Temples are some of the earliest forms of museums in the world, for in these sacred spaces we can see and understand the past of a region, its people, culture and traditions. Illustrated by Sharanya Kunnath, Temple Tales leaves the reader in a mystical land with a claim that it is the author’s first book for children, it can be relished by adults alike.
Full of interesting snippets from all around India, the book is a personal and subjective compilation of the sacred spaces visited by the author. However, this would not impact the curiosity quotient of the reader).
A must read for anyone who has, at least once in life, wondered why a temple attracts people or why on earth one ends up donating ‘hair’ to the God, or why a temple is called Mookambika (‘The Dumbstruck Demon’).
The book takes the reader through folktales and legends, heavenly feasts, green deities, stories in stone, sacred skills and divine dances and songs. Each section has crisply edited, humorous snippets on offer.
Be it Sholapith (of which crowns are made for Bengali brides and Grooms); Gamosa or the piece of white cloth with a striking red embroidered border used by Assamese; Pichhwai, Shekhawati and Phad paintings (Rajasthan), Madhubani (Sita’s homespun art) – the reader has much to delve into in this enchanting bouquet of secrets and surprises hidden in temples across the country.
Urine as painting material might sound gross to many in this day and age of a plethora of readymade colouring materials on offer in stationeries. But it was even exported to Europe, where famous painters used ‘Indian yellow’ in their artworks. The famous ‘temple jewellery’ also has an interesting tale attached to it (read Bhagavathy Amman Temple, Kanyakumari).
There is the magical and the mysterious, lore and legend. Only regret is that some tales leave the reader wishing there was more to it. This book is in no way meant only for people of a particular religion. In fact, this book is a timely one in order to remind us of our shared vibrant cultural
heritage.
