Vatapi Ganapathy idol on display

 

The history of worshipping Vatapi Ganapathy dates to the 7th century in TN when the Pallavas brought this rare image of the Lord from Vatapi (now Badami) the Chalukya’s regal capital in Karnataka.

 

As if to bring history into sharp focus during this Ganesh Chathurthi, the state-owned enterprise, Poompuhar, has displayed for the first time, a two feet high panchaloha image of Vatapi Ganapathy, made specially for the occasion.

 

“This has been made to exactly resemble the Vatapi Ganapathy brought during the reign of the Pallavas. We wanted to make this thematic exhibition-cum-sale different this time,” says Mr R. Narendra Bose, manager of the Poompuhar showroom here.

 

It took nearly a month for three artisans to make this panchaloha idol of the Lord with four hands and a twisted trunk. “Since not many would have seen this rare avatar of Lord Ganesh, we decided to exhibit this image,” he said. This 60-kg idol costs Rs 1.37 lakh.

 

In his song Vatapi Ganapatim Bhajeham, renowned Carnatic music composer Muthuswami Dikshitar describes Lord Ganapathy as hailing from Vatapi with a twisted trunk and holding a sugarcane in his left hand besides a noose, a goad (ankusam in Tamil) and fruits.

 

Vatapi, present-day Badami in Karnataka, was the Sanskrit name given by the Chalukyas who ruled over the area. Narasimha Varma Pallava (Maamalla) burnt down Vatapi, the Chalukyan capital, and killed Pulakesin II. 

 

This humiliation was avenged when Pulakesin’s great–great-grandson Vikramaditya II, who ruled from 734 AD to 745 AD, engraved an inscription at the Kailasanatha temple in Kanchi.

After sacking Vatapi, Pallava commander Paranjothi carried away the idol of Ganapathy and installed it in the Tiruvarur temple. The idol came to be known as Vatapi Ganapathy.