Heliodoros Pillar

March 13, 2009

Heliodors Pillar is located in Vidisha, near Sanchi, which is near Bhopal, in MP, mid-central India. The locals call the pillar as Khamba Baba (father pillar). Its Ayudha (pinnacle signature) is that of Tala Dhvaja (Borasus Flabelifera banner). It is a member of the ancient and long life flora. People (including historians and iconographers possibly including J.N.Bannerjee) say that Tala Dhvaja personifies Vasudeva Krishna. There is a inscription (i think the possible) date is c.1st A.D.

However at Sri Khetra Puri, Orissa (eastern sea board of India), Tala-dhvaja is the ayudha of Sri Balabhadra, alias Baladeva, alias Daoo baba, alias Balarama, alias Siva Mahadeva. His chariot is also known as Tala-dhvaja, which is drawn on his vehicle.

Pl. see the enclosed pictures of the Khamba baba exposed by me in Jan 2008. It is a ASI preserved site. The ayudha has got severed and has fallen down. Now lies under a tree within the compound.

Vidisha is famous for its wheat. Roti made of Vidisha wheat can be with great pleasure be munched sans any other side dish. The taste is lingering. Ah ! wish to go back.

Dr. Deepak Bhattacharya

c/o Sri Radha Krishna

Kedar Gouri Road

Bhubaneswar - 751002

India.

March 13, 2009

Dear Dr. Bhattacharya,I've seen the Tala-dhvaja capital, also, and believed it was the cognizance of Balabhadra, one of 5 Vrishnis as Samkarshana,w Vasudeva, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Samba & sister Ekanamsa.As you know he was prominent back then, almost a nagaraja, but howcan he be alias Siva Mahadeva?I'm really quite fascinated by that deity, not only with the plow, butwith his Nag and winecup.Wish I'd known about the delicious wheat.Kathieps here's the pillar behind the VidishaDist. Museum. On Mar 13, 2009, oddisilab wrote: Heliodors Pillar is located in Vidisha, near Sanchi, which is near Bhopal, in MP, mid-central India. The locals call the pillar as Khamba Baba (father pillar). Its Ayudha (pinnacle signature) is that of Tala Dhvaja (Borasus Flabelifera banner). It is a member of the ancient and long life flora. People (including historians and iconographers possibly including J.N.Bannerjee) say that Tala Dhvaja personifies Vasudeva Krishna. There is a inscription (i think the possible) date is c.1st A.D. However at Sri Khetra Puri, Orissa (eastern sea board of India), Tala-dhvaja is the ayudha of Sri Balabhadra, alias Baladeva, alias Daoo baba, alias Balarama, alias Siva Mahadeva. His chariot is also known as Tala-dhvaja, which is drawn on his vehicle. Pl. see the enclosed pictures of the Khamba baba exposed by me in Jan 2008. It is a ASI preserved site. The ayudha has got severed and has fallen down. Now lies under a tree within the compound. Vidisha is famous for its wheat. Roti made of Vidisha wheat can be with great pleasure be munched sans any other side dish. The taste is lingering. Ah ! wish to go back. Dr. Deepak Bhattacharya c/o Sri Radha Krishna Kedar Gouri Road Bhubaneswar - 751002 India.

March 14, 2009

Taladhwaja, the 'flag " of Palm tree, is a said to be the icon of Balarama, the elder brother of Sri Krishna. He is the avatar (incarnation) of Adi sesha, the divine serpent and holds a plough and a mace. Mahabharata describes him to be highly fond of drinking.

His iconography goes to Mauryans times. For eg, look at this coin belonging to Mauryan times which depicts Balarama with a mace and a conch. Interestingly, this could be Vsnu also. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MauryanBalaramaCoin3rd-2ndCenturyCE.jpg

The authority for this can be found in Doris srinivasan (Many Heads, Arms, and Eyes= p 17)Also see http://www.buddhistartnews.com/ban07/?p=3267 which mentions that the Balarama coins (of 190 bce) were minted by Rajane Agathuklayasa( Agathocles). The coins bearing the pictures of Krishna and Balarama on either side of them depicts balarama as holding plough and mace, where as Krishna holds Sanka and chakra (conch and discus).

Similarly, the book Between the empires by Patrick Olivelle (ed) mentions further of coins bearing the symbols of palm tree and the ass, both referring to the cult of Balarama who has killed an asura or demon in the form of an ass. (p 89) These coins belong to immediately post Mauryans.

Kishore patnaik