At the ‘ceremonial arts’ gallery of Manjusha Museum, there’s a massive spoon that looks like it could be used to feed an elephant. It is certainly not a mixing spoon because it has a rounded, bowl-like structure at the head, clearly designed to hold a good quantity of whatever it scoops. The handle of the spoon is extremely ornate with a carved border, a conch shell structure, a Shiva Linga and a Nandi facing it, and a tapered end. The architectural richness on the handle is unmatched by any spoon in the world, making it certain that this spoon is some kind of ceremonious component. The spoon is around two feet long and about 20 inches wide, weighing five kilograms. It is shaped quite like an Uddharani, which is a ritual spoon used during pooje (one of the pancha-patre), but this one is much bigger than the spoons regularly used in rituals. It is called ‘Devagola’.
Whom would you feed with a spoon that weighs five kilos and spans more than an entire arm’s length? The Gods!
Devagola is a ritualistic item connected to the harvest season in Tulunadu. ‘The first harvest’ is a sacred thing in agrarian communities and various rituals are observed in connection to the first harvest of the season. The harvested yield that is piled either on the field or the courtyard of a house is scooped using this massive spoon and ritualistically offered to the Gods as an act of gratitude.
This particular spoon which is part of Dr. D Veerendra Heggade’s antique collection at Manjusha Museum, has its history in the harvest rituals connected to the Dharmasthala temple. The sculptural designs on the handle of the Devagola connect to both Shaivism and Vaishnavism, quite like the religious ethos of the temple, where Lord Shiva is worshipped by Vaishnavaite Brahmins. The spoon is seen in other cultures too, with varied designs on the handle that pertain to native Gods or symbols associated with Gods. Though this particular Devagola is made of brass, we can find it made in copper too.
The sculptural richness of the spoon is what makes it a rare and valuable artefact. The spoon serves a small purpose at one occasion in a year, but it is a precious piece of wealth because it symbolizes the importance that agriculturists associate with expressing gratitude to the Gods. They offer a small part of their yield to the Gods using this grand spoon, indicating that the ritual is an important one.
Devagola is a rare artefact in the modern world and cannot be seen other than at temples and few ancient homes. It sits at the Manjusha Museum in silent recollection of its old days when it scooped hearty harvests at Dharmasthala and served it to the Gods.
Other artefacts of Tulunadu at Manjusha:
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