Here is a book of exceptional excellence about a temple of unparalleled glory and fortune, written by a divine and dedicated soul of nobility par excellence. Guruvayoor, near Trissur in central Kerala, has earned international fame for its Sreekrishna temple, one of the richest in the country.

The author, Pepita Seth, needs no introduction to those interested in Kerala and its arts, because of her writings and photographs of Theyyam, one of our oldest ritual arts which has inspired and influenced even the world famous Kathakali. She has recollected with nostalgia that the first photograph by her in Kerala was that of Guruvayur Kesavan, the legendary elephant of the temple. In short, the devotee author has noticed and described in detail including the myths and legends, history, the idol, the priests, servants of the lord, and the rest of it.

The book is a beautiful travelogue as well as a spiritual pilgrimage. It can be described as an epitome of the core of our Indian culture, which is a magnificent synthesis of the material and spiritual in all walks of life and thought. The enchantingly beautiful and threadbare descriptive text is matched only by the equally sublime and stately photographs taken by the author herself.

Temples of Kerala offer a glaring but austere contrast to the great south Indian temples with towering pyramidal gopurams and multi pillared halls, all richly carved and ornamented. They do not have that architectural magnificence and elegance seen elsewhere in temples India. They also differ from the awe- inspiring rock- cut temples or covered wall- spaces of infinite beauty as at Ajantha and Mamallapuram. In Kerala, the artistic impulse and inspiration kindled with devotional urge found expression in a unique Kerala style. Those who think of India as a land of oriental splendour will probably realise how deceptive that concept is, when they visit Kerala and see for themselves the immaculate serene and tranquil atmosphere traditionally found in Kerala temples.

To know the what, why and how of this phenomenal book, I need to only quote a few lines from the introduction by the author who is English but a resident of Trissur. Though she first declined the order of a small inner voice to undertake the project of writing a book on Guruvayur, finally she agreed.

"And so began a truly extraordinary experience that tested every fibre of my being and touched every emotional nerve I possessed… I was horrified at the vastness of the spasm that yawned before me. Initially, I was terrified of even taking photographs. I did nothing but sit on the steps of the Koothambalam, convinced that there was no way I could continue. Then, just as I decided to admit defeat, some one smiled at me in a way that made me feel enveloped and comforted. I am not alone, I thought." The author displays an admirable sense of devotion reined in by rational objection thinking.

After faithfully recording the popular and official myth and legend about the origin of this temple she is wise enough to admit that "there is no documentary evidence to substantiate any part of this story". She also says that there is nothing but tradition to confirm that Adi Sankaracharya laid down the rituals in the temple because there is no evidence to show that Guruvayur temple existed during the 8th and 9th centuries. Even the origin of the word "Guruvayur" can be disputed and suggests that the name of the place was "Kuruvayur", meaning a place near the sea. The name Guruvayupuram and the temple there were presumably coined and immortalised by the scholar devotee poet Melputhur Bhathathriri of the 16th century, in his Narayaneeyam. One is pleasantly surprised at the author's keen powers of observation, her humaneness and empathy. Normally few will expect the photographs of the veluthedan (washerman) thattan (goldsmith) etc. in a coffee- table book. The originality with which she gives English equivalents of local Malayalam terms is commendable.

One example is velichapad which is normally translated imperfectly as oracle. Seth has translated it as "one who brings light". Such care and attention to minor details I think is an attribute of a continental mind.

(The reviewer is an author and retired Delhi University professor of Malayalam)

Source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/21382/LATEST%20HEADLINES/A+pilgrim+author+pays+her+tribute.html