35053668-Empire-of-the-Soul-Paul-William-Roberts

EMPIRE OF THE SOUL
unfortunately, the trust has frequently gone a little too far: for
example, rechiselling eleventh-century sculptures to make them,
in the words of a Jain I spoke with about this, ‘fresher.’
Stepping past its ancient, authoritarian sentinel, I entered the
cool and silent temple interior alone, aware only of peace and stillness
– until I noticed the extremely large cobra lurking in a shady corner
and watching me disapprovingly with black pinhead eyes. It looked
as ready as the guardian to enforce any breach of protocol. A soft
breeze and pale, yolky sunlight filtered through carved marble
latticework as I trod warily around the snake, hearing birds fluttering
and gibbering in the eaves. I felt I’d disturbed more than just wildlife.
Suddenly I was face-to-face with the giant image of Mahavir,
serenely posed cross-legged in his sanctum, with ruby eyes set in
solid gold and oddly watchful, as if that whole veined, translucent
marble body were inhabited. Even the hoopoe bird perched
irreverently on the idol’s massive head could not detract from the
still and powerful dignity of its ghostly form.
Behind the shrine, in a cluttered recess, hung a small clothesline
bearing a large, worn length of linen cloth; on a ledge sat a small,
cracked mirror and a metal bowl containing an antique straight
razor. The old guardian probably lived here. I tried to imagine his
life among the snakes, the rats, the birds . . . and the vast supernatural
image of perfected man, taunting, reprimanding, encouraging.
The Chohani queen, with sixteen damsels in her suite, came
forth. ‘This day,’ she said, ‘is one of joy; my race shall be
illustrated, our lives have passed together; how then can I leave
him?’ The Bhattiani queen proclaimed, ‘With joy I accompany
my lord . . .’ The Choara rani, Tuar queen and Shekhavati queen
did likewise. For these five queens death had no terrors . . . The
countenances of the queens were radiant like the sun . . . As the
flames rose, the assembled multitudes shouted, ‘Khaman,
khaman’(well done).
– Lt. Col. James Tod, Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, description of sati by
five queens of the Rajput Potentate Ajit Singh, who died in 1724.
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