Image title: Temple Chariot

English Text:

Temple Chariot [mandira-ratha]—This magnificent five-tier wooden temple chariot dedicated to 'Pandanallur Sri Adikesavaperumal' (Lord Vishnu), comes from Tamil Nadu in South India. It was crafted in the mid 19th dentury by 'Shri Pasupati Achari' and his son under the guidance of four devotees named 'Manikkam Pillai', 'Subbu Pillai', 'Cattaya Pillai and 'Jambu Nath Pillai'. It was prepared using locally available wood viz. teak, sandal and acacia.

Such chariots were primarily used in most temples in South India during festivals (rathotsavas) carrying gracefully decorated gods and goddesses, and were drawn through streets of towns and villages by hundreds of devotees.. Ample reference to such festivities can be found in the Atharva Veda and other texts. These festivities were usually conducted to commemorate foundation of temples, pray for the wellbeing of kings, celebrate birthdays of chieftains, births or marriages of princes, planetary conjunctions and events associated with astrological significance. Innumerable devotees would come out of their homes singing and dancing to pay homage to the deities being carried.

Hindi Text (not proofread):

मंदिर रथ—पाँच तलों वाला लकड़ी का रथ 'पंडानल्लूर श्री आदिकेशवपेरुमल' (भगवान विष्णु) को समर्पित है जो तमिलनाडु, दक्षिण भारत, में निवास करते हैं। इसका निर्माण 'मणिक्कम पिल्लई', 'सुब्बु पिल्लई', 'चैत्य पिल्लई' और 'जम्बुनाथ पिल्लई' जैसे उपासकों के मार्गदर्शन में स्थापत्य 'श्री पशुपति अचारी' और उनके पुत्र ने उन्नीसवीं शताब्दी में किया था। रथ निर्माण में सागौन, चन्दन और बबूल की लकड़ी का प्रयोग किया जाता था।

रथोत्सव शब्द 'रथ' और 'उत्सव' शब्दों का संयोजन है, इसका अर्थ है 'देवता का रथ खींचने का उत्सव', जिसका उल्लेख अथर्ववेद और अन्य ग्रंथों में मिलता है। इस उत्सव में मंदिर के देवता को मंदिर परिसर से बाहर लाकर उन्हें रथ में बिठाया जाता है, फिर इस रथ के विशाल रस्से को लोगों द्वारा खींचते हुए पूरे शहर में शोभायात्रा निकाली जाती है। इन रथोत्सवों का विभिन्न अवसरों पर आयोजन किया जाता है, कभी मंदिर स्थापना के अवसर पर तो कभी राजा की प्रशस्ति में, कभी मुखिया के जन्म-दिवस पर तो कभी राजकुमार के जन्मोत्सव और राजसी महत्त्व के किसी अन्य दिवस पर। कभी-कभी नक्षत्र विज्ञान से संबंधित किसी अन्य घटना के अवसर पर भी इन रथोत्सवों का आयोजन किया जाता था। इस प्रकार के उत्सव. भारतीय मंदिर परंपरा से संबंधित आस्थाओं और अनुष्ठानों पर प्रकाश डालते हैं, विशेष रूप से दक्षिण भारत के।

Transliteration:

maṃdira ratha—pāṃca taloṃ vālā lakaḍī kā ratha 'paṃḍānallūra śrī ādikeśavaperumala' (bhagavāna viṣṇu) ko samarpita hai jo tamilanāḍu, dakṣiṇa bhārata, meṃ nivāsa karate haiṃ | isakā nirmāṇa 'maṇikkama pillaī', 'subbu pillaī', 'caitya pillaī' aura 'jambunātha pillaī' jaise upāsakoṃ ke mārgadarśana meṃ sthāpatya 'śrī paśupati acārī' aura unake putra ne unnīsavīṃ śatābdī meṃ kiyā thā| ratha nirmāṇa meṃ sāgauna, candana aura babūla kī lakaḍī kā prayoga kiyā jātā thā|

rathotsava śabda 'ratha' aura 'utsava' śabdoṃ kā saṃyojana hai, isakā artha hai 'devatā kā ratha khīṃcane kā utsava', jisakā ullekha atharvaveda aura anya graṃthoṃ meṃ milatā hai| isa utsava meṃ maṃdira ke devatā ko maṃdira parisara se bāhara lākara unheṃ ratha meṃ biṭhāyā jātā hai, phira isa ratha ke viśāla rasse ko logoṃ dvārā khīṃcate hue pūre śahara meṃ śobhāyātrā nikālī jātī hai| ina rathotsavoṃ kā vibhinna avasaroṃ para āyojana kiyā jātā hai, kabhī maṃdira sthāpanā ke avasara para to kabhī rājā kī praśasti meṃ, kabhī mukhiyā ke janma-divasa para to kabhī rājakumāra ke janmotsava aura rājasī mahattva ke kisī anya divasa para| kabhī-kabhī nakṣatra vijñāna se saṃbaṃdhita kisī anya ghaṭanā ke avasara para bhī ina rathotsavoṃ kā āyojana kiyā jātā thā| isa prakāra ke utsava. bhāratīya maṃdira paraṃparā se saṃbaṃdhita āsthāoṃ aura anuṣṭhānoṃ para prakāśa ḍālate haiṃ, viśeṣa rūpa se dakṣiṇa bhārata ke|

Transliteration:

mamdira ratha—pamca talom vala lakadi ka ratha 'pamdanallura shri adikeshavaperumala' (bhagavana vishnu) ko samarpita hai jo tamilanadu, dakshina bharata, mem nivasa karate haim| isaka nirmana 'manikkama pillai', 'subbu pillai', 'caitya pillai' aura 'jambunatha pillai' jaise upasakom ke margadarshana mem sthapatya 'shri pashupati acari' aura unake putra ne unnisavim shatabdi mem kiya tha| ratha nirmana mem sagauna, candana aura babula ki lakadi ka prayoga kiya jata tha|

rathotsava shabda 'ratha' aura 'utsava' shabdom ka samyojana hai, isaka artha hai 'devata ka ratha khimcane ka utsava', jisaka ullekha atharvaveda aura anya gramthom mem milata hai| isa utsava mem mamdira ke devata ko mamdira parisara se bahara lakara unhem ratha mem bithaya jata hai, phira isa ratha ke vishala rasse ko logom dvara khimcate hue pure shahara mem shobhayatra nikali jati hai| ina rathotsavom ka vibhinna avasarom para ayojana kiya jata hai, kabhi mamdira sthapana ke avasara para to kabhi raja ki prashasti mem, kabhi mukhiya ke janma-divasa para to kabhi rajakumara ke janmotsava aura rajasi mahattva ke kisi anya divasa para| kabhi-kabhi nakshatra vijnana se sambamdhita kisi anya ghatana ke avasara para bhi ina rathotsavom ka ayojana kiya jata tha| isa prakara ke utsava. bharatiya mamdira parampara se sambamdhita asthaom aura anushthanom para prakasha dalate haim, vishesha rupa se dakshina bharata ke|

Automated translation (not verified):

Temple Rath—A five-storey wooden chariot dedicated to 'Pandanallur Sri Adikeshavaperumal' (Lord Vishnu) who resides in Tamil Nadu, South India. It was constructed in the 19th century by the architect 'Sri Pashupati Achari' and his son under the guidance of worshippers like 'Manickam Pillai', 'Subbu Pillai', 'Chaitya Pillai' and 'Jambunatha Pillai'. Teak, sandalwood and acacia wood were used in the construction of the chariot.

The word Rathotsava is a combination of the words 'Ratha' and 'Utsava', it means 'festival of pulling the chariot of the deity', which is mentioned in the Atharvaveda and other scriptures. In this festival, the temple deity is brought out of the temple premises and seated in the chariot, then a procession is taken out across the city with people pulling the huge rope of the chariot. These Rathotsavas were held on various occasions, sometimes on the occasion of the founding of a temple, sometimes to commemorate the king, sometimes on the birthday of a chief, sometimes on the birthday of a prince or on some other day of royal importance. Sometimes these Rathotsavas were also held on the occasion of some other event connected with astronomy. Such festivals throw light on the beliefs and rituals pertaining to the Indian temple tradition, particularly that of South India.

Gallery information:

These photographs depict the objects, sculptures and galleries outside and inside the main building of the National Museum in New Delhi (India) not further classified. The National Museum in New Delhi, founded in 1949, is one of India's largest museums, located on Janpath. Overseen by India's Ministry of Culture, it showcases over 200,000 artifacts reflecting 5,000 years of history.