Have Kashmiris forgotten to celebrate their festival of love?
These days Kashmir may be mostly known for its insurgent violence and conflict, but there was a time when Kashmiris celebrated love. The roots of this festival of love were nurtured by Shaivist tantric tradition which is life-affirmative, which sees all things, including love and sexual union as doors to divinity, to recognizing all pervading Shiva consciousness. And in our tradition, Kama is the personification of the divine will which leads and propels the ray of creation.
On this very day, 13th of the bright half of Chaitra (March-April), every year Kashmiris celebrated Madan Trayodashi, a festival dedicated to Kamadeva, the Indian equivalent of Eros of the Greeks and the Cupid of the Latins. The West may have its Valentine’s Day, but it also has ‘Original Sin’ that created a repressed psyche over the centuries, the deep layers of which have been difficult to shrug off for many even in the 21st century. Here it was different; we used the very love and sex for understanding the mysteries of higher consciousness. The snowy winters of Kashmir are ideal for three things- love, reading and meditation. In the times of terror, this idealism we hold in our hearts about Kashmir may have been diluted. But more than a thousand years ago, when it used to snow heavily, Kashmiris celebrated Madan Trayodashi, with much gaiety and aplomb.
On this day, Kamadeva was worshipped with various types of garlands and incenses. ‘Madan Trayodashi’ comes from two words- `Madan’ which means he who intoxicates with love and `Trayodashi’, which means the ‘13th’. The famous ancient text of Kashmir Nilmata Purana talks about the importance of this festival and how it was celebrated. The 6-8th century AD Sanskrit text says that “On the 13th of the bright half of Chaitra, Kamadeva, (painted) on cloth should be worshipped with various types of garlands and diverse incenses’’. On this day, Nilmata Purana records, “One should decorate one’s own self and worship the ladies of the house. O twice born this (13th day) should be necessarily celebrated, the rest may be or may not be celebrated’’.
About how the festival was celebrated, the famous text says, “O descendant of Kasyapa, best among the brahmanas, on the12th, a pitcher full of cold water and decorated with flowers and leaves should be placed before Kamadeva, and before sunrise a husband himself should bathe his wife with water (from the pitcher).” There is also a reference about a pilgrimage in the name of Kamadeva in ancient Kashmir, showing how much Kashmiris venerated the lord of Kama. In verse 1365, Nilamata Purana says, “Having bathed at Kamatirtha, a man obtains the fulfillment of his desires and having bathed at Apasarastirtha, he becomes possessed of beauty’’. In another verse, the text says, “One obtains happiness and becomes beautiful after seeing Kamadeva erected by Agastya on the mountain”.
According to Kashmiri scholar Virendra Bangroo, “There are two beautiful masterpieces of Kamadeva sculptures at Avantiswamin temple in Avantipur. Also, many independant sculptures of Kama seated with Riti and Priti have been reported from Kashmir” There is another connection of Kamadeva with Shaiva lore and the Himalayas. There is a legend about Kamadeva’s annihilation and subsequent resurrection at the hands of Shiva. It is said that wishing to help Parvati, the daughter of the Himalayas, in gaining the favour of Shiva, Kamadeva shot his floral arrows at Shiva to disrupt His meditation and help Parvati gain Shiva’s attention. Enraged by this, Shiva opened his third eye and annihilated Kamadeva with a single glance. Later, at the behest of the Gods and Parvati, Shiva resurrected Kamadeva to life, thus ensuring the procreative continuity of the world through desire, love and Kama. It is said that it was Kamadeva who succeeded in bringing Shiva who had turned away from love after the death of his wife Sati, close to Parvati.
Kamadeva, who is also called Madana (intoxicating), is represented as a beautiful young man, having a bow made of sugarcane and five floral arrows in his hands, traveling through the three worlds accompanied by his wife Rati, the cuckoo, the humming bee, gentle breezes. Kamadeva’s ornaments are the conch and the lotus, both related to water, the symbol of creativity and fertility. And Kamadeva’s this ornament, lotus, is found aplenty in the emerald waters of Kashmir.
These days Kashmir may be mostly known for its insurgent violence and conflict, but there was a time when Kashmiris celebrated love. The roots of this festival of love were nurtured by Shaivist tantric tradition which is life-affirmative, which sees all things, including love and sexual union as doors to divinity, to recognizing all pervading Shiva consciousness. And in our tradition, Kama is the personification of the divine will which leads and propels the ray of creation.
On this very day, 13th of the bright half of Chaitra (March-April), every year Kashmiris celebrated Madan Trayodashi, a festival dedicated to Kamadeva, the Indian equivalent of Eros of the Greeks and the Cupid of the Latins. The West may have its Valentine’s Day, but it also has ‘Original Sin’ that created a repressed psyche over the centuries, the deep layers of which have been difficult to shrug off for many even in the 21st century. Here it was different; we used the very love and sex for understanding the mysteries of higher consciousness. The snowy winters of Kashmir are ideal for three things- love, reading and meditation. In the times of terror, this idealism we hold in our hearts about Kashmir may have been diluted. But more than a thousand years ago, when it used to snow heavily, Kashmiris celebrated Madan Trayodashi, with much gaiety and aplomb.
On this day, Kamadeva was worshipped with various types of garlands and incenses. ‘Madan Trayodashi’ comes from two words- `Madan’ which means he who intoxicates with love and `Trayodashi’, which means the ‘13th’. The famous ancient text of Kashmir Nilmata Purana talks about the importance of this festival and how it was celebrated. The 6-8th century AD Sanskrit text says that “On the 13th of the bright half of Chaitra, Kamadeva, (painted) on cloth should be worshipped with various types of garlands and diverse incenses’’. On this day, Nilmata Purana records, “One should decorate one’s own self and worship the ladies of the house. O twice born this (13th day) should be necessarily celebrated, the rest may be or may not be celebrated’’.
About how the festival was celebrated, the famous text says, “O descendant of Kasyapa, best among the brahmanas, on the12th, a pitcher full of cold water and decorated with flowers and leaves should be placed before Kamadeva, and before sunrise a husband himself should bathe his wife with water (from the pitcher).” There is also a reference about a pilgrimage in the name of Kamadeva in ancient Kashmir, showing how much Kashmiris venerated the lord of Kama. In verse 1365, Nilamata Purana says, “Having bathed at Kamatirtha, a man obtains the fulfillment of his desires and having bathed at Apasarastirtha, he becomes possessed of beauty’’. In another verse, the text says, “One obtains happiness and becomes beautiful after seeing Kamadeva erected by Agastya on the mountain”.
According to Kashmiri scholar Virendra Bangroo, “There are two beautiful masterpieces of Kamadeva sculptures at Avantiswamin temple in Avantipur. Also, many independant sculptures of Kama seated with Riti and Priti have been reported from Kashmir” There is another connection of Kamadeva with Shaiva lore and the Himalayas. There is a legend about Kamadeva’s annihilation and subsequent resurrection at the hands of Shiva. It is said that wishing to help Parvati, the daughter of the Himalayas, in gaining the favour of Shiva, Kamadeva shot his floral arrows at Shiva to disrupt His meditation and help Parvati gain Shiva’s attention. Enraged by this, Shiva opened his third eye and annihilated Kamadeva with a single glance. Later, at the behest of the Gods and Parvati, Shiva resurrected Kamadeva to life, thus ensuring the procreative continuity of the world through desire, love and Kama. It is said that it was Kamadeva who succeeded in bringing Shiva who had turned away from love after the death of his wife Sati, close to Parvati.
Kamadeva, who is also called Madana (intoxicating), is represented as a beautiful young man, having a bow made of sugarcane and five floral arrows in his hands, traveling through the three worlds accompanied by his wife Rati, the cuckoo, the humming bee, gentle breezes. Kamadeva’s ornaments are the conch and the lotus, both related to water, the symbol of creativity and fertility. And Kamadeva’s this ornament, lotus, is found aplenty in the emerald waters of Kashmir.
By – Neeraj Santoshi
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