Ancient Marvel at Moola Mookambika Temple, Kodachadri

A vast majority of Indians must have known about the famous rust-free Iron Pillar found in the Qutub Minar complex, New Delhi. The corrosion resistance capacity of the pillar notwithstanding the severe pollution and severe temperature fluctuations of Delhi continues to awe Indians. The pillar stands as a testimony to India’s profound knowledge of metallurgy.

As per the inscription on the pillar, this was originally erected at the present-day Udayagiri near Sanchi and it is traced to the Chandra Gupta II period (375-414 CE). Referred to as the Garuda pillar or Vishnu pillar, this was brought to Delhi by Iltutmish in 1223. The rust-resistant properties of this rare metal pillar made of 99.72% pure wrought are due to the presence of phosphorus and low sulphur in iron. This marvel is believed to have been built by the pillar casting method. Phosphorus with the oxygen in the air forms of a thin protective coating on the surface and shields it from corroding. This unique pillar which is 25 ft tall of which 3.7 ft is below the ground continues to attract several tourists.

Nadir Shah during his conquest wanted to carry it back to Afghanistan and tried to uproot it and used even cannons. The cannon shell marks on the pillar validate the historical records.

Akin to the iron pillar in the Qutub complex, there are several pillars across the length and breadth of the country. The list includes- the Iron Pillars in Dhar near Mandu, Konark, Mt. Abu, Tanginath and Kodachadri near Kollur in the Shivamogga district of Karnataka.

The Dhar iron pillar is traced to the Raja Bhoja period installed as a victory pillar and is twice as tall as the pillar at Delhi. Emperor Jahangir makes a mention of seeing this pillar in his diary. As per records, the pillar broke when the Mughals tried to shift it. The three broken parts of the pillar are at the Lat Masjid in Dhar. The three parts weighing 7 tonnes altogether are completely rust-resistant. A similar corrosion-resistant 12ft 9 inches iron pillar of the 15^th century is found at the Achaleshwara temple in Mt Abu. The 239 iron beams belonging to the 12^th century, lined up in the complex of the Konark Temple are characteristically rust-free.

The great Trishul at Tanginath which is 17ft tall and 32 cm thick is believed to be the oldest of iron pillars in India. Records indicate that Mahabharata period arms were supplied from this region.

Another shining example that vouches for ancient India’s metallurgical prowess is the rust-resistant iron pillar at Kodachadri. Located in dense forests and nestled in hills, Kodachadri receives moderate to heavy rainfall for over 6 to 8 months of the year. The place is just 30 km from the Arabian Sea coast. Metals exposed to humid air tend to corrode much faster. Defying all these odds, a 2400-year-old rust-resistant iron pillar 32 feet tall and 3-4 inches wide continues to amaze the devotees of Devi Mookambika.

Iron Pillar

 

Description

As per local records, this less-known iron pillar which is twice in antiquity, half the thickness and taller than the Delhi iron pillar was made by the Vanavasis of the region. This iron pillar was gifted by them to Sri Adi Shankaracharya when he visited the hills in 600 BCE and performed penance at the cave of Chitramoola. Sri Shankara has consecrated Devi Mookambika and Sri Chakra at Kodachadri. The iron pillar is installed in front of the Moola Mookambika temple.

 

Sri Moola Mookambika Temple, Kodachadri

Armed with these rudimentary details of the iron pillar, we set out for Kollur in the Shivamogga district of Karnataka. From there we travelled to Kodachadri to see the pillar. To our amazement, the pillar stands tall proudly showcasing the metallurgical mastery of ancient India. True to the local folklore, we reached a small shrine of Sri Adi Shankaracharya as we trekked 2km uphill. Indeed, as the local version, the supposed iron pillar is a Trishul with the three prongs buried underground.

Sri Adi Shankaracharya Statue

Sri Adi Shankaracharya Shrine

The surface of the iron pillar unlike its Delhi counterpart is rugged and corrugated. Insitu metallography and scanning tunnelling microscope analysis found key differences with the Delhi pillar. The Kodachadri pillar has less phosphorus and less carbon. The pillar was found to be produced using the solid-state reduction process and it was heavily forged.

This specific case of the Kodachadri pillar underscores the fact that the vanavasis have been practicing iron smelting. The copper artifacts of the highest purity recovered from Mehrgarh excavations dated to 8000 BCE speak volumes about India’s exceptional skills in smelting, extraction, and purification of metals. Numerous copper and bronze statues from across India validate ancient India’s metallurgical skills.

The Indian-made “Damascus Swords” from Wootz Steel which contained 1.2% carbon as opposed to less than 1% carbon in regular steel has been in great demand, especially in the Arab region.  Aichinson in his book “A History of Metal Vol 1” mentions that copper metallurgy was discovered around 4300 BC in Elburz Mountain, Caspian Sea, Iran. Historians believe that Copper metallurgy travelled to India from Iran in 2000 BC. However, the discovery of copper artifacts in Mehargarh disproves this conclusion. India never received its due for its craftsmanship and metallurgical skills. The non-corrosive and rust-resistant iron pillars stand as an unparalleled exemplar to our Loha Vidya.

 

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