New Delhi: Why would a marine archaeologist research gods and goddesses? Simple answer: ‘Profit.’
“In India, we have a tradition. Talking about the antiquity of worshiping Sikotar Mata in Gujarat, Dr. Aniruddha S. Goud, Professor, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, said, “Something that is benefiting us, we worship her. and the subject of his recent lecture organized by the Indian International Centre.
There has always been a close relationship between travelers and worship.
As Gaur talks about the mythological findings of his years of maritime archaeological expeditions along the Saurashtra coast of the Western Ghats, a common theme of the Indian culture of worship and local deities runs throughout the story.
The beach holds a history of trade, dating back hundreds of years. And business has always been associated with the idea of an urgent need for security in Indian culture. When ancient merchants left their homes, their families worshiped the gods to ensure that the men returned safe and victorious. And there were deities who were worshiped by traders and fishermen of the west coast, especially those of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa, for protection and good fortune. Gaur refers to this as the cultural background of his findings.
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Among them there is a story of a very special deity. There is a temple called Loteshwar at Dabhol Ghat in Maharashtra. Where, inside the sanctum sanctorum, a langar from the British Admiralty is worshiped as Lord Shiva, decorated with flowers and red vermilion. From a major old time trading port with a history of 700-800 years to a small port now, Dabhol jetty is frequented by fishermen who worship the deity before going out to sea, for safety and success in the day’s catch Let’s look for ,
Gaur goes on a memory trip showcasing his research findings from excavations at Dwarka and Bet Dwarka in Gujarat. His excavations focused mainly on anchors – from ancient Harappan anchors at Mithi Viradi to medieval ports in what is now the Rann of Kutch. Through the excavation, the professor also understood fragments of the rich culture of knowledge in ancient Hindu literature.
“In one of the talukas called Saptari in Goa, we found 13 idols of gods and goddesses on the banks of the Mandovi river,” Gaur said. “These ladies have very peculiar boat motifs attached to them… One leg is on a boat while sitting on a seat. Two of them are still being worshipped.”
When it comes to the realm of local deities, India has a culture of celebrating nature and land deities, which are born out of the geology and etymology of the environment they are living in. Sikotar Mata is one of them. Gaur also mentions the Sangod festival of Goa, where deities are placed on top of boats – just like the excavated stone sculptures of Sikotar Mata, where the goddess is seated on a boat or with one foot on the boat How do you look?
Sikotar Mata, according to Gaur, is derived from the name of an island where traders from the Saurashtra coast used to go and when they made good profits, they would make offerings to the deity and thus their origin. In 17th-century Gujarati cave inscriptions, Gaur explained passionately, “we find the word “Sri Sikotra”. Sikotar Mata is still worshiped under different names, in various temples all over Gujarat, with some of the most prominent ones being at Khambat, Dholera and Ralez near Dahej.
When Gaur and his team go for research, they approach local school teachers, especially those who teach history. One such teacher told him about a place in Mithi Viradi Bhim’s cot (Bheed of Bhima). Gaur recalled, “At first I was reluctant because these are the kinds of stories you hear everywhere and when you get there nothing happens.”
On reaching there, the professor and his team found four huge anchors weighing more than 5 tonnes each. They were similar to their interpretations of anchors. “The local interpretation was that the langar was the four legs of Bhima’s cot from the Mahabharata,” he said.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)