Jasma Devi
Encyclopedia
The Jasma devi temple constructed by ode tribe in 12th century situated at ' Sahasra Talao ' tank at Pattan, near Baroda in Gujarat State, India
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According to legend, in an earlier birth, 'Jasma Devi' was an Apsara (celestial nymph) and had been sent to earth by Indra to distract the meditation of sage Nala. The enraged sage cursed her. " she would be born in the nomadic community of Odes and be forced to marry an nomadic man".
The King Siddhraj Jaisingh's chanced to see Jasma and described what he saw. when he returned to the Court. The king has to see the dazzling beauty again. When he did, he was captivated by her beauty and offered to marry her to make her the queen of Gujarat. Jasma looked him in disdain, spurned his offer and rebuked him for having cherished such evil thoughts. she refused Siddharaj's advances and committed sati to protect her honour. It is believed that her curse made the tank waterless and the king without an heir to the kingdom of Gujarat. Thus protecting her dignity. The Jasma Devi Temple was constructed in her memory near a tank called 'Sahasra linga Talav' located near Pattan, Gujarat in 12th century. (http://www.silkqin.com/13pers/acklist.htm)
Chambers, where the royal families came to rest in summer, the water from the well skimming some of the heat from the breezes, the whole acting as a natural airconditioning There is talk now of excavating the surrounding areas, because there must have been palaces and other royal residences in the vicinity, which used the stepwell as a water source of aircooling system. Sahasra Linga talao, a large lake surrounded by beautiful temples, but these shrines are no longer in good condition, and this form of architecture can be better appreciated at the Musar tank in Viramgam, an hour away from Modhera, where another string of temples was erected by the same family. Hindu temples like the 12th century Maheshwara mandir, Kali mandir and Panchmukhi Hanumana mandir and the Jain temples like Doshiwar mandir and those in Kapur Mehtano pol follow the Solanki architectural tradition. The location of Patan on the banks of river Saraswati, one of the 3 holy rivers of India alongside the Ganga and the Yamuna, and its tributary the Chandrabhaga, has contributed considerably to its religious importance, and this explains the number of temples in this region, besides the fact that it was a major centre for learning and business in medieval times.
Ode : The word Vodde or Odde is said to be a corruption of the Sanskrit Odhra, the name
for the country now called Orissa, and the people are ordinarily supposed to have emigrated from the Uriya country. Besides Telugu, they are said to speak a peculiar dialect among themselves.They are a strong and hard-working class.
About Ode settlement in south the following brief accounts are given in the Nellore, Coimbatore, and Madura in Manuals : —
Nellore — Odes are called as 'Vaddera' are the tank-diggers, quarry owners and contractors. few are engaged in the trade.
Coimbatore — Odes are thickly populated , migrated for great demand in irrigation wells, ghat roads of Niligiri Hills and construction of houses. Today they are found to be contractors and traders.
Salem — Odes(Odder) are moderately populated in the areas Meyyanoor, Mettupatti, Attur, Kallakurichi, Durgam, Sankarapuram etc. Today they are found to be contractors and coolies.
Madurai — Odes are generally tank-diggers and earth-workers. They are Telugus, and are supposed to have come southward in the time of the Nayyakkans. Possibly Tirumala sent for them to dig out his great Teppakulam, and assist in raising gopurams of Meenakshi Temple.
Karnataka - Migrated for great demand in construction of Dams, Hydro electric projects, Reservoirs, Check dams, Roads and Office buildings. Especially in construction of Krishnaraja sagar, Vani Vilas sagar , Bhadravathi, Hemavathi, Lakkavali, Chikhole, Shivanasamudra, Jog Falls, Almatti and Vidhana Soudha. People settled in the same places after completion of projects.
With the time, the people of this region grouped together and it became a caste. The caste is called as Vaddera, Oddars, Waddars, Vadda or also as 'Bhovi', based on the location area in Andhra, Tamil Nadu , Pune, Karnataka, Gujarat.
, the Gujarati folk form written by Shanta Gandhi
. This famous Bhavai is the tale of Jasma, the earthly incarnation of a heavenly apsara, Kaamkundala.
Jasma is a female member of the Odh community of Gujarat. The Odhs are labourers. Jasmas character highlights the theme of the play, Dignity of Labour & Womanhood. The two major characters Rangla and Nayak, like Sutradhars take us through the journey of Jasmas life, giving us a glimpse of this very colourful Indian folk style, Bhavai. The live music adds to the visual magic created by the performers. The Gujarati folk songs and dances give the typical rural and earthen feel. Each song is an original Bhavai composition. From the apsara to the Odh community, the costumes are immaculate and authentically designed. The script of Jasma Odhan holds the brilliant craft of excellent balance between humour, tension, dramatic conflict and the profundity. Jasma Odhan in all aspects is Purely Indian in its entertainment value.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
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Story of Jasma Devi
Jasma of the Ode Tribe of Gujarat who chose to become the wife and work-mate of a simple pond-digger man called 'Rooda'. she is remembered for her loyalty to her husband, for fearless conduct on the face of the King Siddhraj Jaisingh and for her love of the rugged life of the nomadic odes.According to legend, in an earlier birth, 'Jasma Devi' was an Apsara (celestial nymph) and had been sent to earth by Indra to distract the meditation of sage Nala. The enraged sage cursed her. " she would be born in the nomadic community of Odes and be forced to marry an nomadic man".
The King Siddhraj Jaisingh's chanced to see Jasma and described what he saw. when he returned to the Court. The king has to see the dazzling beauty again. When he did, he was captivated by her beauty and offered to marry her to make her the queen of Gujarat. Jasma looked him in disdain, spurned his offer and rebuked him for having cherished such evil thoughts. she refused Siddharaj's advances and committed sati to protect her honour. It is believed that her curse made the tank waterless and the king without an heir to the kingdom of Gujarat. Thus protecting her dignity. The Jasma Devi Temple was constructed in her memory near a tank called 'Sahasra linga Talav' located near Pattan, Gujarat in 12th century. (http://www.silkqin.com/13pers/acklist.htm)
Sahasra lingam Talav
The Sahasra lingam Talav tank are among the many artificial tanks built in different parts of Gujarat under the patronages of Siddhraj Jaisingh (1093-1143 AD). The architecture of this tank integrated the great sense of water management and sanctity of water in Hindu religion. The tank used to receive water from a canal of the Saraswati River and had spread of about 5 km with good stone masonry embankments. There were thousand Shiva Shrines on the edge of the tank. Some remains of the same are even visible today. Looking at the ruins, one can imagine the grandeur of this great water tank. The famous legend of Siddhraj Jaisingh’s desire for 'Jasma Odan' a beautiful married woman of the tank digger's community, revolved around this tank in an indecent proposal. She refused to marry him and committed sati to protect her honour.Patan
A Solanki period architecture can be seen at Anahilwada Patan, the capital of Gujarat from the 8th century till Ahmed Shah moved his seat of power to the larger and more impressive citadel of Ahmedabad in the 15th century. It saw the greatest reminder of the golden period of Gujarat under the Solanki kings can be seen at the Rani-ki-Vav stepwell some distance from the town centre. Built in the 1050s and named for Rani Udamati, wife of Maharajah Bhim Deva and daughter-in-law of Mulraja, founder of Solanki rule in Gujarat, the stepwell is the oldest and perhaps the grandest among the 120 plus step wells in Gujarat. Its massive size can best be measured by comparism with the tourists who descend the steps and seen from above look little more than ants swarming an anthill. The stepwell was silted up for centuries, and only a major excavation and restoration work in the 1980s, which has helped resusticate something of its former glory.7 storeys down to the water level. Steps are string-coursed by sculpture of the Avatars of lord Vishnu, Hindu Goddesses, Jain idols and beautiful apsaras. Behind the water are sculpture of lord Vishnu.Chambers, where the royal families came to rest in summer, the water from the well skimming some of the heat from the breezes, the whole acting as a natural airconditioning There is talk now of excavating the surrounding areas, because there must have been palaces and other royal residences in the vicinity, which used the stepwell as a water source of aircooling system. Sahasra Linga talao, a large lake surrounded by beautiful temples, but these shrines are no longer in good condition, and this form of architecture can be better appreciated at the Musar tank in Viramgam, an hour away from Modhera, where another string of temples was erected by the same family. Hindu temples like the 12th century Maheshwara mandir, Kali mandir and Panchmukhi Hanumana mandir and the Jain temples like Doshiwar mandir and those in Kapur Mehtano pol follow the Solanki architectural tradition. The location of Patan on the banks of river Saraswati, one of the 3 holy rivers of India alongside the Ganga and the Yamuna, and its tributary the Chandrabhaga, has contributed considerably to its religious importance, and this explains the number of temples in this region, besides the fact that it was a major centre for learning and business in medieval times.
Odra or Ode caste
During the medieval times, the state corresponding roughly with now-a-days Orissa passed under the various names such as: Utkala, Kalinga, and Odra (Udra) Desa. The state boundaries varied from time to time and were sometimes much larger. These land names are associated with peoples. The Okkala or Utkala, the Kalinga, and the Odra or Oddaka were mentioned in literature as tribes. Ancient Greeks knew the latter two as Kalingai and Oretes. Eventually the names got identified with the territories. The land was inhabited by semi-Hinduized tribes (shabaras) in the hinterland, a group of farming Brahmins (halua brahmuna) who practised invincible Tantra method near Jajpur area (the place of Goddess Biraja), and people of other castes and trades as well. For centuries before and after the birth of Christ, Kalinga was a formidable political power, extending from the Ganga river to the Godavari river. Approximately between the 11th and 16th centuries the name was twisted; the name Odra Desa was gradually transformed into Uddisa, Udisa, or Odisa, which in English became Orissa. The language of Orissa came to be known as Oriya. Ode tribe migrated to Gujarat around 12th century for construction of temples in which they are more specialized. People who supplied stone and lime for construction work of temples. People from these region were called as Oddars, Vadderas and Waddars in Andhra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The important Deity of Odes is 'Jasma devi'.Ode : The word Vodde or Odde is said to be a corruption of the Sanskrit Odhra, the name
for the country now called Orissa, and the people are ordinarily supposed to have emigrated from the Uriya country. Besides Telugu, they are said to speak a peculiar dialect among themselves.They are a strong and hard-working class.
About Ode settlement in south the following brief accounts are given in the Nellore, Coimbatore, and Madura in Manuals : —
Nellore — Odes are called as 'Vaddera' are the tank-diggers, quarry owners and contractors. few are engaged in the trade.
Coimbatore — Odes are thickly populated , migrated for great demand in irrigation wells, ghat roads of Niligiri Hills and construction of houses. Today they are found to be contractors and traders.
Salem — Odes(Odder) are moderately populated in the areas Meyyanoor, Mettupatti, Attur, Kallakurichi, Durgam, Sankarapuram etc. Today they are found to be contractors and coolies.
Madurai — Odes are generally tank-diggers and earth-workers. They are Telugus, and are supposed to have come southward in the time of the Nayyakkans. Possibly Tirumala sent for them to dig out his great Teppakulam, and assist in raising gopurams of Meenakshi Temple.
Karnataka - Migrated for great demand in construction of Dams, Hydro electric projects, Reservoirs, Check dams, Roads and Office buildings. Especially in construction of Krishnaraja sagar, Vani Vilas sagar , Bhadravathi, Hemavathi, Lakkavali, Chikhole, Shivanasamudra, Jog Falls, Almatti and Vidhana Soudha. People settled in the same places after completion of projects.
With the time, the people of this region grouped together and it became a caste. The caste is called as Vaddera, Oddars, Waddars, Vadda or also as 'Bhovi', based on the location area in Andhra, Tamil Nadu , Pune, Karnataka, Gujarat.
Theatre Performance of JASMA ODHAN
Jasma Odhan is a musical, full of humour, joy & drama based on BhavaiBhavai
Bhavai is a popular folk theatre form of Gujarat. Jasma Odan based on Gujarati folk tale, wriiten and directed by Shanta Gandhi and Mena Gujari produced by Deena Gandhi are some of most popular Bhavai musicals..-History:...
, the Gujarati folk form written by Shanta Gandhi
Shanta Gandhi
Shanta Gandhi was an Indian theatre director, dancer and playwright. She was a founder-member of the central ballet troupe of the Indian People's Theatre Association , and toured the country widely through the 1950s...
. This famous Bhavai is the tale of Jasma, the earthly incarnation of a heavenly apsara, Kaamkundala.
Jasma is a female member of the Odh community of Gujarat. The Odhs are labourers. Jasmas character highlights the theme of the play, Dignity of Labour & Womanhood. The two major characters Rangla and Nayak, like Sutradhars take us through the journey of Jasmas life, giving us a glimpse of this very colourful Indian folk style, Bhavai. The live music adds to the visual magic created by the performers. The Gujarati folk songs and dances give the typical rural and earthen feel. Each song is an original Bhavai composition. From the apsara to the Odh community, the costumes are immaculate and authentically designed. The script of Jasma Odhan holds the brilliant craft of excellent balance between humour, tension, dramatic conflict and the profundity. Jasma Odhan in all aspects is Purely Indian in its entertainment value.
- A Hindi Movie - Sati Jasma Odan (1976) By Actress Meena KumariMeena KumariMeena Kumari , born Mahjabeen Bano, was an Indian movie actress and poetess. She is regarded as one of the most prominent actresses to have appeared on the screens of Hindi Cinema...
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External links
- Genetic Evidence on Caste Origins
- Caste & Class Articulation of Andhra Pradesh
- Vedda.org
- Gazetteer of Mysore By B. L. Rice