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This temple is one of the most powerful spots in India, and perhaps on the planet.There
is such tremendous raw energy present that it is incredible. The infusion of Prana,
Ki or Chi that flows into those who are open to it is almost beyond bearing. I speak
from personal experience as the influx of energy left me shaking and shivering before
my perplexed friends. A temple is a sacred spot wherein resides a divine power.
That is the best short definition possible for what makes up the essence of a temple.
It is not the superstructure, nor age nor historical associations. The current temple
structure itself is not very ancient, perhaps 250 years old at the most. The sacred
spot it delineates however is as old as the rocks itself. That is literally true,
for it is a combination of natural rock formations as well as its position beside
a lake, which gives this temple its unique character.
Hanamkonda is a small town in Andhra Pradesh which has, for all practical purposes,
merged into the larger town of Warrangal. This temple of the goddess Kali, as well
as the thousand pillared temple two kms away, was its only claim to fame. Now it
has become a normal urban center, but the fortunate position of the temple beside
a slightly remote lake has happily arranged that the temple itself remains isolated,
in psychological terms, if not in terms of accessibility. There is a very good road
leading off the main highway and the temple lies at the end of that. You cannot
miss the rocks as you approach the temple. They are the dominant feature of the
landscape, though the lake itself is practically invisible until you are in the
temple courtyard.
As soon as you see the rocks, you realize you are in a place of spiritual magnitude.
For the actions of wind, rain and heat have carved the free standing monoliths into
a massive Yantra, the core geometric pattern of spiritual power that is used to
energize all temples and are the abstract representations of the form of the deity.
In this case the rock Yantra is the huge inverted triangle that bespeaks the presence
of the Mother Goddess, the Yoni Yantra, or Womb Yantra. This triangular
formation is at the core of all yantras of significance and is also at the heart
of the greatest Yantra of all, the Sri Chakra Yantra. (For more details on Yantras,
please see the Yantras section on indiayogi.) The Yantra rocks loom over the temple,
as high as a building with ten floors to it, and with a little nub in the center
to form the Bindu, the cosmic point of origin. If it was deliberately sculpted it
might have been neater, but it would not have been half so powerful.
Since the rock Yantra is the primary reason for the power of the temple, a little
information on the Yoni Yantra is provided here. The Primary Triangle is technically
named the Kama-Kala [the Beautiful Art] and more typically is called 'The
Bestower of all Attainments' or Sarva Siddhiprada Chakra. The Kama-Kala
is the first outcome or effect of the central bindu's energy outflow. Since it is
an inverted triangle, it is also described as 'the wandering between horns', the
two lines meeting at a point below being the horns.
The three lines of the triangle are also held to represent the three Gunas
being Sattva - Purity and Calm; Rajas - Activity; and Tamas
- Inertia. Alternatively, the three lines are held to symbolize three goddesses
- Kameshwari, Brijeshwari and Agamalini. They also represent the three
stages of consciousness, Jagrti - Conscious Awareness; Swapna - Dreaming;
and Sushupti - Deep Slumber. The fourth stage of Consciousness is literally
Turiya - the Fourth! and is a transcendent state found only in the ultimate
realization of the Goddess.
The Kama-Kala represents the head [and womb!] of the Mother and symbolizes
also the three fundamental tendencies of existence - desire, knowledge, activity
- which have to be transcended too for the final liberation. This is the penultimate
stage before complete realization of the Self. The primary triangle represents the
second stage of Absorption, namely Absorption-Preservation and it is white in color,
denoting purity or Sattva.
A rock formation to back up a temple built on the shore of a lake - this is about
as ideal as scriptural requirements for a temple can be. The Bhadrakali temple itself
is a strange structure, for the temple was not built and an image installed as is
normal, but a temple shell was constructed around a Boulder on which was carved,
out of the living rock, the seated image of the Goddess Kali. This is an eight armed
figure and, even seated, the Bhadrakali is over six foot tall. Originally
the sacred spot would have had the lake, the rocky shore with this huge boulder
carving and the rock Yantra behind it. The remoteness of the area and the power
inherent within caused some strange legends to circulate which are still repeated
with relish. Apparently, the Goddess was in the habit of touring her domains at
night and people who happened to come across this fierce energy went mad or died
of fright on the spot!
This kind of story is ubiquitous in the South of India, especially in Kerala. Learned
pundits assembled to deal with the terror caused by this propensity to roam and
howl and be preceded by fireballs. They decided that the protruding tongue of the
image was causing too much imbalance in the energy, making it a fierce and restless
one instead of a stable and benevolent presence. A massive yagna, or fire sacrifice,
was organized and they actually broke the tongue off. Using the power of mantras
they bound the goddess within a large Meru Sri Chakra Yantra, which is the three
dimensional form of the Yantra pattern. This is seen to be present at the
foot of the goddess today. This process is Mantra Bandhana, tying down or anchoring
with mantras, and not as weird as it sounds. Practically every Goddess in Kerala,
and many of the fierce male gods, is prevented from roaming thus and they are all
shrines of great energy. For Hindus, the power of the fire sacrifice is supreme,
compelling even gods to act as desired by the Knower of Mantras. The goddess was
also renamed the Bhadrakali, the "Good Kali" as a signal that she was now quieted.
Though it called the Bhadrakali, the goddess has been transformed by the mantras
into a very rare form called the Tripura Sundari, which includes the Kali form.
Tripura Sundari is regarded as the supreme manifestation of Prakriti, the feminine
power which is the vital energy of the universe. The inverted triangle Yantra, while
used to signify Kali, is more commonly used for the Tripura Sundari who is regarded
as the physical manifestation of the Yantra energy. In meditating upon the Sri Yantra,
it is the Tripura Sundari form that appears. Another vital clue about the transformation
has been provided by the temple builders who put up a large Tripura Sundari image
on the rear of the temple. This form of worship is not dangerous, but it
is difficult, and hence only those already in the know can access the extent to
which the mantras have transformed the resident deity. All the forms of worship
at the temple are also extremely pure or Sattvica, another indication that it is
no longer Kali proper. They also follow the classical rite of Alankara, adorning
the goddess with every form of fruit and vegetable found. This was once prevalent
across the ancient classic world as a fertility and prosperity ritual, in Sumeria,
Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, the Mystery religions, but survives only in India today.
Since the temple is now a Tripura Sundari shrine, as well as a Kali shrine, it would
not be amiss to provide some details about the significance of this supreme form
as seen in the picture. (The gaudy colors too are a classical remnant, as the marble
statues of the Greeks used to be painted over like just so.) Tripura Sundari literally
means 'The Beauty of the Three Worlds' or more literally the three Cites
or 'pura'. The three cities are the three worlds of existence and also the three
bodies through which we experience them - the physical, astral and causal or matter,
energy and thought. These also represent the three states of consciousness, waking
dream and deep sleep, each symbolized by the light of the fires, moon and sun. The
form of the Tripura Sundari includes and transcends these three, as she is the Sri
Chakra Yantra - or energy pattern which underlies and creates the universe.
The actual image is laden with symbolism too. We proceed in the traditional manner
of viewing the image, starting with the feet and culminating above the head. The
goddess sits on a seat which is the Sadashiva. This is not merely a feminist triumph
over paternalistic divinities, though that interpretation is valid. Sada Shiva means
the "Eternally Auspicious" and implies the foundation of the Goddess is a realm
of purity and Consciousness. Her left foot is let down symbolizing the active
energies of benevolence and the granting of success. It is placed upon a lotus as
the unprotected touch of the divine could shatter the earth. Her belly is not fat,
but turgid with the immense reserves of Prana or Ki that the divine possesses. The
sacred thread of human heads she wears is not an invitation to head hunt but a representation
of the innumerable births the goddess had to take before achieving her Supreme realization.
Those are her own heads from previous births!
Her lower left hand holds what seems to be a bowl to collect blood - it is mistakenly
identified as such by many - but is actually a mirror. Pure consciousness, and being
grounded in it, means that you do not cast a reflection. Self image and its recognition
are a factor of ego, which in the Devi is completely eliminated. The head she holds
above is the severed ego, the prerequisite for spiritual attainment. The dagger
she holds on the opposite side is used to cut it out. The sword and trident are warnings
that evil will not be tolerated and the good protected. The bell is used
for worship; no matter your spiritual attainments it is a good idea to retain some
level of humility before the Ultimate Formless God. The little drum, or damaru,
is used to sound the primal notes of both creation as well as dissolution. The rope
she holds can be interpreted as both the rope of enchantment which binds one to
the world or as a mala, a rosary upon which one counts mantras and liberates oneself
from bondage. The rampant cobra hood indicates her status as Supreme Ruler of the
Universe as well as the fact that the Kundalini energy is fully arisen and has lodged
in the spiritual etheric Chakra above the head. The Kirtimukha Yaksha, as is normal,
forms the arch around the image of the Tripura Sundari. It is very clear that the
original Kali energy was given a boost or promotion to the level of the Tripura
Sundari.
There is a pretty formidable Kundalini shrine to the side of the main shrine as
well as a little temple to Shiva, consort of the goddess. The entire shrine is constructed
and painted over with some translucent white material and the impact it provides
is considerable. It is one of the few subsidiary shrines I have seen anywhere which
has a genuine power of its own. The serpent power of the Kundalini ascending the
column of the spine has been represented here as a massive snake twining upwards
on a thick tree trunk, a veritable primitive caduceus. It might be worth
meditating in front of this, as the main shrine is busy and full of busybodies too.
The temple has the authentic South Indian odor that proclaims that sacrifices and
worship are going on full time, an unmistakable olfactory evidence of spiritual
life. The spiritual energy present in the temple is an enormous, throbbing one and
can disconcert people.
There is to be seen an automated assemblage of musical instruments looking rather
like an installation by Marcel Duchamp. Apparently it is cheaper and more efficient
to automate the drums, bells and conches required to be played for the main puja,
as it is no longer feasible to assemble so many musicians every day. Modernity in
India has a chance only if it serves a religious purpose first; it must be the first
robotic mechanism for a couple of hundred miles. As a symbolic representation of
India adapting to new paradigms, it is hard to best that assemblage. The temple
is quite popular as it is a vital and seamless part of the local community, but
it is also rising in fame and the calm may soon be replaced by the typical chaos
of the normal pilgrim spot.
How to get there:
By Air
Hyderabad is the nearest airport.
By Rail
Warrangal and Kazipeth railway stations are both close by, though the former is
the better served station. In any case, the two places have practically merged so
it makes no great difference.
By Road
From Warrangal, Hanamkonda or Kazipeth, you can hire a car or take an auto -rickshaw
which is the ubiquitous form of transport. Buses are frequent but crowded. If you
are coming from Hyderabad then your route will be Hyderabad - Uppal - Bhongir -
Aler - Kazipeth - Hanamkonda - Warrangal. As explained before, the last three townships
have merged and are indistinguishable.
Where to stay
The lodges and hotels in all three townships are primarily functional. It is best
to stay at the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation's Punnami Hotel at
Kazipeth, opposite the REC and near the rail station. This is close to Hanamkonda
and Warrangal and is the most practical option to explore the area. The tourist
season is the winter; at other times there should be no problem.
Tel: 0870 - 2432312
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