Gajapati : A King without a Kingdom

జై జగన్నాథ్. ଜୟ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ

I have had the pleasure of reading Sri Ashok Kumar Bal's "Gajapati : A King without a Kingdom". 

The book is a befitting and enlightening tribute to the unique association of Puri Jagannath temple with the institution of Gajapati (Current King of Puri), first as Rauta (Deputy), and then as Adya Sebak (Chief Servitor).  Some traditions survive tests of time and frosts of fate. The identity of Lord Jagannath as Rashtra Debata ingrained into Odisha's consciousness, acting as a rallying call and unifying factor for the people of the region time and again is an interesting feature. Nevertheless, Lord Jagannath's blessed grace is not just limited to Odisha. 

The legend of King Indradyumna, set the tone for the later day Gajapatis, and while the era of the Eastern Gangas ushered in the Golden Age (with the long reign of Anantavarman Chodagangadeba and association with Puri Jagannath temple beginning with Ananagabhimadeva III and  'Langula' Narasingha Deba I proclaiming himself as 'Gajapati' as per Simhachalam Inscription), Kapilendra Deba Routraya established the Suryavamshi Gajapati Kingdom in c.1434 CE. After a century of withstanding Bengal Sultanate's and Deccan Kingdoms' assaults and emerging as the strongest political force of the era, the Gajapati emperor was reduced as the nominal Raja of Khurda and then as the titular King of Puri, a King without a Kingdom under Afghan (later Mughal), Maratha and British domination. 

Happenings dealing with the lesser-known infamous episodes of the Gajapatis are presented. The cultural milieu associated with Puri Jagannath temple are detailed in a simple and understandable fashion (viz Rajbesa, Cheerapanhara ritual etc). The identification of the Gajapati as Chalanti Vishnu remains a stark contrast with ground reality, but therein lies the rub. Perhaps, as the author rightly points, such veneration stems from the Gajapati being a King without a Kingdom, deriving his identity not from Political/Material benefits, but rather from the mere fact of being the Adya Sebak (Chief Servitor) of the Lord of the Universe. It is fascinating that this unique association continues to this day and will continue to go on in the future.... 

"Gajapati : A King without a Kingdom" by Ashok Kumar Bal, Konark Publishers

16 Saladi Jamindar Street, Palakollu

Sunday, 28th of July, 2024
Maheeth Veluvali (Sonu)

But, tomorrow's another day...

Cricket, or for that matter, any sport is an unpredictable event is an oft repeated cliche that never satisfies the raging frustration felt by a devout fan when his / her favorite team / player collapses at the last hurdle. And that was the case with the Indian cricket team, that won all league matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and was soundly beaten by a better team in the final. Australia winning it's 6th ODI World Cup title, however commendable is not good for the game of cricket in general, whose administrators dearly want it to compete with the craze of football on a global scale. But this is not just about the victors. 

The game of cricket created Gods and Demons on an equal scale in the world's most populous country. With the bogey of match fixing, so called great players were defamed in the eyes of the public. And players who were treated harshly turned into favorites of the crowd, overnight sensations, with new titles and nicknames attached to their names. The pitfalls of early success and intense public scrutiny on the players, egged on by the record loving fans of this cricket crazy nation are too numerous. For the past decade, India never won a major ICC trophy (ODI World Cup / T20 World Cup / Test Championship / Champions Trophy), failing agonizingly short in the semifinals / finals. 

And so, on a pitch that offered nothing to the bowling side, we all watched helplessly, as the match slowly slipped away from our hands, that collective feeling of eerie Deja vu - jam packed stadium in complete silence, a familiar anti-climax - the blinding sense of fandom brought to a slow and painful stop by reality. Alas, it was simply not our day. "Football is a game of eleven players on two sides with a ball, and in the end, the Germans always win" - some football pundit quipped in an entirely different context few decades back. And perhaps, now it would be prudent to say that in the game of cricket, the Australians always win. For now...

And yet, nothing should be belittled about the performance of the Indian cricket team in this edition. Over a period of one and half month, we have witnessed some stellar performances, thanks to the exploits of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Mohammad Shami, amongst others. When we batted first, it seemed as if the matches finished very rapidly, even before the time I got home from office. India was the better team throughout the tournament, and that is a fact even the most cynical of people would agree. It was great as long as it lasted, a much-needed relaxing boost, that made us all forget our daily troubles. 

Where do we go from here? Let the dust settle. Let us not get overwhelmed with sadness. Cricket may not be just a game, but tomorrow's another day, another sweet chance to win a new world cup and be crowned. For the fruit of patience is sweet.... 

Maheeth V (Sonu)                                                                              Wednesday, 23rd of November, 2023
16 Saladi Jamindar Street, 
Palakollu

Oppenheimer

Nolan is a master storyteller.  This was reinforced once again, as a steady downpour battered down, and I watched 'Oppenheimer' last night. To the film's credit, it does not slip into a eulogy of arguably one of the greatest scientists of modern era. Rather, it brings forth Oppenheimer, a man of flaws and fears. The film revolves around the Oppenheimer - Stauss feud, when USA of the 50s and 60s was caught up in the dizzying travails of McCarthyism - the cold war era when anybody and everybody accused of having an iota of contact with communism were shamed and ostracized. And it captures the emotions of a flawed and brilliant scientist who wished to mix Physics with New Mexico and was worried with USA's lack of interest in Quantum Mechanics, who was accused of being - a womanizer, a publicity freak, a Pacifist, a communist sympathizer, a spy. 

Cillian Murphy dished out his best portraying a plethora of emotions - pride and passion as a scientist giving way to eventual guilt when he could comprehend the catastrophe his genius launched upon the face of earth. Robert Downey Jr played the role of Lewis Strauss, and impressed as is his wont. The ensemble cast also includes Matt Damon as Lt Gen Groves, who recruited Dr Robert J Oppenheimer to head the Manhattan Project and the Trinity Test, Emilie Blunt as Kitty Oppenheimer, Alden Ehrenreich as a senate aide, Kenneth Branagh as Prof Niels Bohr, Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock. The 20-minute build up to the countdown and the eventual success of Trinity test is a simply one of the finest moments of storytelling, with an able background score. 

Between arraying a great many scientists of modern era and hearings and trails, the film does hold its ground as a gripping tale of drama. Yet, it could have avoided needless controversies and could have a wee bit smaller running time. Oppenheimer is for you if you cherish Nolan and good storytelling. 

Oppenheimer (Film, English, Syncopy / Universal Pictures, 2023) by Christopher Nolan

An ode to the beautiful game

  

Lionel Messi with the World Cup

 

(A poetic tribute to the FIFA Football World Cup 2022)

 

In the middle east, thirty two nations battled it out,

for the prized glory of the pinnacle of the beautiful game.

A fine month of entertainment, it was without doubt,

and left us all gasping for more at this piece of fickle fame. 

 

An unpredictable series it was, a euphoric dose of ecstasy, 

as a few billion faithful prayed for their chosen deities.

The breaking of hearts, the beginning of life long fandoms - bereft of prophesy;-

all this followed in winter's fury, for the carnival is not everyone's cup of tea

 

Kylian Mbappe with the Golden Shoe

 

A few upsets were conjured by the inspired underdogs,

and with courage, the Atlas Lions roared.

A bundle of emotions packed in smiles and sobs, 

and into the pages of history, a few soared.

 

The Croatians got the Bronze, a mix of experience and youth. 

But the befitting final - Ah, what a game!

Les Blues marched on Mbappe's heroics, swift and smooth,

But on victory, Argentina made an ambitious claim.

With curtains down on Qatar, the deserving host,

and with bitter and sweet memories made gleefully,

We await 2026, but for now, we toast

to the man from Rosario, the one who did not miss his messy date with destiny!

 

 

Poem / Poetic Tribute (English) - An ode to the beautiful game

A poetic tribute to the FIFA Football World Cup 2026. 

 

 

Monday, 19th of December, 2022                                                           

Maheeth Veluvali (Sonu)

16 Saladi Jamindar Street

 Palakollu

Kantara

I watched the Kannada film Kantara recently, in its Telugu dubbed version. And, it was a great cinematic experience. Set in the backdrop of tribal habitations of Tulu nadu in the picturesque Western Ghats, the story details the victory of human need over human greed enmeshed with an eternal layered conflict between good and evil, tradition and modernity and nature and man. In a simple, straight forward narrative that does not suffer the need to pamper any ideologies, Kantara’s characters enthrall us with a refreshing sincerity. The vibrant tradition of Sacred Grooves and the concomitant art forms and living styles viz Bhoot-arathana, Bhuta-Kola, Kambala, legends of Panjurli, Guliga Deva are brought to the fore in a non-caricatured, subtle, emotional way.

Rishab Shetty stood out tall as director and lead actor in this epic, dishing out once in a lifetime performance, especially in the climax, in a cinematic ode to a largely ignored tradition. In its emphasis on regional culture, the film marks originality. The supporting cast viz Sapthami Gowda as Leela and the villagers play their roles to perfection.

This is a film to be experienced on big screens and don’t miss it there.

Kantara (Film, Kannada, Hombale Films, 2022) by Rishab Shetty

Sita Ramam - Poetic, Poignant and Perfect!

There are some films which stir our very soul with sheer emotional artistry, owing the hearts and warmth of the audience. 'Sita-Ramam' which I watched yesterday in Prime is one such film. It captured the imagination of amateurish literature-fan in me, as I was harked back to the fictional life and times of  Lt Ram and his Sita, or I should say, Sita and her Ram. In this tale of a quest for lost love and redemption of honor which stretched over a score years, there are various underlying themes like triumph of humanity over religion, peace over war, Ramayana.

The pace and build up that the director attempted with courage, the sheer poetry that encompasses every scene of Sita and Ram, the anticipation set in the combination of melodious back ground score - all these elements work in right balance to make the film a great one to watch. Firstly, kudos to the director for execution such a charming love story. Dulquer Salman as Lt Ram is outstanding, as is his wont. And Mrunal Thakur as Sitamahalakshmi / Princess Noor-Jahan deserves all the adulation, a star in her own right. Her classical expressions, clash within, sheer presence makes the heart miss a beat, as slowly the story unravels to it's tragic end. 

In the end, what a film! There will surely be a second time and more times to follow.

 

Film (Telugu) - Sita Ramam, Vyjayanthi Films (2022), Amazon Prime by Hanu Raghavapudi

 

 

Wednesday, 28th of September, 2022,

16 Saladi Jamindar Street,

Palakollu

Lords of the Deccan

I have just finished reading 'Lords of the Deccan : Southern India from the Chalukyas to the Cholas',  a work of popular history dealing with the early medieval ages of Deccan. Of late, there has been an enhanced and nuanced way of approaching Deccan's brilliant past, a ceaseless, compelling clamor that the past narrative of Deccan be given it's due. The Lords of the Deccan offers an exhilarating perspective into South India and Deccan's rivalries, artistic and militaristic, that shaped India from 600s CE to 1000s CE. 

The author rightly bemoans the existence of very few reliable historical sources (viz, glossy Prasasthis, lack of large scale archeological excavations at Basava Kalyan, Manyakheta), yet enthralls us with the tales surrounding the rise, fall and re-rise of the Sri-Parvatha Vallabhas of Vatapi / Manyakheta. The book is diligently divided into three parts - Chalukyas of Badami, Rashtrakutas and finally - Western Chalukyas and their rivalry with Cholas. Yet it is not just a chronological white washed eulogy of Kings and King makers. The themes discussed viz, Sanskrit Cosmpolis, temples and sects as institutions, powers of merchant guilds, symbolism of banners and icons, the sea bound trade routes of Indian ocean, development of regional literature etc offers an interesting insight into the lives and times of Medieval Deccan.

Indian History is not just about the primacy of few places (Gangetic plains) or dynasties (Maurya, Gupta, Delhi Sultanate, Mughal). As the author rightly points, the immenisty of medieval sourth India still looms over us, demanding that we coninue to tell its stories, and learn from its horrors and glories.

 

Book (English) -  'Lords of the Deccan : Southern India from the Chalukyas to the Cholas' by Anirudh Kanisetty - Juggernaut Books

 

Maheeth Veluvali, 

Saturday, 11th of June, 2022,.

16 Saladi Jamindar Street, Palakollu.