Interesting but Forgotten Places III

The Draupadi Amman Temple

In the last post on Giripradaksina, I had mentioned that a mandatory halt on the round for me is the Draupadi Amman Temple. Even otherwise, every time I am at Sri Ramanasramam, a visit to this marvellous little temple to pay respects to Draupadi Amman is a must for me. 

Folks, you may wonder why such a small and unknown temple otherwise, may warrant special attention. Many may have seen the structure without really knowing about it in any detail. It is a very pretty little temple, just a 10 minute walk from Sri Ramanasramam: you have to turn right coming out of the gate and walk along the Giripradaksina road to have this temple come up on the right side, in a sort of clearing, inset from the road.

Part of the temple’s grand isolation is because it usually will be found shut. The structure itself is a little dilapidated, and since usually no one ever goes there anyway, it presents an aloof, desolate and somewhat forbidding picture from the road. And so, even the casual, curious visitor walking past on the road, will usually give this temple a pass.

In Bhagavan’s time

We find scattered references to the Draupadi Amman Temple in Bhagavan’s literature:

It finds mention in the following account by Sri Kunju Swami of the early days of Sri Ramanasramam. In those days there was only a thatched structure over Mother’s Samadhi. There was only one platform just in front, on which Bhagavan sat and slept, with a few of the in-house devotees managing nearby: 

“In those days it used to get very cold at night, and buildings and sleeping material were minimal. Sri Bhagavan was given a sheet and a pillow and slept on a low platform. The rest of us had to make do with mats made of woven coconut leaves that we placed on top of bricks. The devotees used to sleep near Bhagavan’s platform because a smouldering charcoal stove would be there at night. If there was a shortage of charcoal, we would collect large quantities of tamarind bark to keep the fire going. Because Sri Bhagavan never slept much, even during the night, we used to sit around the smouldering charcoal stove with him. At those tranquil periods pearls of wisdom used to fall from his lips. It was a golden period that can never be experienced again. If devotees came from outside, we would give them our sleeping places and go to sleep either in the mantapam opposite the samadhi or in the Draupadi Amman temple in the forest. We would return to the ashram in the morning. In summer, when it was warmer, we used to sleep on the ground under peepul trees.”

[from “Power of the Presence”, Vol II, Pg 50; Sri Kunju Swami’s Reminiscences; by David Godman]

Sri Viswanatha Swami writes about the time Bhagavan, Nayana and himself stole away from the Ashram to check out the forest and rare trees on Holy Arunachala: 

“Bhagavan joined us a few minutes later and the three of us wended our way towards the forest, led of course by Bhagavan, the born leader through uncharted regions, physical as well as spiritual. We entered the second forest path, cutting through the cattle fair ground west of Palakothu and the beautiful little temple of Draupadi with an arresting atmosphere about it. Thence Bhagavan took us to the third forest path …”

[From Arunachala Ramana – Boundless Ocean of Grace, Volume II, Pg 182; Sri Viswanatha Swami’s Reminiscences]

Chalam records: 

“I remember in particular one devotee who had both the faith and the intellectual simplicity that I lacked. He was an old Telugu man with a long beard who lived in the Draupadi Temple about 300 metres from Sri Ramanasramam. His only possessions were an iron pot and an axe that he used to cut firewood for cooking. He would beg food in the town and cook it in his iron pot. Each day, for hours together, he could be seen standing and looking at Bhagavan. He would spend the night in the temple, which even then was dilapidated, abandoned and surrounded by jungle. I once found him standing all alone in front of his temple, gazing at Arunachala. When I asked him what he was doing in such a remote spot, he told me he slept there. ‘What!’ I exclaimed, ‘You sleep here all alone? Are you not afraid?’ ‘Afraid of what?’ retorted the old man. ‘Bhagavan throws his light on me. All through the night I am surrounded by a blue radiance. So long as his light is with me, how can I be afraid?’”

[from “Power of the Presence”, Vol I, Pg 187; “Chalam & Souris”; by David Godman]

I can recall reading one or two accounts more, also mentioning the unusual, electric atmosphere that hung about the temple. I just cannot remember the exact reference immediately and will put up an update if I do.

Draupadi Amman – Her great significance

In recent times Draupadi Amman has come to be regarded as a relatively minor character, a sort of part player in the great Mahabharata epic. In most part this is due to the somewhat cheesy representation of her role in the hugely popular Mahabharata TV series; and also a misunderstood interpretation in recent fictional adaptations of the epic. Few these days recognize the great Divinity that Draupadi Amman is. In fact, my personal experience is that most people will not even bother to add any honorific when talking about Her; they will just address Her as “Draupadi” without adding a “Sri” or “Amman” or “Mata”, a lapse, sadly, even more pronounced in the North.

In recent times there was a detailed study on Draupadi Amman by Dr. Alf Hiltebeitel, “The Cult of Draupadi” in 3 volumes. Volume I (the main book) is available in the Sri Ramanasramam library. The study however focuses only on the folk and tribal traditions, particularly in South India. It is based on an analysis of the Terrukkutu dramas (street plays) and finds that the tradition is centred in “old” Gingee (present day Melacceri village, 3 km from the famous fort), just 37 km from Tiruvannamalai. To give a flavour of Draupadi Amman’s Divinity as envisaged in these traditions, let me quote from a review of the book by Dr. Pradip Bhattacharya, a PhD in “Comparative Literature” for his research on the Mahabharata: 

“Hiltebeitel finds that Draupadi is actually a multi-form of Durga and Kali as Vira Shakti/Vira Panchali with her virginity repeatedly stressed [because she is reborn a virgin afresh every morning]. In this aspect, her power is destructive and dangerous even to her husbands. Her children are born out of drops of blood pierced out of Bhima's hand with her nails as she returns after nocturnal foraging. Like her sister-goddess Ankalamman, whose cult shares the same region, Draupadi roams Kali-like in forests and crematoria. The Telegu tradition has Krishna explain to Bhima that Draupadi is the primal Shakti whom he had promised to satiate with human flesh and that is why he has arranged the Kurukshetra War, during which she roams the battlefield at night consuming corpses.”

And so it is more than likely that our pretty little temple, in an area which was part of the ancient Gingee imperial region, belongs to the same tradition. Even in this, ultimately only a folk tradition, we see how Draupadi Amman is worshipped as the primal Shakti, the Great Mother.

However, for me personally, Her great significance comes from classical sources only and is centred in the unique circumstances of Her “birth” as given in the Mahabharata. She was born without human intervention from the primal tattva “Fire”. Each of the 2 great epics has one such pivotal role played by the Adi Shakti. The Ramayana has Sita Mata, again not born from any human mother, but from the primal tattva “Earth” Itself; and thus She had qualities of the Earth within her - like bearing of immense loads (of sorrow and misfortune), of being the support of Lord Rama, and so on. And in the Mahabharata, Draupadi Amman born from the great sacrificial fire of the Panchala king, plays the role of an all-consuming destructive blaze for the hapless Kauravas.

The fascinating story of Mata Draupadi’s birth, along with Her twin brother Dhrishtadyumna, is found in the Chaitraratha Parva of the Mahabharata. Her ‘father’, the Panchala King Drupada, is itching to get revenge for his humiliation at the hands of Guru Dronacarya, his erstwhile friend. King Drupada then organizes a great Yagna, fire sacrifice, for obtaining offspring to engineer the downfall of Dronacarya and the Kauravas [note: “Krsna” and “Panchali” are other names for Draupadi Amman]:   

“The Brahmana continued, 'Having said this, Yaja poured the sanctified libation on the fire, whereupon arose from those flames a child resembling a celestial who possessing the effulgence of fire, was terrible to behold. With a crown on this head and his body encased in excellent armour, sword in hand, and bearing a bow and arrows, he frequently sent forth loud roars. And immediately after his birth, he ascended an excellent chariot and went about in it for some time. Then the Panchalas in great joy shouted, 'Excellent, Excellent.' The very earth seemed at that time unable to bear the weight of the Panchalas mad with joy. Then, marvellous to say, the voice of some invisible spirit in the skies said, 'This prince hath been born for the destruction of Drona. He shall dispel all the fears of the Panchalas and spread their fame. He shall also remove the sorrow of the king.' And there arose, after this from the centre of the sacrificial platform, a daughter also, called Panchali, who, blest with great good fortune, was exceedingly handsome. Her eyes were black, and large as lotus-petals, her complexion was dark, and her locks were blue and curly. Her nails were beautifully convex, and bright as burnished copper; her eye-brows were fair, and bosom was deep. Indeed, she resembled the veritable daughter of a celestial born among men. Her body gave out fragrance like that of a blue lotus, perceivable from a distance of full two miles. Her beauty was such that she had no equal on earth. Like a celestial herself, she could be desired (in marriage) by a celestial, a Danava, or a Yaksha. When this girl of fair hips was born an incorporeal voice said, 'This dark-complexioned girl will be the first of all women, and she will be the cause of the destruction of many Kshatriyas. This slender-waisted one will, in time, accomplish the purpose of the gods, and along with her many a danger will overtake the Kauravas.' On hearing these words, the Panchalas uttered a loud leonine roar, and the earth was unable to bear the weight of that joyous concourse. Then beholding the boy and the girl, the daughter-in-law of Prishata, desiring to have them, approached Yaja and said, 'Let not these know any one else except myself as their mother.' Yaja, desiring to do good unto the king said, 'So be it!' Then the Brahmanas (present there), their expectations fully gratified, bestowed names upon the new-born pair, 'Let this son of king Drupada, they said, be called Dhrishtadyumna, because of his excessive audacity and because of his being born like Dyumna with a natural mail and weapon.' And they also said, 'Because this daughter is so dark in complexion, she should be called Krishna (the dark).'”

[from The Mahabharata, Adi Parva, Section CLXIX - Chaitraratha Parva; Vol I, Pg 341, Translated by K. M. Ganguli, Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers]

For me Draupadi Amman is special because Her birth from “Fire”, makes Her the Daughter of the Holy Hill of Fire, Lord Arunachala Himself. Her temple then, tucked within the embrace of Holy Arunachala virtually, is also a favourite haunt of Her Father, Lord Arunachala. How much does a father love his daughter? In my mind I imagine Lord Arunachala playing with His Divine Daughter in the solitude of Her pretty little temple near His feet. With humility and love we may then tip-toe into the holy atmosphere of which sometimes, and be blessed to be a part of that unseen Divine lila.

The Temple Itself

The main images in the sanctum are those of Draupadi Amman with “Dharmaraja”, Sri Yudhisthira, sitting immediately to Her right. The images of the other Pandavas are just behind and around. In the compound itself are images, mostly damaged, of other Deities, which are in concordance with the tribal and folk antecedents of the worship of the Mother herein, rather than classical sources. There is even a sacrificial pillar in the compound, but not in the right position, and that points to the incidence of Tamasic, blood offerings, in the very distant past.  

The door to the sanctum will usually be found shut, though there is free access to the compound. A pujari, usually a young member of the family that runs the temple trust at present, comes in between 7.00 and 7.30 a.m every morning (8.30 a.m. on Sundays) carrying with him some milk, flowers, sandal paste, turmeric and other ingredients for puja. He will draw water from the well in the compound, give all the images a bath, do an abhiseka of Mata Draupadi and Dharmaraja, a rudimentary arati, and be off in half an hour shutting the sanctum up till the next day.

To have a darsan of the images, one needs to be at the temple by 7 a.m. for weekdays. But its quite alright to just sit in the compound, particularly in the mandapam abutting the sanctum, even when the sanctum doors are closed. The atmosphere of serene peace, tranquility and Love all around is palpable even otherwise. Since the place is usually deserted, it can present an uncanny experience sometimes. I have met one or two people who have felt an electric, intimidating sort of atmosphere around them if they sit for long in the mandapam. Not for me. I have felt spiritually elevated after every visit, and the peaceful and serene environs of the temple make for an ideal spot to try Vichara.

In Chalam’s account above, the “Telugu man” referred to a blue radiance surrounding him at night when he slept in the temple. Blue is a colour directly linked to Draupadi Amman. Even in the extract from the Mahabharata above, there is a repeated reference to the colour blue – that Draupadi Amman was like the blue lotus, Her hair was blue, Her complexion like Lord Krsna’s was blue-black (a smoky dark colour like that found within the interiors of a very hot coal-fire), and so on. And it is my belief that the blue radiance that surrounded him at night, was really a manifestation of Draupadi Amman’s protection extended graciously towards him, a sincere devotee of Sri Bhagavan.

The rest of the story is in pictures below. As in most temples of the Mother, pictures of the images in the sanctum are not allowed. But I took a few, after permission from the priest, and Draupadi Amman!



Draupadi Amman Temple from the main road, nestled
in the embrace of Lord Arunachala



Same view, taken on another visit; the gloomy day adds
an element of remote grandeur to the temple. One can
marvel at the casual courage shown by Kunju Swami
and other devotees in the 1920s, to walk to this temple
and sleep there at night, when it was surrounded by
thick forest and possibly wild animals

The main entrance facing the road i.e. South; inside, the
temple itself faces East

Inside the compound; an auxilliary shrine on the left,
the main temple to the right and a little behind

The main temple with the attached mandapam in front

The above from directly in front

Inside the sanctum, Draupadi Amman and Dharmaraja;
behind and around are wooden images of the other
Pandavas; this picture is taken early morning
before the Sun was up

The sanctum is designed to catch the rising Sun; the
image of Draupadi Amman seems to come to life!

The wooden "Utsav Murti" of
Draupadi Amman in the sanctum

On the wall just left of the sanctum entrance is this panel
which depicts the 5 Pandavas (according to the priest)

View of Lord Arunachala from the compound

The "Shakti Pitha" and the "Bali Pitha" in the compound;
the temple well is behind - near the bush in the corner 

The young pujari giving the Shakti Pitha a bath

The auxilliary shrine and the main entrance as seen from
the mandapam

In conclusion let me mention that it is my belief that Lord Arunachala, the Holy Hill of Fire, is surrounded by several small and relatively unknown shrines of Divinities associated with the primal tattva “Fire”. All of these are important, in my humble opinion, for the devotee of Lord Arunachala. The sincere devotee can feel particularly blessed in these shrines and obtain encouragement on the search for spiritual advancement. The Draupadi Amman Temple is one of the most important of these, but I shall try and write about some of the others sometime.


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Addendum:

The very interesting pictures that follow were sent to me by David Godman. David's remarks for these pictures are given in the comment below. What I find stunning is the particularly bare and desolate look about it all. Even Holy Arunachala behind appears to be without vegetation of any note. I wonder how much forest cover was actually there even in the 1920's!

Across the road from Draupadi Amman

Draupadi Amman Temple 1930's

In front of Draupadi Amman Temple