipu is believed to have a laboratory dedicated to refine rockets in Taradamandelpet in Bangalore. However, it is generally accepted by historians and Tipu scholars  that the birthplace of modern rocketry is Srirangapatna.

There is a small elevated structure in Srirangapatna which is called Rocket Court, It is here that Tipu is believed to have tested his rockets which spread fear among his opponents, including the British.

When the British defeated Tipu by deceit on May 4, 1799, they also came across this rocket court. They found, counted and either dismantled, destroyed and shipped to England 600 rocket launchers, 700 rockets which were primed to fire  and 9,000 empty rockets.     

and the Over 200 years later, the Ministry of Defence has finally decided to give Tipu and Srirangapatna their due when it announced it would mark the Rocket Court, the laboratory where Tipu tested his mini-missiles at the birthplace of rocket technology.

The Ministry of Defence, India, too has acknowledged the contribution of Tipu to rocket technology. The missile man of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, has also written about it in his book Wings of Fire.

The world’s first rocket in wars was fired by Tipu in the late 1790 s during the last two wars of Mysore with the British. Records available with the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), Bangalore, indicate that four British soldiers were killed in rocket fire during the battle of Bangalore in April 1799. This battle took place a few weeks before the fall of Srirangapatna.

The Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), which is developing indigenous rockets for our country, has taken interest in the rocket court.

Now coming back to the rocket court and the British, I saw two of the rockets from Srirangapatna in Royal Artillery Museum in London.

Congreve dismantled the rockets of Tipu and rebuilt then. Meanwhile, the Royal Woolwich Arsenal, London, also studied these Indian rockets and launched a rocket development programme. This was sometime in late 1800.

A few years later, the British claimed they invented the rocket. Their first demonstration of  these solid fuel rockets was in 1805. William Congreve then wrote in 1807 the book “A Concise Account of the Origin and Progress of the Rocket System.

The Congreve rockets were used by England in the wars against Napolean of France. Interestingly, they were also used against the Confederate Army of the United States during 1812-1814 in the US.   

The former Chairman of Indian Space research Organisation, Prof. U.R. Rao, credits Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan with developing the world’s first  iron-cased and metal-cylinder rocket artillery.

Historians say that the rockets fired at the British during the Battle of Pollilur (1780)  were much more advanced than those of  the British East India Company. This was because Tipu had used iron tubes for holding the propellant, leading to higher thrust and longer range for the missiles.

The British accounts details the use of rockets during the third and fourth wars. Researchers believed that Tipu could not use the full complement of rockets in 1799 as a British shell accidently struck the armoury holding rockets., The armoury exploded and the rockets lay waste.

Tipu did not depend on rocketry alone in his endeavour to throw the British out of India. He knew the British ruled the high seas and  that they had a monopoly over sea trade.

Tipu then set about building  a Navy. His Navy in 1799 comprised 20 battleships of 72 cannons and 20 frigates of 62 cannons. In 1790 Tipu asked Kamaluddin to take over as his Mir Bahar. He also set up dockyards at Jamalabad and Majidabad.

Tipu set up an Admiralty Board. It had eleven members There were eleven commanders. Tipu also experimented in the design of ships. He ordered that copper be used to protect the ships against water corrosion.

Tipu write a military manual called Fathul Mujahidin in which 200 rocket men were assigned to each Mysorean "cushoon"  or brigade. The Mysore Army generally comprised 16 to 24 cushoons of infantry. These rocket men were trained to launch  rockets at an angle calculated from the diameter of the cylinder and the distance to the target.

In 1792, during the Third Mysore War, Tipu deployed two rocket units comprising 120 and 131 men respectively. A British soldier, Lt, Col, Knox recalls how he was attacked by rockets when he was at the gates of Srirangapatna in February 1792.

It is time that Indians gave Tipu his due and remembered him as the real rocket man and not Congreve.

The day Raghavendra Swamy entered Brindavana

Raghavendra Swamy was teaching his disciples when he suddenly looked up and made a sign with his fingers. His disciples could not make anything of the gesture and they asked Rayaru the reason.

Rayaru smiled and told them that he had seen his friend Krishna Dwaipayana, a Madhwa saint, go to heaven. Rayaru said the departed soul asked him how long he (Raghavendra) would stay on as a mortal.

He said he had shown two fingers thrice, indicating that he would live on the earth physically for two years, two months and two days. The disciples were taken aback and looked dismayed.

Rayaru consoled  them and he decided to prepare for his Brindavana Pravesha. He chose Manchale now in Andhra Pradesh as his final resting place. Manchale then came under the jagir of Nawab Siddi Masoud, a Governor of the Bijapur Kingdom.

Siddi Masood was headquartered at Adoni or Advani. Raghavendra Swamy sent word to Diwan Venkanna (He was the same person who suddenly started reading due to the grace of Rayaru. Pleased by this, Masood had made Venkanna his Diwan) that he would becoming to his province along with all paraphernalia of the Sri Matha from Kumbokanam.

Though Venkanna wanted the Nawab to meet Raghavendra, the latter did not have any high opinion of  the seer. He decided to test the seer and sent mutton in a plate to Raghavendra Swamy. The Nawab sent word that the plate contained fruits and he wanted them to be offered to God

Raghavendra Swamy knew too well about the mischief of the Nawab. He meditated for a moment and took the holy Theertha from his Kamandala and sprinkled them on the plate which was covered with a clothe.

When the plate was uncovered, the Nawab was shocked to see that the mutton pieces had transformed into flowers. He immediately fell at the feet of Raghavendra and sought his forgiveness.

“Please let me know what I can do to atone for my sin”, he begged Raghavendra. The Guru only smiled. When Masood insisted, Raghavendra sought for land at Manchale, a small village across the Tungabhadra.

Masood was surprised and wanted to know why Raghavendra was insisting on a barren place of land. Moreover, he had already gifted the land to a fakir. When Venkanna said Rayaru would not accept anything but Manchale

Masood reluctantly agreed.

He gave the fakir another piece of land and gifted Manchale to Raghavendra Swamy.

Raghavendra Swamy then stayed at the house of  Appanacharya, a rich Zamindar, at Bichale near Raichur. Both Rayaru and Appanacharya became close friends and spent hours discussing Vedanta and other related subjects. Appanacharya lovingly cooked food for Rayaru and also for Naivaidya of Moola Rama and other deities of the Sri Matha which had been bought in the Devara Pettige (box which held the Samsthana idols of the Matha) from Kumbakonam.

 Rayaru knew that Appanacharya would not let him enter Brindavana. He, therefore, entrusted the task to Diwan Venkanna. Rayaru also pointed to a stone slab near Madavara village and said he wanted the Brindavana to be constructed from it.

Rayaru said Rama during his wanderings, had sat on this stone and that he wanted the Brindavana to be covered with it. Venkanna immediately set about preparing the Brindavana. Meanwhile, Rayaru also showed Venkanna and Masood the spot where he wanted the Brindavana to be built. He also specified the size of the Brindavana and how the pit should be dug.

Some time later, Venkanna showed the Brindavana to Rayaru. Looking at the exquisite Brindavana, Rayaru said this would be occupied decades later by one of his successors. “He is more suited than me to occupy this place,” Rayaru said and asked Venkanna to construct a much simpler Brindavan. This suitable man was none other than Vadeendra Theertha, the great grandson of Rayaru.

All this while Rayaru was still staying at the house of  Appanacharya. He decided to dismantle the ant hill in the house of Appanacharya where a cobra (sarpa) had made its home. Rayaru would give it milk every day and the cobra would come and drink it.

Rayaru ensured that the cobra moved away from the ant hill. This was because he realised that people would be scared of the snake after he entered Brindavana. He also wanted to protect the Sarpa from harm.   

The Brindavana was constructed and the date that Rayaru had mentioned to Krishna Dwaipayana was drawing near. Rayaru realised that he would not be able to entre Brindavana as long as Appancharya was near. He then sent out

Appanacharya on Sanchara and decided to enter Brindavana.

Rayaru decided to enter Brindavana on August 11, 1671. This day was Friday. He made all the arrangements himself. By then the Brindavana was ready.

His friends and relatives, devotes and other people began pouring into Manchale. By this time, Rayaru had already made Yogendra Theertha, his successor. Yogendra Theertha was the grandson of  his brother Gururaja.

Both Raghavendra Swamy and Yogendra Theertha stayed for some time and prayed at the Venkatarama Temple in Manchale to observe Chaturmasa. Rayaru then prayed to Manchalamma and told her of his plan to enter Brindavana. 

Rayaru sang “ Namosthu Varade Krishne Kumari Bramacharini Baalrka Sadrushaakaaye Purnachandra Nibhaanane Yam Kaamaye Tam Tamugram Krunomi Tam Bramanaama Tamrushini Tam Sumedhaam” and Manchalamma was pleased. 

A day before Rayaru entered Brindavana, that is on Thursday, (Shraavana Bahula Pratipada) Rayaru performed the Pooja of  Sri Moola Ramadevarau and other deities. It was a normal day for him, while all others had a heavy heart. Raghavendra Swamy held discussions on Acharya Tatva.

After having his daily frugal meal, Rayaru gave a  thought to the next day’s programme. He called the Matha officials and also his successor and gave them instructions.

The next day dawned and Rayaru spent his time in ritualistic bathing in the Tungabhadra as was his normal routine.  He then prayed to his beloved Moola Rama one last time and performed other pooje.

He then took the hand of  Yogendra Theertha and walked to the Brindavana. The Brindavana was constructed on a platform with steps. Rayaru was taken in a proceesion on the temple elephant Mahendra. Rayaru had his Danda and Kamandala with him.

He appeared calm and blessed the devotees along the way.

When the procession came near Garbalaya where the Brindavana was constructed,  Rayaru alighted and took out his Paduke and handed them over to Yogendra Theertha. Meanwhile, Yogendra Theertha had constructed a Pranadevaru temple opposite the Brindavana as per Rayaru’s wishes.

Even on the last day, Rayaru performed three miracles. A dumb youth got back his power of speech and a lame person got back his limbs. His last miracle was to cure a youth of leprosy.

Rayaru’s son, Lakshnimarayana, Rayaru’s nephew Narayanachar, Diwan Venkanna and others watched with a heavy heart as Rayaru was moments away from entering the Brindavana. Vadeendra Theertha then was just two years old when Rayaru entered the Brindavana. (He became the head of the Mantralaya matha five swamijis after Raghavendra. He wrote Gurugunasthavana, a composition of  of 36 verses).

Rayaru then raised his hands in blessing ti the assembled crowd and made his last speech. He entered the Brindavana with his Kamandala and Japa mala. He held the hand of Yogendra Theertha and walked into the Brindavan enclosure. He entrusted the Matha to Yogendra Theertha and commended the people to follow the path of  righteousness.

Rayaru then began meditating and he had asked Venkanna and others to close the Brindavana once the Japa Mala fell from his hand. The moment came and the Brindavana was closed.

An interesting fact is that Raghavendra Vijaya does not contain any details of  the Brindavana Pravesha. Much of the details can be culled from other books, articles and the matha. Another fact is that Appanacharya was not there when Raghavendra Swamy entered Brindavana When Appancharya swam across the swirling waters of the Tungabhadra when he heard the news of Rayaru entering Brindavana,  it was too late. Rayaru had already entered the Brindavana and appanacharya sorrowfully sang Purnaboda.

A sobbing Appanacharya could not finish the song and Raghavendra Swamy completed the Shloka from within the Brindavana by singing“sakshi haya stotra hi."