Mannat is a Persian word denoting grace or blessing. It has found its way into most Indic languages as the term has great bearing upon the religious character of the country. Mannat symbolised an act of conscious agency. It informed people that there were benign forces in the universe that could be propitiated to ensure a desired outcome in their lives – be it the wish for a child, a coveted employment, a fruitful marriage or the cure to a long ranging illness. While the rationalist may tend to dismiss these as superstitions, such practices served to ensure the psychological wellbeing of large numbers of people who could otherwise be crushed by the trials of poverty and the harsh realities of ordinary life. Even if it were seen as just a coping mechanism it certainly helped one manage the pangs of loss and failure better. 

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If, on the other hand, expectations and longings were met there would be jubilation. It would be seen as a sign that prayers and supplications were answered. It meant they were favored by the Gods and that their wishes and demands were legitimate. However, the fulfillment of an entreaty entailed reciprocity of some kind or another with the devotee making a sacrifice or donation in return for the blessing bestowed upon him. These could be acts of charity such as feeding the poor or making gifts to those in need. In some cases, it entailed long pilgrimages to shrines and places of worship as an act of gratitude. The simplest of such gestures would be the lighting of a lamp or votive at a particular site.

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This picture shows a Mannat shrine in the vicinity of the temple town of Hampi. It features humble piles of stones resembling makeshift homes. These are placed by supplicants whose chief wish is for a home and abode of their own. In a populous country such as ours the wish to own a home is the most basic, yet the most unrewarded. How many of these prayers have been granted over time we have no way of knowing. All we can do is record such instances of simple piety and moving faith that inform the unique belief systems of this expansive land and its diverse cultural forms that are unlike any other.​

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