Following Vishnu’s Avatars Around South India (Avatar #6 : Rama with the Axe)

Vishnu is a mythological, cosmic entity. “He” is said to come down to our universe every so often in a different avatar. There are around ten major avatars of Vishnu (depending on who you ask).

Each avatar corrects a specific imbalance in the universe. These imbalances are all archetypal.

The purpose of his sixth avatar, Parashurama (Rama with the axe) was to curb the rampant ego of the ruling classes. Those in charge were drunk with power and had forgotten about compassion. In the form of Parashurama, Vishnu carried a huge celestial axe that he used to slaughter the greedy kings and princes. Pictured below is the town (Aihole) where Parashurama sat down to wash his bloody axe when he was finished.

Well of a temple complex in Aihole. ~1000 years old. Image: Sumeet Banerji

I went around South India with a 35mm camera a few years ago looking for traces of these stories. The series “Following Vishnu’s Avatars Around South India” is about those travels. Find original photographs and mythological stories here.