Utpattipidugu and unread histories: part II

Histories too are created and perceived, like sciences and philosophies. They are always unread, as people’s readings complete them respectively. Unfortunately, these readings remain as complete as the understanding of the individual/ individuals. Histories somehow are never dates, texts, visuals or remains; they exist in lives, living and lived. Our elite hero Rama thus becomes a villain in Sri Lanka, of in women’s folk songs, or in tribes vandalized by superior sects. While some islands like Bali have Hanuman killing the great Ravana, some Gonds depict Sita fallen for Laxmana and reason for ruffle between brothers. You might shove such stories off with the wave of hand, considering them as jests of minds, have you ever thought that the stories we believe could also be the perverted versions of ‘other’ real ones?

By no means I wish to deny the authority or significance of histories, but just wish that we could keep in mind that like philosophies, histories too are creations of mind, akin to scientific hypothesis. And thus they are never wrong or right, but perceptive and need to be developed to concepts. Indian history, needs to be looked at from numerous angles now, as our globalised understanding is narrowing our understanding with each passing day. Art, architecture especially is always a very strong social comment and never can be a sheer beautiful building. It speaks volumes about the builder, the artisans, culture, topography and so on.  Here in the consequential part of my utpattipidugu, i am presenting different views on who/what they were and trying to make a case study in understanding Indian art beyond just their aesthetical values.  

insignia, Sri Utpattipidugu

The title utpattipidugu has been found inscribed in telugu-kannada script in ten different monuments across Andra and Maharashtra. Seven of these have been located in area stretching from Vijaywada to Kurnool, two in Warangal district and only one in Maharashtra at Bhokardan; yet all these give inconsistent information. Prof. Deepak Kannal says that ‘utpattipidugu appears to be a name or more probably an epithet of a cultic leader who must have been instrumental in promoting the architectural activity in this region.’ Based on the observation that Pasupatas and Kalamukhas (these are Saivites with different ideologies) extended generous patronage to art activity in the mentioned region, and large following enjoyed by Kalamukhas in Andra (appx. 6^th-8^th century A.D.), he relates the utpattipidugu to the revival Vedas, Shankara and Kumarila Bhatta. Kumarila was a great mimamsaka, one of the philosophies in ancient India along with samkhya, vaisesika, nyaya, yoga, charvaka, ajivaka, baudhha and jaina. Having had formal training in Buddhist and Jain philosophies he tried to construct a system similar to those in hinduism/ brahmanical religion. Adhering to the upheaval amongst the brahmanical sects, shankara compiled the adwaita philosophy combining all together. Jainism and Buddhism, in their early stages seemed to have realised the importance or organisation and economy and we thus find sound cognisance of economical and political matters undertaken in their scriptures. The polytheistic brahmanical sects inherently lacked these and must of realised the immediate need to emerge as social powers for their survival. Having had formal training in Buddhist and Jain philosophies Kumarila tried to construct a system similar to those in hinduism/ brahmanical religion, creating a universal idiom (like that of sole spiritual power of adwaita Vedanta) incorporating cultic variations. Kannal suggests that Sri utpattipidugu, nor a guild neither a sutradhara could be one of the acharyas inspired by Kumarila, and joined his mission of brahmanical revival through art, trying to create a powerful insignious idiom in hindu art and rock-cut architecture; with features like monolith, the dwarpalas and the pillars.

Mandapa, upper floor, Dashavara Cave, Ellora

Mandapa, Dashavtara Cave, Ellora

genaral view, Dahavtara Cave, Ellora

general view, Mangalpattu, Tamilnadu

Prof. Shrinivas Padigar, an eminent epigraphist suggests that this could be a biruda/epithet given to a person for his honoured activity, as preceded by the Sri. In search of the person owning this name, it was considered that he could be a great patron/king promoting architectural activity in Andra. Many attributed it to Pallava king Mamalla, based on his work and he peculiarly styled dwarpalas, but nowhere in the Pallava region were the signia found.  Based on an inscription found at Satanikota, about 7^th century A.D., which reads as sri utpattipidugu ekantavasi parama-ma hesvara-matan mahamuni[svaran], which can be translated as he was someone who preferred lonliness/ was dedicated, great master ascetic in Mahesvara sect. Further inscriptions place him as a from the PasupataKalamukha from Mahesvara sect. Translating utpatti (birth) and pidugu (thunderbolt/ causing destruction) which would mean somthing that destroys birth/rebirth, or may be one who causes salvation, he suggests them to be the kalamukha-pashupata philosophies and Sramanic traditions, staying away from populace. He relates utpattipidugu’s intrusions in Ellora to the saiva caves there from the sramanic tradition itself, as also the Buddhist thervadis.

dwarapala of Bala, Virupaksha Temple, Karnataka 

dwarapala, Ramlingesvara Temple, Satyavolu, A.P.

dwarapala, Dasavtara CAve, Ellora, Maharashtra

Jayaram Poduval, Art historian, on the other hand sees Sri Utpattipidugu as an architectural/ silpin guild, not because of insignia or inscriptions, but rather due to the consanguinity of style of their monuments. He relates the Dashavtara Cave at Ellora to Utpattipidugu, especially the carving style of Nandi mandapa, reminding their pioneering efforts in Vijaywada at Akanna Madanna and Undavalli caves. He suggests that the monolith traditions in rock-cut architecture, the roudra dwarpalas and many more developed techniques (he also ponders whether the vesara temple style could be its intrusion) could be attributed to Utpattipidugu and it would rather be an architectural guild than a person, creating its stylistic insignia and very well appreciated for its achievements.

monolith tradition, Dantidurga, Ellora, Maharshtra

monolith, apsidal shrine, near Ramlingesvara, Satyavolu, A.P.

monollith, general view, Kailasnath, Ellora, Maharashtra

monolith, detailed view, Kailasnath, Ellora, Maharashtra

There could be multiple interpretations thus, and all could be valid/ invalid. What’s interesting is that these ideas open up a vast methodology to look at the past, opening facets to look at history not just formalistically but through politics and sociale. Utpattipidugu are still open for interpretations like almost all of the sites and inscriptions over our country. Just to end with interpretations, in many of the western stories, the devils and monsters always come from the east/oriental. Are we monstrous looking? Or could some traders have created this image of east so that they could maintain a monopoly over the trade routes and it became so deep rooted that became part of their stories?

with respect and acknowlegdments to my Professors Sri Deepak Kannal and Sri Jayaram Poduval and their extensive work published in Nikuta, journal of art history and aesthetics, 2005. Photo courtesy  Snehal Joshi and Amol Suryavanshi.