The world's largest collection of leather puppets

Puppetry is one of the most ancient arts and its origin goes back to the beginning of mankind. Each country has its own unique form of puppetry and India is no exception. It has some of the most distinctive forms of art and a few of them go back to the age of the Epics-Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Karnataka too has many styles of puppetry and one of them is Togalu Gombeyaata or leather puppetry. This is one of the most ancient arts of  Karnataka and it is also called as shadow puppetry.

However, many know that Bangalore has the largest collection of leather puppets in the world and the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat has the distinction of housing them in its puppetry gallery.

One of the Chitrakala Parishat’s former secretary and founder, the late M.S. Nanjunda Rao, has also come up with an excellent book on puppetry.

The Chitrakala Parishat has more than 3,000 leather puppets and they represent perhaps the only such collection in the world. They cover a wide spectrum of  puppets and it is often labeled as the largest collection of puppets in one place.

All the puppets are beautifully hand crafted and the colours used on them are mostly organic. The leathers have been finely tempered to achieve maximum elasticity. The breathtaking collection was initially put in place by M.S. Nanjunda Rao and it has kept growing over the years.

The leather puppets have been sourced from the then Hyderabad State , Mysore State and Madras Residency. Many of the puppets were painstakingly sourced from Adoni, Madhugiri, Bellary, Ananthapur and Nagamangala areas and they are native to these places.

Goat hide and deer skin are generally used for making these puppets. This is so as they can easily  absorb colours. The raw hide is generally treated with salt and caustic soda to remove hair and other impurities and then dried. Then colours are applied on the leather using locally available vegetable dyes. Red, blue, green and black colours are usually used.

The hide is then cut into appropriate shapes which are joined together using strings and small sticks. For puppets representing human and animal figures, the head and limbs are joined in such a way that they can easily rotate or move. The maximum size of the puppet is 4 x 3 feet and the minimum is 6 x 3 inches.

Generally, the puppets represent characters from Ramayana and Mahabharata. But, after Independence, national figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru  have also become popular.

Once the puppets are put together, the puppeteer moves from village to village. He selects a place in a village and sets up a stage. The stage is made of bamboo stems and woollen blankets. A white semi-transparent cloth is strung across the stage and this serves as a screen on which the images of the puppets are projected.

The puppets are strung across a rope behind the screen and a bright oil lamp placed behind the puppets project their images on to the screen. The puppeteers sit behind the screen and manipulate the puppets based on the scene being enacted.

However, some puppeteers now use steel frames for stage and also  loud speakers to carry the voice to s longer distance. They also use arc lights instead of the traditional oil lamp.

Puppet performances in Karnataka generally commence with an invocation to Ganesha, Goddess Saraswathi or any other Hindu God. The puppeteers also good mimics and speak for the puppets. The main musical instruments they use are the Mukha Veena or small veena played by blowing air from the mouth and harmonium.

The puppets are controlled using sticks and strings. The performances in rural areas in Karnataka usually commence at night and continue till dawn. In Karnataka, shadow puppetry owes its origin to Chitra Katha or scroll paintings. In Bengal, it is the   Jadano Pat or rolled painting, in Maharashtra it is Chitrakathi or single paintings, Yampat or scroll paintings in Bihar and Phad or panel paintings of Rajasthan. All these scrolls have images and pictures of god and goddess.

By the way, the first mention of  leather puppets are  in the Puranas and the Jatakas. The earliest patrons of Togalu Gombeatta were the Rashtrakutas. Subsequently, Pallavas, Kadambas, Chalukyas, Hoysalas and Marathas of Kolhapur.

In Karnataka, there are several families which for generations have been performing puppetry in their local areas. Some of them are   Gomberama Chakkai Gobbeyata, Togalu Gobbeyata .

In Karnataka there are two major varieties in the leather puppet shows, depending on the size of the puppets. The Chikka Togalu Gombeyaata or small leather puppet play and Dodda Togalu Gombeyaata  or larger leather puppetry.

This is an art which is practiced by a particular community called Killekyatha. They are also called Gomberamaru and Sillekyataru and Katabaru who are generally nomadic in nature.

The puppets in interior Karnataka are two or three feet tall where as those in the border areas and in Andhra Pradesh are almost as tall as a human being.

Some scholars have classified Togalu Bombeyata into three broad categories called Badagalapaya, (North Karnataka),  Tenkalapaya (Old Mysore state) and Mudalapaya (Border of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh). This classification is based on parameters such as size of the puppets, the stage and the positioning of the artistes. In Mudalapaya, the main artiste has to stand during the performance because the puppets are rather big in size. Occasionally, he joins in the revelry by wearing anklets and dancing with the puppets.

Scholars of Andhra Pradesh have traced the origin of leather puppetry in that State to the small village of Nimmmalakunta.

Leather puppetry in Andhra Pradesh is better known as Tolu Bomlat in Telugu and in Kerala it is called Pavaikottu.

Check out the leather puppets of the Chitrakala Parishat in Bangalore. Getting to the parishat is easy. It is located in the heart of Bangalore and the nearest bus stop is Gandhi Bhavan or Ashoka Hotel or Kumara Park Road in Seshadripuram.

Some of the other places where you can find a variety of leather puppets are the crafts museum in Pragati Maiden in Delhi. Here, you get to see puppets from all over India. Delhi has several other museums where puppets can be viewed. The Malliah Theatre Crafts Museum on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg,  New Delhi, contains a rare collection of puppets, masks and ornaments.

Similarly, the National Children Museum housed in Bala Bhavan of Delhi too has a rich collection of toys and dolls from India and abroad. The Sangeet Natak Akademi located at Rabindra Bhavan on  Ferozshah Road, New Delhi, has a large collection of traditional puppets of India.

The Akademi also has a large archive of audio and videotapes, photographs and films on puppetry

The Folklore Museum in Manasa Gangotri, Mysore and the Jaganmohan Art Gallery and palace in Mysore have excellent collections of puppets.

The Janapada Loka near Ramanagar on the Bangalore-Mysore Highway has some excellent folk materials, including puppets. It also has a superb collection of miniature puppets.

The Nehru Children’s Museum near the Birla Planetarium in Kolkata has a fine collection of dolls from India and abroad with some puppets. The Orissa State Museum in Bhuvaneswar has a collection of traditional string puppets.

The Indian who never got his due

Educated people in India and believe me many of them I know have always complained of the bias against merit in India and the lopsided reservation system which does not seem to benefit the really underprivileged.

Many people have painted a rosy picture of life in the United States and said that this is one place where merit and nothing else counts. They have gone to great pains to convince me that the US is the place where one can work without fear or favour and that it brings out the best in any man.

Well, I beg to differ. While acknowledging the superiority of US over India and the rest of the world in the standard of living and in the facility they provide and the materials with which we can work,  the US too is fallible and there have been many instances of  biased US attitude towards Indians and even some of the best have been denied their rightful due.

To drive home my point, I would like to post the case of a Brahmin from South India  who made the US his home A pioneering biochemist, he is credited with the discovery of the energy source in cells and also developed an antidote for treatment of cancer.

Yet, this pioneering scientist was denied tenure at Harvard and he remained in the US without a Green card throughout his life.

If this can happen to such a person, then imagine what would happen to the rest of the mortals. You don’t believe the story. Then here goes………….

Born Yellapragada Subbarao in Bhimavaram in Andhra Pradesh on January 12, 1895, he was a Telugu Niyogi Brahmin. He had a traumatic early life as he lost his relatives when he was a student of a school in Rajahmundry. He managed to clear the matriculate examinations in his third attempt from the Hindu High School in  Madras. He passed the Intermediate Examination from the Presidency College and entered the Madras Medical College where his education was supported by friends and Kasturi Suryanarayana Murthy, whose daughter he later married. He obtained the LMS certificate degree and in 1922 he landed in United States.

After earning a diploma from the Harvard Medical School, he joined Harvard as a junior faculty member. He soon began showing his remarkable prowess. With Cyrus Fiske, he developed a method for the estimation of phosperous in body fluids and tissues. He then went on to discover the role of phospocreatine and  adenosine trihosphate (ATP) in muscular activity. This achievement won him a mention in textbooks of medical science in the US in 1930 itself. The same year, he obtained a doctorate degree.

He joined Lederle Laboratories after he was denied a regular faculty position at Harvard. At Lederle, he developed a method to synthesize folic acid. He isolated folic acid from liver and a

microbial source and then synthesized it in 1945.

Subsequently, he developed the important anti-cancer drug methotxerate - one of the very first cancer chemotherapy agents and still in widespread clinical use.

He also discovered the drug Hetrazan which was widely used by the World Health Organisation in its fight against filariasis.

It was under the guidance  of Subba Rao that Benjamin Duggar discovered Aureomycin, the world's first tetracycline antibiotic. This was in 1945.

The discovery of this antibiotic was the result of the largest distributed scientific experiment ever performed till date. Under this programme, American soldiers at the end of the second world war were asked to collect soil samples from wherever they were, and bring them back for screening at Lederle Laboratories for possible anti-bacterial agents produced by natural soil fungi.

Subbarao headed the project of which Duggar was an important member.

Tetracyclines have saved millions of lives over the last 50 years and the credit goes to Subbarao and Duggar.

Although Subbarao led much of the, medical research in America during the world war, he remained a simple and unassuming man. He never promoted himself and he rarely gave press interviews.

A patent attorney in the US was astonished to note that Subbarao had not taken any of the steps that scientists everywhere consider routine for linking their name to their work. He also discovered polymyxin which is still used in cattle-feed.

His one time colleague, George Hitchens, who shared the 1988 Nobel Prize in medicine with Gertude Elion once said, “Some of the nucleotides isolated by Subbarao had to be rediscovered years later by other workers because Fiske, apparently out of jealousy, did not let Subbarao's contributions see the light of the day”.

American Cyanamid Company,  a leading American conglomerate,  which became one of the nation’s leading 100 manufacturing companies during the 1970s and beyond, named a fungus after Subbarao and called it  Subbaromyces Splendens,

One of the finest tributes to Subbarao was paid by in April 1950 by  American author Doron K. Antrim who said,  “Because he lived you may be alive and are well today. Because he lived you may live longer.”

He died on August 9, 1948 of a massive heart attack and even today few Indians and fewer Americans are aware of him. India has honoured him with a postage stamp and his admirers still remember  him as the “Man of miracle drugs”.

Scientists have won Nobel Prize for a single invention or discovery, a few of them for two discoveries but Subbarao remains among the few who have been denied the Nobel though he has many discoveries to his credit.   

This Brinjal is not a vegetable

It is by no stretch of imagination a brinjal. Yet it is called so. Moreover, it is not a vegetable but a fruit but in India it is called a vegetable and people prepare dishes with it.

Though it does not originate in India, it is named after an Indian city. The entire plant is a gastronomic delight. Most people think that only the fruit is edible. However, its root, stem, seeds and leaves are edible as well.

The tubers of the plant are eaten like potatoes and other root vegetables, while the shoots and leaves are often consumed in salads and stir fries, especially in Asia. Like other members of the gourd family, such as cucumbers, melons, and squash, chayote has a sprawling habit, and it should only be planted if there is plenty of room in the garden.

It is known by different names in different countries and even in India it is known by different names in different states. Though it was not a native of India, it is now one of the most widely consumed vegetable.

First introduced in Bangalore in the 1800s, it has quickly taken root and today it is grown across several states, including Karnataka.

The credit for introducing this foreign vegetable, sorry fruit, goes to James Cameroon, the then Superintendent of Lalbagh.  Cameroon was personally entrusted with the job of looking after the Cypress Gardens in Bangalore soon after the death of Tipu Sultan in Srirangapatna on May 4, 1799.

Cameroon took his job with sincerity and went about his task with utmost  dedication and devotedness. He imported several varieties of plants, flowers and trees and planted them in Lalbagh.

One  of his imports was Chow Chow which is also called as Bangalore Brinjal. The name Bangalore Brinjal is misleading as it did not originate in the city. However, it was in Bangalore that this was first introduced.

The Bangalore Brinjal is actually a native of south America. If the keenness to document local plants went hand-in-hand with an awareness of plants across the world. Due to the moderate weather in Bangalore, he introduced many foreign varieties, one of which is the chow-chow or "Bangalore brinjal", a plant native to Middle America.

It is more popularly known as the chayote (Sechium edule). Other names are christophene or christophine, cho-cho, mirliton or merleton, chuchu (Brazil), centinarja (Malta), pear squash, vegetable pear, chouchoute, choko, pipinola, güisquil (El Salvador).

Chayote is originally native to Mexico where it grows abundantly and has little commercial value. Subsequently, it was introduced as a crop all over Latin America, and worldwide. The main growing regions are Brazil, Costa Rica, Veracruz  and Mexico. While Costa Rican chayotes are predominantly exported to the European Union,  Veracruz exporters mainly to the United States.

The plant was first recorded by botanists in P Browne’s  1756 work, “The Civil and Natural History of Jamaica”. In 1763, it was classified by Jacquin as Sicyos edulis and by Adanson as Chocho edulis. It was left to Swartz  to include it in 1800 in its current genus Sechium.

Chayote is popular in South Indian cuisine. It is referred to as Bangalore brinjal and is used in vegetable stews.

In TamilNadu, it is known as Chuw Chuw and is widely used in everyday cooking for Saambar or Kootu. Kannidigas call it Seeme Badanekai.

Whether raw or cooked, our Bangalore Brinjal is an excellent source of amino acids and vitamin C.

The leaves and fruit have diuretic, cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory properties, and a tea made from leaves has been used in the treatment of arteriosclerosis and hypertension and to dissolve kidney stones.

Chayote is good for the heart and may even help prevent cancer.
An excellent source of folate, this is a B vitamin which helps prevent homocystein build-up. Studies have shown that too much of this amino acid in the blood is linked to a higher risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.
It also helps prevent cancer as it has abundant Vitamin C. This Vitamin is known as one of the most powerful antioxidants which can protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent cancer development. It also helps the body produce energy. Its manganese content helps the body convert protein and fat to energy.
Recent research has pinpointed that Bangalore Brinjal can help
prevent constipation as its fiber promotes bowel regularity. It also keeps the thyroid healthy, prevents acne, leg cramps and bone loss and reduces blood pressure.   
Bangalore Brinjal is also good for the brain as the Vitamin B6 helps improve memory.  

The many martial arts of India

Hollywood, Chinese and Japanese films have glamorized martial arts and cine heroes such as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and others have been much admired in India for their expertise in martial arts.

Almost all films featuring the dead Lee and Chan draw huge crowds. The “ohs” and “ahas” of the audience and their admiration to the distinct styles of these two set me thinking about martial art in India.

Going back in history, I learnt that martial arts originated in India and  then spread to other counties of the Orient, including China, Korea, Mongolia and Japan.      

While Buddhists texts in India have plenty of references to different styled of fighting, there are several other which are not much known outside the region of their birth.

One of the earliest martial art is Vajra Musti or fighting with knuckles. There are regional variations of this art and the it still survives in Mysore and Gwalior. Both the Wodeyars of Mysore and Gaekwads of Gwalior were patrons of this art.

The Chalukya Emperor, Someshwara, has written about this art as has the Buddhist text, “The Lotus Sutra”, which belongs to Mahayana branch of Buddhism.

Another native form is the Kalaripayattu of Kerala. It is one of the oldest forms of fighting that still exists in the world. It generally includes strikes, kicks, grappling, preset forms, weaponry and healing methods. It has three main styles-north, central and south.

Though the south style is now extinct, the Tamil style of  Adi Murai is classified as the southern kalarippayattu by Kerala Kalarippayattu association.

Another ancient Indian art is Bandesh. In this, the main aim is to defeat an armed opponent. The art uses various joint locks. This is one of the few art forms which believe in the sanctity of human life. It practices using weapons without killing. Here, the winner is the one who takes the weapon from the other.

Marma Atti is an Indian martial art, which lays stress on exhausting and discouraging an attacker psychologically as well as physically.

Marma Atti is often referred to as a refined form of a rudimentary self defence. This is taught widely in rural parts of south India. What makes this art distinct from other forms is that it helps a common person to take care of himself  in case of an attack while keeping his physical limitations under consideration.

Marma Atti, however, is a limited set of physical self defence and behavioural patterns, stressing on calm rather than fear in case of attacks.

This is one of the few arts to combine both physical and mental aspects. The Marma practitioner reasons with his attacker after repeatedly foiling the incoming attacks. So this art teaches  evading punches, kicks, knives, sticks and other weapons, frustrating and humiliating the attacker in process. So, your victory depends more on the exhaustion of your opponent.  

Binot is another art which mainly teaches weaponless fighting and  wrestling techniques against armed and unarmed attackers. This is very difficult to learn, tough to practice and almost impossible to fully master. It is reckoned to be among the most dangerous martial arts. It employs wrestling technique.

Another Indian art is Bothati or the art of  using spears in combat astride a horse. This style requires a practitioner to be well-versed in horse riding, balance and he needs a keen eyesight.

The Malla Yuddha is an Indian form of wrestling and one of the many variants is still existing in Mysore and Bangalore. The Wodeyar Emperor, Ranadheera Kanteerva was an expert as were Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. The place where wrestlers practice is called Garadi Mane. Mysore has more than two dozens such manes and Bangalore has a few in Ranasinghpet.    

The north east state of  Manipur is home to Cheibi which is another form of martial art. The Cheibi is a stick encased in leather and it is generally 2.5 feet in length.

The Chebi is used along with a leather shield.

Another art which blends a sharp sword with quick movements is Pata or sword gauntlet. The blade is short and it is integrated in a gauntlet. It is similar to the Katar in use. Chatrapathi Shivaji was a master of this art. One of his Generals Tanaji Malusare used it with both the hands during the Battle of Sinhagad before one of his hands was cut off and he was killed by the Mughals.

The Punjab has Gakta which mainly deals with fencing. The sword here is called Gatka and the shields are known as Fari. The Gatka is about three feet in length. The rules are similar to fencing. There is need to be agile on the feet and you can fight even on horseback.

Another typical Indian art is Gada or Swinging a weighted ball and mace. This was popular in Vedic and ancient times but today it is almost extinct.

However, one of the most versatile Indian martial arts is lathi. You may have seen such fighting in films. The art requires a high level of training in wielding a bamboo stick. The opponent can be one or many. It does not matter. One stick is all you need to be on the defence or go on the offensive. A similar art is Silambam or staff fighting. In this art, the wood is much shorter than a lathi and the art is more on fighting off an enemy. This was very popular during the Vedic ages.    

Another obscure Indian art is Sarit. Here the emphasis is on taking evasive action by feints and also explosive offence.

Adithada-Adi means hitting and thada means blocking- is another art native to south India. It is very similar to Karate and kick boxing. It has both grappling and striking techniques. The British took great pains to suppress this art.

Another art, which is not very popular, is Varma Kalai also known as Varmakalai or Varmakkalai. The art was practiced by monks who combined Yoga, Ayurveda and and disciplined combat into one and called it Kalai.

The emphasis here is stopping attacks rather than injuring the opponent. Attacks are meant for self defence and they target the vital points throughout the human body. This is again an art of fighting with or without weapons. A teacher and one who masters this art is called asaan.

It takes years to master the art.

Niyuddha-kride is another form that concentrates on diversion and quick striking. The practitioners of Niyuddha-kride move in so  quickly when least expected that you can barely defend yourself.

Savasu is another Indian martial art.

Thang Ta is the art of  using a sword, spear or any sharp instrument against one or more opponents. This art was initially practiced by Tantrics. Even today it has three distinct stages. The first is  ritual in nature, the second is a series of dances with the sword and spear while the final stage is combat. This art shares a common origin with Sarit Sarak, the sibling of Thang Ta.

Thang Ta or Huyen Lallong is a weapon-based art initially created by the Meitei of Manipur.

Sarit Sarak is the art of  fighting bare handed. It dates back to the 17^th century. Both these art forms were used by Manipuris with telling effect against the British who banned it.

Banshay is a weapon-based Burmese art focusing primarily on the sword, cane, staff and spear. Here, the participant makes extensive use of the dha or sword  in pairs. Sword-fencing demonstrations and performances often begin with a pre-fight war dance in which the swordsman spins one or two swords very close to the body without cutting themselves.

Sword training is conducted with the weapon still sheathed. Traditionally when a master first presents his student with a sword, the scabbard is fixed so that the disciple is discouraged from killing opponents. Under extreme conditions when the sword must be unsheathed, the scabbard may be broken with a rock or other object. This art is restricted to north east.

The art of archery is called Thoda.  Here, the wooden ball replaces the arrow head and the bows differ size, ranging from 3.5 feet to 6 feet.

Well, I will have to end now as the list keeps on growing. There are art forms of the Marathas and of Bihar and Karnataka that I have not touched upon. Suffice to say that India is one country that has a variety of martial arts that fits every person, all ages and all categories of people.  

An ant named after Bangalore

Bangalore has always been known as a city of  space, aerospace and science. The many scientific and research institutions have given Bangalore the nomenclature of Science today.

Bangalore is also known for many inventions and discoveries such as the Bangalore torpedo and several other inventions in the field of pure science.

But what many do not know is that Bangalore is also known for the discovery of at least two new species of ants, yes ants, and one of the species is named after the City.

Ants are everywhere but few of us notice them. Moreover, for a layman there is no difference between species of ants and so all credit to the researchers who have discovered the new species.

This is Dilobocondyla Bangalorica and this is a species of ant which is the sub family of  Myrmicinae. It is an arboreal ant and it generally nests in dead wood and crevices of tree barks.

This new species was discovered in 2006 in the campus of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Malleswaram.

The credit for discovering the Bangalorica goes to researchers Sunil Kumar M. and Srihari K. T. They collected the 4-millimetre (0.16 in) ant in the IISc campus first in 1997.  Though they identified the genus of the ant, it was Thresiamma Varghese, a scientist at the IISc, whose studies led to the ant being described as a new species in 2006.

This ant builds its nest in the Frangipani plant species- Plumeria Alba alba and Plumeria rubra. While they live in colonies like other ants, they forage individually on tree trunks. The spines on the head and thorax are blunt, and this is the main difference between the Bangalorica and other species.

When these ants forage, they raise their abdomen or gaster high up in the air and in this they bear a remarkable similarity to Crematogaster which is also called acrobat ants.

The worker ants and the Queen ants of Bangalorica is smaller than other species. A few more nests of this species was discovered in Lalbagh and Cubbon Park, Bangalore. So far, this species of ant has not been found outside IISc, Lalbgh and Cubbon Park.

The holotype or the physical example of the ant, known to have been used when the species was discovered in IISc, is still  preserved in the Insect museum of the Centre for Ecological Sciences, which is one of the departments of the IISc.

The D Bangalorica is the twelfth species of ants in the genus Diblocondyla. What makes this discovery significant is that it is the first species of this particular genus that has been found in India.  

The other eleven species are from other different areas of the world.

By the way, Dr. Varghese and Ajay Narendra, an ant researcher, have discovered another species of ant called Myrmecina Urbanii. So far this has been traced only in Kerala and it is also a rare species.

The queen ant of M Urbanii is polymorphic-it has different sizes. In other species of ants, it is only the worker which are of different size.

It was Mr Narendra who discovered another species of ant in Lalbagh in 2013. The ant belongs to the genus polyrhachis and it was found on a bark of a tree. This makes it the second ant species  discovered in Bangalore

The whole of Britain has only 56 ant species while Bangalore alone has 130 of the 170 ant species so far recorded in India. World over, there are 12,000 species of ants.

Another ant species discovered in the Western Ghats recently has been named Discothyrea Sringerensis.

The Kumbh of Karnataka

An earlier post has dealt with the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. The Mela is the biggest gathering of people in the world and even students from Harvard were in Allahabad to study the phenomenon.

But what many do not know do not know is that Karnataka too has its own Kumbh Mela and it is considered to be as holy and as religiously significant as the Allahabad and Nasik Kumbhs.

The only difference is that while the Allahabad and Nasik Kumbas are well-known, the only Kumbh in south India is relatively unknown. And of course, the visitors to the Karnataka Kumbh are miniscule compared to the billions who come to the Kumbh in north India.

Everyday we have seen images in the media about religious heads and politicians heading to Allahabad for the ritual bath during Kumbh in the Triveni Sangama-the confluence of three rivers, Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswathi.

But it is really unfortunate that the Kumbh that was held in Karnataka barely received a mention either in the media or among the people. There were no continuous television coverage or continuous articles about our Kumbh though it is no less holy.

This is the only Kumbh not only in Karnataka but the whole of south India. The Kumbh here is held every three years and it is organised in T. Narsipura or Tirumukudlu.

T. Narsipura is a pilgrim town with several ancient temples and it is located on the banks of three rivers. The Cauvery, Kapila and Spatika flow here and their confluence is called Sangama.

Hundreds of devotes flocked to the bathing ghat at T Narsipura and participated in the Kumbh that was organised in February 2013.

Unlike the Kumbhs in north India, the event in Karnataka is of recent origin. The first Kumbh was organsied in 1989 and since then it has been held regularly every three years.   

The Narsipura Kumbh was spread over a week, while the Allahabad Kumbh goes on for 55 days. Saturdays and Sundays saw devotes by the thousands flocking to T Narsipur.

This was the ninth Kumbh held here and there were no Naga sadhus to take a holy dip. However, a number of Shaivite mathas and sadhus were in attendance to participate.  

This year, the Kumbh was inaugurated by Nirmalanandanatha, the 72nd Seer of Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana in Mandya district.

Almost all the devotees offered argya to the Sun God. The organisers had set up a temporary bridge to connect the small island with the mainland. However, this bridge was not made of pontoons but of three layers of sand bags.  

The three temples of Agasthyeshwara, Bhiksheshwara and Gunja Narasimhaswamy was crowded with devotees.Temporary shelters for religious leaders and seers to reside in were set up in the vicinity of Agastheshwara and Gunjanarasimhaswamy temples

This pilgrim centre was a beehive of activity and the district administration had engaged workers to construct makeshift steps, removing algae, install temporary wash basins, drinking water taps and rest rooms for devotees.

The Kumbh here too tested the district administration to the full. The administration had made arrangements for continuous supply of water and power. Swimmers and lifeguards had been stationed nearby to ensure that nobody drowned.  

Temporary bus stations manned by NCC cadets were operated and there were bus services to several towns and cities, including Mysore, Mandya, Sriraggapatna, Malavalli and even Bangalore.
T. Narsipura is in Mysore district and its history dates back to the Skanda Purana.  
The alphabet T stands for Trimakuta Kshetra or Tirumakudlu and Narsipura comes from the Gunja Narasimha temple, that is a landmark in the town.

T. Narsipura is considered to be as sacred and as holy a Prayag or Allahabad. Hence, it is also called as Dakshina Kashi. According to a local legend, Agastya, himself consecrated the Shiva Linga here.This is called the Agastyeshwara Linga.   

There is another Linga which is believed to be the one brought by Hanuman here from Kashi. Agastya had asked Hanuman to bring the Linga. This is called the Hanuman Linga.

The other lingas are the Someshwara Linga, Markendeshwara Linga and the Gargeshwari Linga. The first two lingas are in T. Narsipura and the third is a little distance away in Gargeshwari village.

There is also an interesting legend associated with Gunja Narasimhaswamy Temple. It is said that Narasimha appeared in the dream of a washerman telling him that his idol lay beneath the stone on which he washed clothes everyday. The deity told him to build a temple for him and asked him to look for gold coins beneath the stone which could be used for the construction of the temple.

When the washerman wished to see the Linga at Kashi, Shiva told him that he had earned punya of about a coral beed vine seed or Gunja. Thus, the temple got the name of Gunja Narasimhaswamy.

T. Narsipura is easily accessible by road and nearby places of interest are Sosale, where Vyasa Raja consecrated a Hanuman and built a Vyasaraja matha, Somanathapur which has a Hoysala temple, Talakad with its temples buried under sand and Shivanasamudra with its magnificent falls.  

Millions take their bath here

The Kumbh Mela in India is a matchless congregation of devout Hindus and it has no peer anywhere else in the world. It is the largest gathering of people for a religious purpose and the largest gathering on the banks of the river.

As if this is not enough, it also is the largest gathering of people taking bath in a river and then going to a temple to pray. The Kumbh melas of Allahabad and Nasik are world famous and they draw millions of visitors.

The Kumbh in Allahabad this time is expecting anywhere between 80 million to 90 million devotees. Generally the Kumbh is held every third year in rotation at one of the four pre-designated places of  Haridwar, Allahabad or Prayag, Nasik and Ujjain.

Thus the Kumbh Mela comes to one of  the four places every twelfth year. Another Kumbh is the Ardh  or half  Kumbh Mela which is held at only two places- Haridwar and Allahabad, every sixth year.

The Purna Kumbh mela is held only at Allahabad every 12 years and the Maha Kumbh, again at Allahabad, every 144 years.

The rivers at these four places are: the Ganges or Ganga in Haridwar, the confluence or Triveni Sangama of the Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati at Allahabad, the Godavari at Nasik and the Shipra at Ujjain.

Though there is no scientific method of ascertaining the exact number of pilgrims, estimates of the number of pilgrims, including sadhus, heads of mathas and people bathing on the most auspicious day may vary; approximately 30 million people bathed on one day alone- February 10, 2013. You see, that day was Amavaysa and Hindus consider a dip in the river on that day to be holy.

The first written record about the Kumbh is in the writings of Huang Tsang during the reign of Harshavardhana. He visited Indian between 629 AD and 645 AD. However, the Puranas date the Kumbh to the Samudra Manthana episode and records of such bathing events are mentioned in Bhagavatha Purana, Vishnu Purana, Ramayana and Mahabharata.

The temporary tented city, that comes up adjacent to the river, is also the largest in the world and it is fully occupied from January to mid March 2013.

Over a lakh workers in Allahabad built 165 kms of roads, 18 bridges, provided thousands of fresh water connections, toilets, 200,000 electrical connections. The tent city can accommodate a minimum of  2 million pilgrims.

Make no mistake. The manmade tent city is a fully functional city with its own court house, police station and even administration. The roads in the tented city are lined with nationalized banks, post offices, mobile service providers, hotels, restaurants, bus and railway reservation counters, gas agencies, radio station.

Of course you cannot except nationalized banks to function from tents. Can you?

These banks operate from plywood structures. The court house has a judge posted who decided on offences committed in the mela area. He hands out punishment and the culprits are promptly whisked away by the anxiously waiting police.  

A district collector, superintendent of police, senior medical officer, chief engineer and a high-level group headed by a minister takes care of the Kumbh arrangements. There are 30 police stations with thousands of policemen in attendance.

The tent city has plumbers, electricians, builders, securitymen, divers, boatmen and even people specially designated to clear garbage. No wonder, it is the largest city on the world in terns of population density.   

The township has 156 km of steel-plated roads, 18 pontoon bridges, 980 km of electricity wires, 550 km of water pipelines and apart from all this a budget of Rs.1,200 crore. The electrical wires  connect 22,000 streetlights and provide 140,000 free connections to the akhadas and establishments of sadhus and matha. Of course the State Government  foots the Rs.4 crore electricity bill for the duration of the Kumbh.

One more thing. With millions wandering in and around the tent city, there cannot be any black out, power failure or even grid failure. The lights are turned on with clockwise precision every day and they will remain so till the end of the Kumbh. The power  system was so designed that the lines carried no more than 50 per cent of their capacity. Each of the 22,000 street light cluster was given a source to draw power from two different devices. In case, one of the power lines broke or did not function, the clusters had am  automatic three-second switch-time. The points were then connected to giant generators, and every second light cluster was run round-the-clock on these generators so that the mela would be lit even if there was a national grid failure.

There are 18 giant pontoon bridges to accommodate the teeming millions and so far the bridges have held and there has not been any major mishap. A total of 1,537 pontoons were needed for the bridges to be put into place. This also has to be the place with the largest number of toilets on earth-a mindboggling 35,000.
The total area of the Mela premises is 50.83 square kilometers and this is more than 200 times the area of Vatican City, which is considered to be the world’s smallest country
A temporary metropolis, conjured out of thin air, it will be dismantled after 55 days. And till it is dismantled, it will remain the world’s biggest City. Hats off to the people who made it happen. It shows India, if it want, can get going and even a State like Uttar Pradesh can show the way. Right.

Kudremukha - The thirteen trekking routes to this hill station

This is the second largest declared wildlife protected area of a tropical wet evergreen forest in the Western Ghats. The forests here are so dense and the canopy so thick that though it hosts a variety of wildlife, including tigers, it is impossible to sight the animals so easily.

It is also the place where three important rivers pf the State take their birth. It is also part of the world’s bio hotspots.

The south and western sides of the protected national park are part of the steep slopes of the Western Ghats ridge line and the altitude varies from 100 metres to 1892 metres.

The North, East and Central portions of the park are part of a  chain of rolling hills with natural grassland and shola forests. The average rainfall here is around 7000 mm, and this makes it one of the wettest places in India.

It is so rich in wildlife that it harbours the largest contiguous population of lion tailed macaques in the Western Ghats outside of the Malabar region.

What makes this region all the more unique is that it has more than thirteen recognised trekking routes, each with its own character and unique charm.

Till a decade ago, one of the highest grade of iron ore in the world was mined here until the Supreme Court stepped in and banned mining. Since ten mining has come to a stop and wildlife has thrived. The scared environment is showing signs of regeneration.

This is Kudremukh or Kudremukha in Kannada, which means Horse face. It is a beautiful hill station in the eastern ranges of the Western Ghats in Chikamagalur district in Karnataka State.

Set amidst picturesque forests, undulating hills and thick forests, the small but beautiful hill station is 48 kilometres from Karkala and 20 kms from Kalasa.

One side of the Kudremukhs resembles the face of the horse and, hence, the name. Locals also call it Samseparvata, as it was approached from Samse village. It was primarily a mining town till it was stopped by a Supreme Court Bench of Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice S. H. Kapadia. The judgment is a superb and painstaking work which is available in public domain. It is considered a landmark judgment in the annals of Indian judiciary.

Coming back to Kudremukh, it has enough of everything-wildlife, trekking routes, bountiful nature, rare fauna, water falls, hills and valleys and Shola grass.

It is in these ranges that the Tunga, Bhadra and Netravati take birth. The Kadambi waterfalls is breathtaking. The tiger reserve and the forests are full of sloth bear, Wild dog or Dhole, Spotted deer, Snakes, Malabar Civet, Gaur, Sambar, Leopards, Jackals, Lion tailed Macque, Porcupine, Mongoose, Barking deer,

Giant flying squirrel and Malabar Giant squirrel.

It is also home to 195 rare species of birds. You cans sight

Malabar whistling thrush, Imperial pigeon, Great pied hornbill

Malabar trogon and several others.  

The best time to visit Kudremukh is between October and May. Eucalyptus, Grevillea robusta, Casuarinas and Acacia auriculiformis are common trees here. There are also tea and coffee plantation.

This is also a habitat for the Lion-tailed Macaque and it  probably harbours the largest contiguous population of lion tailed macaques in the Western Ghats.

The national park overlooks the Arabian Sea and it is spread over thick hilly forests near the coast and shola vegetation on the Western Ghats uplands It covers the districts of Chickmagalur, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada.

The Kudremukh peak is 1892 meters high. Trekking to Kudremukh peak is from 6  a.m., to 5 p.m., after which you will be not allowed as per forest rules.

The KIOCL Dam is nearby. It remains drained most of the time. Hanuman Gundi Waterfalls is a beautiful spot but you are allowed only between 10 a.m., and 4 p.m. It is located 32 kms from Kalasa, the waterfall and the water falls onto natural rocks from a height of more than 100 feet. The trek to the falls is slightly difficult. The best time to visit this place is between October and May.

You have to take prior permission from the Forest Department to stay back at the peak or anywhere near the park.

The Samse - Kudremukh trek takes four days and three nights, covering more than 40 kms. A longer trek is Navoor - Hevala - Kudremukh – Navoor and this is five day, for night exercise covering more than 60 kms. Another good trek is the 50 kms Horanaadu – Sringeri route. This trek takes three days and two nights and the distance is just a little more than 30 kms.

The Nature Camp in Kudremukh is a beautiful place to stay and enjoy your time.

Well, my suggestion is head for the Kudremukhs and forget all the rest. Leave yourself to enjoy Nature at its best.

Kemmangundi-Reaching for the clouds

Emperors and poets have fallen in love with it. So have lakhs of people who have visited it. The name of this place itself is mysterious and romantic.

It was once the summer retreat of the Wodeyars who built a small but beautiful palace here. They then donated the palace to the State Government, which today owns it.  The view of the Sunset from the erstwhile royal residence is absolutely stunning and it is once in a lifetime experience.

If “Kunidhu Kunidhu Bare” from the Kannada film Munguru Male showed Jog in all its glory, there have scores of films that have showcased the beauty of this place and they are so many of them that it would be a shame to name only a few.

Kannada film legend Dr. Raj Kumar stayed here for the shooting the film Premada Kanike which was shot here. More than 40 per cent of Kannada films have picturised the beautiful landscape rolling hills, gurgling streams, rising sun and misty mornings. 

Tamil actor Kamalahassan shot here for his film Panchatantiram and made a reference to this place.

Over the last few centuries it has also been attracting the religious minded. It has become the seat of controversy as the deity here is claimed by two communities. Though outsiders have jumped into the fray, the local people here have always lived a life of peace and calm.

Poets and writers have sung realms in praise of this area. Karnakata’s Rastra Kavi, K.V. Puttappa or Kuvempu as he is more affectionately known, sang about it beauty. This place is also home to the tallest peak in Karnataka.

Though it is popularly known as the Queen of Hill Stations, it is still thankfully not as popular as say Ooty, Kodaikanal or any of the other surrounding hills.

This is Kemmengundi, a magical hills station in Chikamagalur district of Karnataka. A remarkable place, it has water falls, trekking paths, forests, wildlife, temples, hills, deep ravines, gardens, parks and what not.     

A tourist paradise, Kemmangundi has remained relatively off the tourist radar compared to hills and forests surrounding it such as BR Hills, MM Hills, Gopalaswamy Betta and Madikeri.

Kemmangundi is also known as Sri Krishnarajaendra Station. This name is in memory of Krishnaraja Wodeyar, the fourth, who built a small palace or rather bungalow here. It was his favourite hill station and summer retreat. The Maharaja often watched sunsets from the bungalow and went on horseback around. The horse trail can still be seen and you can enjoy a ride.

The Maharaja later donated the bungalow to the Government and now its management vests with the Department of Horticulture.

There is a beautiful place called Z-point which is about 10 minutes walk from the bungalow. This point gives a fantastic view of the surrounding forests. Kamal Haasan's Panchatantiram has a reference to this.

Kemmangundi is in Tarikere taluk and it is located at a height of 1434 meters above sea level. Kemmangundi is also known as Sri Krishnarajendra Hill Station.

Kemmangundi is surrounded by the beautiful Baba Budan Hills, which is the home of the Dattatreya Peeta and the Dargah of Baba Budan.  The cave holding both the shrines has become controversial and there is heavy police bandobast.

By the way, coffee came to India thanks to Baba Budan and Chikamagalur is home to some of the most evocative local coffee. Sip the coffee and spend time.  

Kemmangundi is known for its tastefully laid out gardens, magnificent mountain ranges and superb valleys. No wonder filmmakers have always chosen this spot. Many films of Dr. Raj Kumar were shot in and around Kemmangundi.

The main attractions are the Raj Bhavan  or the guest house of the Governor, Z point and the Rose garden which is maintained by the Horticultural Department.

The view of the Sunset from the Raj Bhavan is nothing short of a heavenly experience. The clouds floating above seem so near and the wild Nature beneath seem a perfect setting for a family.

The trek or drive from Mullayanagiri to Kemmangundi is nothing short of poetry of Nature. It is Nature at its very best and remember Mullayanagiri is the highest peak in Karnataka.

Some of the tourists spots. Which are described in more detail, are as follows:

Z point

This is a vantage point it and can be reached by a rather steep uphill trek of about 45 minutes from Raj Bhavan. This is one of the many places in Kemmangundi to view the Sunset. The Shanti Falls is nearby. The best time to trek is either in the morning or late afternoon.

Rose garden

This is one of the most beautiful gardens in the area. It is maintained by the Department of Horticulture. There are several varieties of  roses and they are a treat to watch and enjoy.

Hebbe Falls

This is about eight kms from Kemmannugundi. The water here falls from a height of  168 meters in two stages. The first stage is called Dodda Hebbe  or Big Falls and the second which is smaller is called Chikka Hebbe  or Small Falls.

The Falls is about eight kms from Raj Bhavan.

Jeeps are available to Hebbe falls and the charge is Rs. 700 to Rs. 1200  for a trip but this depends on the number of people.

Kallathi falls

This is near Kallathi village and it is 10 km. from Kemmangundi. It is on the road from  Kemmangundi to Tarikere. A small deviation on this road will take you to the falls. It is also known as Kallathigiri falls and Kalahasthi falls.

Water falls from a height of 122 metres and the temple here belongs to the Vijayanagar period. According to a local legend, this place is associated with the Rishi Agastya. This is part of  Kallahattagiri Parvata or Hills.

Baba Budangiri Hills

It houses the dargah of Baba Budan and also the Dattatreya shrine in a cave. The hill is rich in iron ore. It is one of the highest peaks in the area and it is surrounded by hundreds of  acres of  coffee plantations.
It is also called Rajendra hill. It is 24 kms from Kemmannagundi. Baba Budan was originally known as Hazarath Dada Hayath Mir Kalandar.

Kallahatta Giri

Another hill is Kallahatta Giri. It is 6,115 feet high. It is also known as Chandra Drona Parvatha. The water falls here is among the best.

Horse way

A small narrow path in Kemmangundi is called the Horse way as the Maharajas of Mysore used to go on horse back to view the  sunrise and sunset at  Z point.

 Jagara Pass and  Jagara Valley

This is another scenic place near Kemmangundi. It is just 16 kms  from Kemmannagundi. The valley is full of beautiful flowers, rare plants and wildlife .peaks of Kemmanagundi.

The Rock garden has well laid out pathways carved out of rock. It has a variety of flowers and some of them are rare. The Bhadra Reservoir can be seen from the Rock GardenShankar Sholapradesha

This is five kms from Kemmannagundi. The Department of  Horticulture has been producing potato seeds in five acres here. The Department also grows several vegetables, fruits and flowers

Mullayanagiri

Mullayanagiri is the tallest peak in Karnataka. The temple atop the hill is famous. The road from Kemmangundi to the peak is scenic. The roads are narrow but the Nature is so scenic that you tend to forget everything.

It is the highest peak between the Nilgiris and the Himalayas. Reach out for the clouds here.

Other attractions nearby are Manikya Dhare where eater falls like a pearl drop. Hence the name Manikya or pearl. The Shiva Temple in Kemmangundi is equally well known.

Accommodation is available at Kemmangundi and Kalhatti village. You can easily book accommodation at the office of the Director of Horticulture, Lalbagh, Bangalore. Call 080-26579231 at Lalbagh for details.

Kemmannugundi is 53 km from Chikamagalur and 17 kms from Lingadahalli. The nearest National Highways, NH no-206 or NH no-48 connect Kemmangundi to Bangalore. There is another route via Mullayanagiri, which is simply beyond description. The nearest railway station is Tarikere which is 35 kms away. The nearest airport is Mangalore which is 150 kms away.

Not for nothing is Kemmangundi called the Ooty of Karnataka.

Kemmanhundi today is virtually unapproachable as the roads are being given a major facelift. The quarters of the Horticulture Department have been demolished and new ones are being constructed. The Baba Budan caves too are being repaired and the matter is pending in court. So better check with the Horticulture Department before embarking for the Queen of Hill Stations.   

Why Narada never married

He is one of the most well-known figures in India. He has been parodied in films in all Indian languages. He is also called the world’s first humorist and mischief maker.

Wherever he went and whatever he did, he left behind a cauldron of confusion. Though he interacted with Gods, Emperors and demons alike, he never married and apart from his parents never had any family.

An indispensable wandering minstrel, his name today means a person who cannot hold back or a person who carries tales. He is Narada, one of India’s revered sages.

Though many of his contemporaries married and even had children, Narada never married though once he came close to getting “hitched”. The Puranas themselves narrate the story of Narada’s near miss with matrimony.

The Puranas say that Emperor Ambeeresha was reigning over the Ayodhya Kingdom thousands of years ago.

A kind and just ruler, Ambareehsa was known for his piety, kindness and religious bent of mind. One day two sages-Narada and Parvata came to the court of Ambareesha.

Ambareesha received the sages with respect and seated them in his court. He then asked his daughter, Srimati, to perform Padapooje-wash the feet of the saints and get their blessings.

The two sages were seated side by side and Srimati washed their feet with water. Both the sages were stunned on seeing the beauty of Srimathi and both fell in love with her.

Narada and Parvata approached Ambareesha individually and told him that they wanted to marry Srimati.

Ambareesha was worried as the situation called for a calm solution. How could he displease one sage by getting his daughter married to another.   

He then suggested to both the sages that he would hold a Swayamwara so that Srimati could chose either of them. Though both the sages agreed to the proposal, each of them were nervous about the event.

Narada wanted Srimati at any cost and he decided to seek Vishnu’s help. He knocked on the doors of Vaikuntha and was immediately admitted to Vishnu’s abode.

Vishnu was holding court with other Gods when he saw Narada rush in. Narada sought out Vishnu and told him that he wanted to speak something very important.

“Speak on”, commanded Hari.

Narada looked around and saw Gods and Devas looking at him curiously. He looked up pleadingly at Hari and said “I can speak but only you should hear.”

Hari looked a little amused but he asked all others to leave. When none but Hari and Narada were left in the magnificent hall, Hari asked Narada to speak.

Unable to contain himself any longer, Narada blurted out that he was in love with Srimati and that she was holding a Swayamvara  tomorrow where she would have to choose between him and Parvata.

Hari looked a little amused and said he saw no role for himself in a love affair. “Moreover, Srimati is free to chose and I cannot influence her”, said Hari

Narada looked aghast at the reply and pleaded with Hari to intercede on his behalf. “Make Srimati chose me and make Parvata  look like a monkey at the time of the Swayamvara. That’s all I want”, said Narada

Hari very nearly failed to hide his smile at the lovelorn Narada. Keeping a straight face, he agreed to transform Parvata’s face into a monkey face at the time of Swayamwara.

A beaming Narada left Vaikunta, strumming his tamburi, singing praises of Hari and also simultaneously thinking about how he would end up marrying Srimati.

Barely had Narada left Vaikunta, when there was another knock on the door and in came Parvata.  

By now, Hari knew about the whole thing and he sternly asked Parvata what he wanted.

Parvata too narrated his take of love and he too wanted Srimati for himself.  I feel she will chose Narada and, therefore, transform him into a bear, he said.

As you wish,  said Hari and Parvata left Vaikunta a satisfied man. The day of Swamyamwara dawned and both Narada and Parvata were seated in the royal court.

Srimati came with a garland in her hand. Ambareehsa gently took her by her hand towards the sages and asked her to chose between them.

Srimati looked up and then blanched with fear. She took a step back even as her father urged her on. Ambareehsa asked her to chose quickly between Narada and Parvata.

“But father, I see no sages” replied Srimati. Ambareesha was taken aback as he and the entire court could see the two sages seated. He once again asked her to pick her husband and Srimati replied that all she saw was a bear and a monkey. Besides them, I see an angel who is the most handsome man I have ever come across.

Ambareehsa looked up and saw nobody except the two sages. He asked his daughter to describe the apparition. Srimati said he was like a Sun, radiant and full of light. He has four arms, Srimati told her father.

Ambareesha suddenly realised that the four armed man was none but Hari or Vishnu. But he still remained puzzled. Where is the bear and the monkey you saw, he asked Srimati.

By then, both Parvata and Narada were getting impatient. Both asked Srimati to stop telling tales of the monkey and the bear. They warned the King that he would have to pay dearly if he was playing any tricks.  

Both also asked Srimati to make her up her mind quickly. Chose or get cursed, they said. Srimati said she could not decide and she would throw her garland. “Whoever catches the garland will be  my husband,” she said.

She closed her eyes, prayed to God and flung the garland. Neither Narada nor Parvata could catch it and the garland fell around the  neck of the radiant man standing between the two sages. As soon as the garland touched him both he and Srimati vanished from sight.

Both Narada and Parvata were shocked at the turn of events. Both berated the King and were all set to leave the court in a huff when they saw Srimati with Vishnu.  

The sages decide to tackle Hari and went to Vaikunta. They straightaway confronted Hari and asked him whey he had tricked both of them.

Hari then took both the sages aside and told them that Srimati was none but Lakshmi herself. How can she marry you when she is already married to me, he asked the sages.

Hari then told the sages that love had blinded them. Had you even spent a little while in contemplation or meditation, you would have realised that she is Lakshmi. Love blinded your senses and each wanted to outdo the other he said.

Narada was so ashamed of himself that he vowed never to marry and remained single forever. He also took a vow never to fall in love. So he remains forever a wandering minstrel, a tamburi in hand and singing the praises of Hari.

Once even Hari as moved to ask whey Narada created so much cvonfusion in the lokas and why he set one against the other. “Just to test their devotion, My Lord. Nobody or no thing is greater than you. I just want to test their faith and invariably they fail the test”, replied Narada. This was one time the all-knowing Hari had no answer to Narada. All he could do was to smile and urge Narada on.