Hi Gokul, active after sometime! Again my keyboard is giving me problems. key "m" is not functioning. so it will be issing in the ail.
After why this sanctitity abut 7? Saptasindhu, saptarishi etc., etc., Even a giat scholar like Dhavalikar went on to identify seven figures depicted in aindua seal as "atrikas".
In any insstances, atrikas are to be worshipped by all ostly by traders who leave the town. There used be matrika shrines at the cross roads.
the earlier matrika temple excavated at Aihole, a trading town, never had more than four matrikas. The standardisation of seven, i.r.o matrikas comes around in 6-7th CAD in a depition of the same at Ravalphadi cave temple at Aihole where they are depicted around a beautiful (perhaps the best) depiction of Natarja. The epics/puranas never reduce the matrikas to 7
But there is a distinct association of them as protectors of waterbodies, particulalry large tanks, is widely vougue in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Do you know that the earliest dated saptamatrika teple is in Chennai - the Selliamman teple at Velachery, to the right of the Velachery main road. I observed here non-traditional archakas performing pujas in excellently chanted Sanskrit mantras!!!!
I think I read about selliamman temple in SRB's book or somewhere else. Astounding. Should visit this next time
I visited Badami almost 10 years ago but was foolish enough not to visit Aihole. I did not know about Aihole and Patthadakkal at that time. Whatever you have written about matrikas of Aihole is a news to me
We all are enjoying your elite participation. Thanks a lot for that
This is not a case only now. Even 1000 years ago dieties appeared in dreams of only kings and would come down only to the level of poets. Why dint they come to any footsoldier who fought right at the front or the common man? Is this beacause they were satisfied with what they had and dint dream big enough?
God's action are always greater than anyone can think. In most cases God appears in the dreams of most influential persons to help or save or to uplift a poor noble soul. If God thinks of highlighting a commoner he plays a drama or instructs about that person to a King or high ranking official thru dreams. Our history has la ong list of these incidents.