Connecting Dots and Dashes in a patch of Gondwana

The 133Km drive from Raipur Airport to a  village called Chhapri in Kabirdham district  (earlier : Kawardha) is pleasant enough as , for the most part , the road runs through lush wooded regions. For kilometers together , no human settlement is seen. 41% of Chhattisgarh is , reportedly,  forestland . 

This part of Chhattisgarh State , bordering Madhya Pradesh, lies within the Maikal  Hillrange , a part of  The Satpuras which , along with The Vindhyas , slashes the geography of the subcontinent into The Indo Gangetic Plain and The Deccan Plateau. 

Chhapri turns out to be a sight for sore urban eyes . A small , quiet  Village nestling 325Meters above sea level , twenty kilometers away from the City of Kawardha. Though noon , it is cool and breezy , the occasional strong gusts  aerosol-ing the heady perfume of Saptaparni flowers all over the premises of the Resort , which is to be base for two days. 

The Resort is Native to the core. Adobe walls, open courtyard , rope strung swings ,  jute woven charpoys , resting  platforms under trees , squabbling birds , carpets of dried flowers and leaves . Except for the western style toilets and plug-points, no other concession is made for guests. The Experience had to be as Close-to-Nature  as it gets . And fully staffed by residents of Chhapri only. 

The rustic, lime washed walls of the building are hung with dozens of  framed pictures - Gond Paintings ! So well known in city art markets . So attractive ,  each fanciful bird , animal and leaf so meticulously constructed with evenly placed dots of pigment , outlined with thin black lines and dashes . These are artworks done by the people who live around the resort , the natives of the land , the proud Gonds who once populated the vast region of Gondaranya, a remnant of the vanished supercontinent Gondwanaland . 

Gondaranya , in India , spreads across Vidharbha(in Maharashtra), Madhya Pradesh & Chhatisgarh, Odisha, the Andhras and Southern Uttar Pradesh . The Maikal Range formed what in early historic and Mythical times was called  Dakshina Kosala . If the name rings familiar , yes,  it has Ramayana Connexions ! 

After a sumptuous lunch ( including the yummy Bijouri) and forty winks , its time to explore the village market . Mostly vegetables grown in home gardens. Shiny, pure white egg-like brinjals, unfamiliar greens , long purple colored beans , jewel-,like mini bittergourds.....Stray cows and goats do their own window shopping , alongside .

The villagers , Gonds , categorised as Scheduled Tribes , resemble villagers in Karnataka-Andhra in stature, attire and also cadences of the language . Gondi language is supposed to belong to the Dravidian Family. The ladies have a fondness for startlingly bright colored sarees and glass bangles. 

The Scheduled Tribe tag should not be taken to mean total  backwardness . Chhapri is only a  village and people here are no different from other villagers across rural India. But elsewhere in Kawardha , Gonds have caught up with modernity . There's  even a grand Indo-European style  Palace for the Gond Royals  , in the City , flaunted in tourist brochures. 

The  Resort has arranged a post-dinner music and dance programme ( by a Male-only group) .  Mahua toddy, distilled from Mahua flowers,  , the traditional local liquor , is on offer too - for those who dare to experiment with unknowns. 

Now we see real Tribal attire . Dresses of  bright colors;  and resplendent head gears . Pulsing drum beats , full throated singing, vigorous dances  . And going around in circles rhythmically, following that universal pattern of  ethnic  dancing seen in all ancient societies. 

Early the next morning , its time to take a hike up a hillock . The dirt path is flanked by fields of rice and maize , glistening under low blankets of morning condensation. There are farmers out and about early. The broad brimmed straw hats they wear are often decorated with tassels, pompoms , fabric flowers and tinsel spangles ! It is a heartwarming and lovable sight .  Life can get dreary , why not add some gaiety where possible ?! 

The horizon , all around, undulates with  distant layers of greenish-grey hills. From trees hang unknown pods and berries  while supine vines bearing purple or yellow blooms snake all around . 

We enter Shankari Valley .

CHERKI MAHAL looms into sight, suddenly,  like a ghost . Indeed it is a  dead temple , just a single vimana standing there with nothing at all around or nearby . Made of brick and mortar, with some stonework. Just a cubicle of a garbhagriha, capped by a tall Nagara type shikara , There are no decorative elements either on the walls or the shikara. The doorway to the sanctum has sculpted jambs showing the River goddesses and dwarapalas at the base and on the lintel  , Ganesha , Saraswathi ( most probably)   and Gajalakshmi  in small mantapa frames. The sanctum contains a Lingam and a Ganesha murti by the wall. The signboard informs that it was built by Nagavamshi kings around 14th Century. Since its an open shrine , shepherds have been using it to rest their flock and hence the name Cherki( Shepherd) .

Thence to MADWA MAHAL , another lonely edifice , without ritual pujas . The name Mahal does not suggest an actual shrine , but there is a sanctum with a Lingam (at a lower level) . Built in Nagara vimana style  with a pillared  front mantapa .The signboard informs that it was built in 1349 to commemorate the wedding of the Phaninagavamshi prince Ramachandra Deo with  princess Ambika Devi of Haihayas . Perhaps that explains the  frieze of  erotic sculptures running around the outer wall of the Vimana . Incidentally, it is also noted that the Nagavamshis followed the Vama-marga in worship. The premises also contains many fine hero stones and Sati stones collected from around the region. Surprised to note that some of the Heroes  depicted look exactly like those seen in Karnataka stones! 

These two temples , it transpires, are part of what the Archeological Department calls  "The Bhoramdeo Group of Temples". Though the main one, the Bhoramdeo shrine , situated a little away from these, is quite magnificent . And in active worship. They are probably clubbed together because all are situated within the Bhoramdeo Reserve Forest and  were built by the same  royal dynasty , the Phaninagas.

 Nagavanshis  were Kshatriyas who claimed descent from the Great Nagas born to Kadru and Kashyapa. The  Phaninagas , a branch, ruled Kawardha region, as vassals of Kalachuris,  from 9th to 15th Century. 

BHORAMDEO TEMPLE  is one of the most famous monuments of Chhattisgarh and is older than Khajuraho monuments to which it is always compared.  Architecturally, it is very handsome , beautifully composed and well preserved . Though with a simple plan of a mahamantapa , an antarala and garbhagriha , it manages to create a sense of  solemn majesty. The  East facing mantapa has doorways on South and North too fronted by porches. The vimana is Nagara in style ,  soaring about 30 meters above a high jagati  ( platform) . The lowermost friezes on the outer walls are of elephants,horses  and lions. The vertical registers of the vimana are richly carved with images of celestials and of amorous couples . Though proportionate , the workmanship is not very fine.  The niches contain larger, more finely wrought murtis . Elements that add to the visual appeal  of the structure are the doorways, framed by intricately designed pattikas , doorstep and lalatabimbas , and the ornate pillars inside the mantapa . 

 The Garbhagriha is sunk lower than the antarala and houses a Lingam covered in silver kavacha . A few very lovely loose sculptures are also kept in the sanctum. 

The signboard informs that the temple was built in 11th Century by Gopala Deo , a Phanivamshi king , ruling as vassal of Kalachuris . 

The name Bhoramdeo is commonly believed to be a name borrowed from a tribal God of the native Gonds . This has not been substantiated. 

 Though traditionally , Gonds have followed animistic beliefs, they have , in course of time , adopted Hindu traditions too. This was evident in the numerous Durga Puja pandals put up in the village to celebrate Dasara with all the color and noise common elsewhere. 

By the side of the main  Bhoramdeo temple is a more ancient dilapidated shrine, built of  bricks . If indeed it is "dated 3rd.Century"as claimed in many websites , its really wonderful. 

The premises  of Bhoramdeo has been developed into a nice garden , with an open air museum of many ancient sculptures found around the site. Many are Hero and Sati stones. Towards one end is a vast tank with the hills as background and towards the other, a walk way along a well maintained Park  - with a large Chola Nataraja figure as Garden Deco. A mismatch ! Thankfully,  the Nandi figures  guarding the gate of this park are designed like Dokra figures , so native to the region. 

By evening, the hills beckon again . A 20 minute uphill hike ends at the breathtakingly vast , serene and glassy- clean  SARODA reservoir , created by the damming of Rivers Sakri and Khol . It provides potable water to the nearby district. Bounded by hill ranges, it makes for the best place to watch a  brilliant  sunset . Thankfully, there are NO snack kiosks anywhere near this wonderful place. 

Hope it remains so. 

The Gonds worship Nature and all gifts of Nature . Spending even a little time in the lap of unspoilt Nature helps understand that Faith .