2017 synopsis shruthi

Journey through the sacred path - Case of Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu.

Name : Shruthi Rajarajan

Guided by Dr. Deepa Maheshwari

Masters of Landscape Architecture Faculty of Architecture

May, 2017

Synopsis: Abstract: Pilgrimage sites in India, which were once secluded, serene locations amidst nature are today being subjected to developmental pressures. The natural entities that were believed to impart sacred energies have lost their value and sanctity. The essence of the Pilgrimage and the experience of pilgrim in search of divinity has been largely altered due to this. The pilgrimage journey often composed of circumambulatory path, shrines and temples, tanks and grove and a series of activities one has to actively engage in order to comprehend the divine energy of the place. However today, disappearing water bodies, denuded forest and neglected shrines have lead to the loss of such wholistic experience one could derive from the site.

Using Tiruvannamalai, in Tamilnadu, as a case study, I propose to restore the spiritual engagement of the pilgrim by minor design interventions such as reviving holy tanks, restoring visual connections of the temple and path, integrating heritage shrines and Mandapams in the route of the journey and enhancing experience through pilgrim management plan for safe circulation and decongestion.

Introduction: A pilgrimage is a journey a pilgrim a person undertakes to a sacred place with the intention of veneration or to seek for heavenly aid, and eventually to get acquainted with divinity. In India, it is believed that natural elements impart sacred energies that help in comprehending divinity.

Hence, since ages, mountains, caves water and forests have been the potential points of Spiritual enlightenment. Often the centers of spiritual enlightenment were secluded and had to be reached with difficulty. The idea of pilgrimage was to undertake a journey enduring all the hardships, which imparts special values to the journey apart from its religious significance.

Pilgrimage scenarios today: Infrastructure developments and easy access has changed the experience of pilgrims undertaking the journey today. Overcrowding and commercialization due to high pilgrim influx has countered the entire idea of the spiritual quest. Thus the qualities that fascinated the pilgrims originally is lost. Furthermore, the degradation of landscape of the region is inevitable. The once untouched and serene landscape is today being mobilized, modified and consumed to meet the demands of the ever increasing pilgrims. These places were located in isolated areas, such as thick forest; high in mountains with their natural settings which have now been amended into commercialized tourist destinations with the development in infrastructures and technologies.

The pilgrim path, which in the past was through a calm and quite natural landscape has suffered a great loss in its sanctity. This is detrimental to pilgrim experience and the entire essence of the pilgrimage is questioned in such scenarios today.

Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu:

Figure 1: Image illustrating the Tiruvannamalai temple and the hill at the backdrop Source:www. arunachaleshwartemple.in

Tiruvannamalai is one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalam of Lord Shiva. The Bhoota Lingams are said to be places where Shiva manifested himself as the natural elements. There are five Pancha Bhoota sthala in Tamilnadu, signifying the five elements of nature.

The temples and their respective elements are 1. Chidambaram: Ether, 2. Sri Kalahasti: Wind, 3. Tiruvanaikka/Jambunath: Water, 4. Kanchipuram: Earth, 5. Tiruvanamalai: Fire

A Mythology says that Shiva manifested himself in the form of a enormous column of fire, whose crown and feet, Brahma and Vishnu attempted to reach in vain. A huge beacon is lit atop the hill to mark the manifestation of Shiva as fire during the Karthigai Deepam festival celebrated celebr on full moon day in the Margazhi (Nov(Nov Dec) month of Tamil calendar. It signifies Shiva in the form of fire joining the sky. sky The event is witnessed by 25 lakh pilgrims. pilgrims One of the prime significance of the Tiruvannamalai in terms of pilgrimage is the Girivalam or the pradakshina around Source: www.agnimalai.com the sacred mountain by foot.

This is done every full ful moon day by lakhs of pilgrims. Mythology ythology says that Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra , trinity have done girivalam. It is said to removes sins, fulfils desires and helps achieve Mukti.. Offerings are made in a string of tanks, shrines, pillared meditation halls, springs and caves around the hill as one undertakes the GIRIVALAM. Figure 2: Map showing the various temple temple, tanks, other entities along the Girivalam path

Need for study 

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The hill, the shrines and the water bodies forms the essence of the spiritual connect of the place. The environmental degradation caused by disappearing water bodies, denuded forest cover and neglected shrines has lead to a loss of experience based memory of the journey in itself.

The visual connection between the hill and the path inspires the journey of the pilgrim.

Encroachments of shops, Commercial outlets, display hoardings etc have hampered this connection leading to spiritual disengagement in the journey.

Squatters and slums along the path and at the slopes of the hills causes visual pollution in the landscape setting and also disregard the sanctity of the mountain.

The hawkers and pilgrim generate a lot of waste that is dumped along the path causing environmental issues.

The informal shops and commercial outlets have encroached upon the pathway causing congestion during festival when high pilgrim influx is high.

Designated pause points and rest places for pilgrims during festivals is lacking.

Aim: The thesis focuses on enhancing the overall experience of the pilgrim and accentuate spiritual engagement with the place on course of the journey.

Objective :      

To identify the religious significance, history and cultural importance of the site in order to understand pilgrimage on site.

To Question the natural setting of the region and its changes during the course of time.

To study the natural resource in the region and their relation with the spiritual journey.

To analyze the pilgrim journey and their experience ( Visual, physical and religious) To identify the various issues experienced by the pilgrim during the journey.

To propose pilgrim management plan for safe circulation and decongestion during the peak time.

Methodology:

Factors Governing Pilgrim Experience in Sacred landscapes

The Pilgrim experience in any sacred landscape is experience based. It is essential to analyze the layers of elements both tangible and intangible to understand what governs the sacredness of these landscapes. In India, sacred landscapes are always governed by natural entities, Mountains, Rivers, Caves and Forest, are believed to impart sacred energies in the pilgrims. These are then given meaning through mythology. The mythological belief provides emotional framework to the person carrying out the pilgrimage. Mythology is further strengthened and rooted in the culture of the region through literature and scriptures. Rituals , Festivals , Temple Architecture further influence the culture of the region to derive meaning of the natural entities of the landscape. Thus , Identity, Mythology and Culture are the factors that influence the experience of the pilgrim in any sacred landscape.

Identity "The geographical setting and monumental architecture of a place gives a particular meaning and produces a sense of IDENTITY to a place that shapes the way a pilgrim feels and the experience they have there". - Simon Coleman The identity of Sacred site of Varanasi is river Ganga and its ghats, similarly the first image one gets when we talk about Bodh gaya is the Bodhi tree. Thus Geographic settings and natural entities form the identity of the Sacred landscape. The hill of Tiruvannamalai with Gopurams dominating the skyline is the distinct identity of the region.

Mythology " Pilgrimage is seen as a form of an active journey making sense of the landscape and environment of a place along with an intellectual engagement with the MYTHOLOGY of the place. " - Megan Heyward A series of images is formed as the pilgrim involves in the stories and miraculous events of the place imparting symbolic meanings to the landscape around providing an emotional framework in the pilgrim.

Culture "The sacred landscape is not simply what we see, but a way of seeing: we see it with our eyes but interpret it with our mind." - Ralph Haussler Sacred Landscape is therefore a CULTURAL CONSTRUCT which gives meaning to places and reflect human memory. Religious signs, rituals and epithets, as well as human constructions (e.g. architecture) together create a web of symbols that make up the sacred landscape of a region, creating a text or narrative of a sacred landscape that is etched in the memory of the pilgrim.

Proposals: 1. Crowd management: Any space is experienced in its right sense when a person has psychological comfort.

Psychological comfort is largely affected by crowd. Hence it is essential to create crowd management and strategies to lessen the density of the area.

In Tiruvannamalai, it is essential to organized the activity in the pathway, streamline the flow of people and increase the number of pause points to help in reducing the density of people.

2. Enhancing pilgrim experience at Girivalam path : The existing Girivalam path is historic pilgrim path that has been used since ages, thus all the shrines, tanks etc form an integral part of the pilgrimage. The entire pilgrimage of Tiruvannamalai, revolves around the various layers of landscapes described in the literature of the region.

However as one walks in the path, screaming vendors and hassling hawkers have engulfed the area. The pathway has lost its sacred ambience, and the overcrowded, chaotic path has become the memory of the place for any pilgrim. It is essential that the lost ambience of the place is restored.

a) Designing for movement – The visual connection between the hill and the path is the essence of the journey.

Thus maintaining the view of the peak and providing points for unobstructed view of the peak is essential. b) Designing for pausing- The spiritual experience of the pilgrim is complete only when he halts all of the different elements along the pathway. The temples and shrines, water tanks, sacred groves , ashrams and mandapam (pavilions) act as narrative place markers and devices which induce the spiritual experience in the pilgrims.

Thus Integrating the elements of landscape in the Girivalam path through proper design interventions is essential 3. Guidelines for the region: The transformation of natural landscape of sacred site into monumental and urban landscapes have taken place since ages with royal patronage. However, it is essential to preserve the natural landscape of the area as a part of cultural heritage so that visual and physical connection between them is always maintained. Guidelines for the future development of the region such that the spiritual connection of the place is not lost due Urbanization. Sightlines and views points are always maintained and no development is allowed to obstruct them at any cost.

The hill, the shrines and the water bodies forms the essence of the spiritual connect of the place.

The environmental degradation caused by disappearing water bodies, denuded forest cover and neglected shrines has lead to a loss of spiritual experience of the journey in itself. Thus it is essential to provide guidelines for preserving the existing natural features and measures to restore the natural entities to the its past glory.

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