Temple Tales : The Leaning Temples of Katarmal
- Shikhar Sumeru
- Jun 27, 2021
- 4 min read
Of Seas and Mountains
What is common between Odisha and Uttarakhand? Apart from a rustic, innocent, and uncut diamond-ish outlook on life, also corroborated in the works of the two literary giants – the doyens of storytelling about Indian countryside -- these two geographies gifted to the world.
While Ruskin Bond introduced the world to the daily struggles (and rewards!) of life in the Himalayas through his charmingly evocative tales, Manoj Das weaved a web of equally enchanting tales around mangroves, village ponds, and of sun and the sea of the eastern state. Contemporaries to the degree of sharing a birthyear, the two writers were not only aware, but also appreciative of each other’s works. Bond ones famously quoted Das’s writings to be reminiscent of Narayan’s Malgudi tales, even surpassing them at times when it came to bringing Indian village life to life through words.
There is another, perhaps much lesser known, similarity between these two states of the east and the west. That is the rare and nearly a millennium old sun temples of Konark and Katarmal, in Odisha and Uttarakhand respectively. While the former is more well known, the latter makes up for its oblivion by offering a mystical, uncrowded, mountain charisma. The very obscurity of Katarmal is its strength. For the popularity and fame of Konark would hardly offer one the quiet solitude of Katarmal, supplemented by the cool breeze of the hilltop, where the only other occupant one can find inside the temple complex are an occasional pair of monkeys or birds.
An Obscure Road sign
About half an hour’s drive from the hustle and bustle of the busy town of Almora, after crossing a bridge on the Kosi river, there comes a fork. The road from Almora to this fork follows a downward slope. On the right, lies the scenic route to Kausani. The road on the left, however, is much less travelled, literally. This bumpy road takes an upward incline from the fork. If one is driving enjoying the scenic tree line on one side and the captivating Kosi on the other, one is bound to miss a narrow, badly marked and even more badly managed, mountain road that ultimately meanders around a hill to climb about three hundred meters. The badly marked obscure road-sign at this latter fork -- after much strain on your eyes -- announces the arrival of the Surya Mandir of Katarmal.
Previously, vehicles needed to be parked at this junction. As of 2021, however, one can take the vehicle even further higher, provided one is blessed with a strong back and a capacity to be patient with the potholes. About fifteen minutes’ drive from this junction lies the current car parking; here onwards, there is a beautiful staircase – just under half a kilometer long – that leads up to the hilltop and the temple.
Climbing the steps, as one closes in towards the hilltop, more and more domes and towers of the thousand-year-old temple start coming into view.
In Search of Better Security
There are – or at least were – 45 temples in the Katarmal Surya temple, the oldest of which dates back to the ninth century: that’s about a millennium and a half ago! Constructed by the Katyuri clan that ruled Kumaon during those years, the temples are primarily dedicated to वृद्धदित्य or the Ancient Sun.
In line with Kumaon’s record of simplifying the multi-syllable names, the degenerated name comes to बूढ़ादीत.
The main idol, dedicated to the sun and tracing its history to the tenth century, was apparently stolen. Since this incident, several valuable artefacts – such as the wooden doors and panels, with fine carvings – were migrated to Delhi, not unlike the youth of the region.
Akin to the temple artefacts finding their way to the metropolitan in search of better security, the youth of Kumaon consistently undertake the journey to Delhi to find the security of a different kind: security of jobs, of better future, and perhaps of a better life.
Coming back to the east-facing temple’s artefacts, apart from the main idol dedicated to the sun god, idols devoted to lord Shiva, goddesses Parvati and Lakshmi, and lord Narayan (Vishnu) were also found, all dating back between the 9th and the 12th century. All key idols and artefacts now adorn the galleries of the National Museum.
The Leaning Temples
Architecturally, the east facing temple’s construction is based on the त्रिरथ or Triratha style. Not to be confused with names doing rounds in the political circles, त्रिरथ or Triratha means ‘of three facets’. In Hindu temple architecture, ratha is a facet on the plan of the sanctum and shikhara (dome) above, or other structure. The main temple’s construction is congruent with Triratha plan on the curvilinear shikhar (dome, roof) of Nagara style.
Among the most fascinating phenomenon of the ancient temple is the leaning structure observed on several of the temples (see pics). At first, the tilts are barely noticeable. One dismisses them as parallax error of the eyesight of eyeglasses or just a one-off case of a single structure. But then, there is another one, and another, and yet another: all tilted towards the east.
Could this be – as surmised by an aging priest – a pull caused by the trees on the eastern face of the hill, growing with time gaining in weight?
Or was this a result of the geological disturbances under the seismically sensitive land of Almora?
Or, perhaps, the tilting of the temples is all but an illusion, a maya, not unlike the happenings of the earthly world?
Who is to say? For obscurity means low footfall; and low footfall means low, or no, funds, for even upkeep of the temple, much less for studies on ‘minor’ and ‘barely archeological’ phenomenon.
If one were permitted to make a personal preference, though. The obscurity that comes with a mysterious charm and a quiet place to brood, perhaps trumps fanfare.
Don’t believe me?
Find for yourself! Unless you miss the obscure sign at the barely recognizable junction…
Photo Gallery
In a nutshell
Location - Near Almora, Uttarakhand GPS Coordinates - https://goo.gl/maps/XgScpfWtkJNXAt5k9 Uniqueness - An obscure temple dating back a thousand years. The inexplicable leanings of the temples, only matched by their mystic charm...
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