Holy Pilgrimage – Karnataka State –( Kamala Narayana temple, Kanakagiri temple, Karighatta temple, Kasivisveswara temple, Halebidu, Ballivavi and Hiremagalur temples ) -14 at 10:30 PM

Holy Pilgrimage – Temples in Karnataka State

Kamala Narayana Temple, Degaon, Karnataka
Kamala Narayana Temple is at Degaon (Degamve/Devgram)  in Belgaum District, Karnataka.
Degaon is 5 km from Kittur, 10 km from Halasi and 24 km from Bailhongal. It is famous for Kadamba style Kamala Narayana temple with rich antiquity. The place name might have originated from its temple complex Devagrama meaning a village of God. The magnificent Kamala Narayana Temple, built by the Kadamba queen, Kamaladevi in the 12th century. The sculptures are breathtakingly beautiful. Lions and floral motifs vie with dancing girls for attention.
History
The Kadambas were known for their own style of temple building. The dynasty was founded by Mayura Sharma in about 4th century AD. Halasi in Belgaum District was their second capital where there are some temples built by the Kadamba rulers. The Kamala Narayana Temple in Devgram  is quite well known.
The Hoysalas, probably impressed by the beauty of the structure, have used similar styles in their temples.

Kadamba style

 

The distinguishing feature of the Kadamba style is the tapering terraced tower, a perfect pyramid, the vigorous and purposeful line of each of these terraces attracting the eye even from a long distance. The Kadamba style would seem to have reached its perfection in the Kamala Narayana Temple at Degamve. It is a typical example of a temple built in this style which had come under the Hoysala influence. It was constructed by Tippoja, the architect of God Bankesvara at the command of Kamala Devi, the queen of the Goa Kadamba King Sivachitta, in the middle of the 12th century.

Architecture

The temple is rectangular and consists of three cells with the pillared hall running from north to south in front of the shrines on the west side. Each of these shrines is divided into two parts, Garbhagriha and Sukhanasi. The frames of the doorways of the Sukhanasi are carved with creepers. The pieced stone windows which surround the doorways are more ornamental than in any other Kadamba temple. The Garbhagihas have, as in other Kadamba temples, the dedicatory block with the image of Gaja-Lakshmi

Cells

• The first cell contains the image of Narayana.
• The second cell has the icon of Lakshmi-Narayana with Lakshmi seated on the lap of Vishnu. Garuda and Maruti are standing on either side of this image.
• The third cell bears the image of Kamala with two attendants on either side.

Walls

The walls of the temple are adorned with niche having plasters surmounted by terraced pyramidal towers in the Kadamba style crowned with a Kalasha on the parapets surrounding the Mukhamandapa.
The following friezes are sculptured from top to bottom:

• pillars with roaring lions between them
• pyramidal towers surmounting these pillars and having dancing girls in poses between them and
• beautiful scroll work on top.

Ceiling

The ceiling has pendant lotuses, all of them artistic pieces of workmanship remarkable for richness of ornamentation and elaboration of details

Kanakagiri Kanakachalapathi Temple, Kanakagiri, Karnataka

Kanakagiri (Kannada: ಕನಕಗಿರಿ, also known as Suvarnagiri) is an historical place in India, situated in Karnataka State (North Karnataka), in Gangavati taluk of Koppal district. 20 km north west to Gangavati town.  Kanakagiri means a Hill of God. The common local saying is that "those who have eyes should visit Kanakagiri and those who have legs should visit visit Hampi".

Mythology

It is said that Saint Kanaka Muni performed penance at Kanakagiri.

History

From the 15th to the 18th centuries Kanakagiri was the capital of Kanakagiri palegars (Naiks of Kanakgiri), constructed temples including Kanakachalapathi temple and forts they built in and around Kanakagiri including fort of Hemagudda. It was the capital of the southern area of the Mauryan Empire during the 4th century BC. During the Vijayanagar period, this was the chief town of the Bedar Rajas. Kanakachalapati temple with its spacious halls and massive pillars is a fine specimen of the South Indian architecture of Vijayanagar times.

Kanakachalapathi temple

The huge Kanakachalapathi temple built by the Naiks of Kanakgiri, it has beautiful architectural, example of south Indian architecture of the Vijayanagara times and it has got spacious halls and massive pillars. The gopuras and walls have sculpture. In black polished stone there are statues of Rajas and Ranis and plaster models and wooden statues of mythological figures. There is a royal bath constructed by Venkatappa Naik on the ourskirts of Kanakgiri,.

Fort

Hemagudda Fort, about 20 km from Kanakagiri,  next to the Kammatadurga Fort of Gandugali Kumara Rama. The fort was constructed in 14th century. Celebrating Dasara in the fort has temple of Durga Devi.

Utsav

• The event "Kanakagiri Utsav" sponsored by Karnataka Govt.
• Annual fair associated with Kanakachalapathi temple in the month of Phalguna.

Transport

It lies about 37 Kms from Koppal. Gangavathi is the nearest town which is 16.7 kms away from Kanakagiri. This place is well connected to nearby places by road. If you travel by bus, you can definitely save some money compared to travelling by taxi or auto rickshaw.

 

Karighatta temple, Karnataka

Karighatta is a hill situated a few kilometres outside the 'island' town of Srirangapatna. It is situated off the Bangalore-Mysore Highway just before Srirangapatna. The name Karighatta translates to "Black Hill" in Kannada. The hill has a Hindu temple devoted to a form of Hindu god Vishnu, called "Karigirivasa". This deity is also referred to as “Lord Srinivasa” and is also called “Bairagi Venkataramana”. The epithet ‘Bairagi’ for this idol is derived from the fact that when ‘alankara’ (flower decoration) is done to the deity, the deity looks like a Bairagi (mendicant). The hill stands at a height of 2697 feet above sea level. It supports dry scrub jungle and many tamarind and gooseberry trees are found around the temple. A small river, Lokapavani, a tributary of Kaveri flows by the hill.
The main entrance to the temple, with huge wooden doors opens into a large quadrangle, which is the main shrine for Vaikunta Srinivasa in black stone, flanked by Yoga Srinivasa (without his consort) and Bhoga Srinivasa idols. The temple of Goddess Padmavathi is on the western side. Facing the main temple is a statue of Garuda and a Garudasthamba. There is also a Kalyana Mantapa (marriage hall) which is used for performing marriages and other functions.^[1] It is believed that the great sage Bhrigu has done the Prathishthapana (installation ceremony) of the deity.
The hill may be climbed by stone steps (450 in number). A winding paved road is used for vehicular transport. The stone steps lead to a flat hilltop where the temple stands. The hillock has a superb panoramic view of Srirangapatna and Mysore. The beautiful landscape around the hill and the confluence of the Kaveri and Lokapavani rivers can be seen from atop the hill.
The famous Nimishamba (the incarnation of Parvathi, the goddess wife of Lord Shiva) temple is on the opposite bank of the Lokapavani river. This temple too can be clearly seen from the top of the Karighatta hill. It is a belief that Parvathi will clear all the problems and troubles of her devotees within a minute (nimisha in Sanskrit), and hence the name.

Mythology

It is referred in Varaha Purana as ‘Neelachala’, a Sanskrit word, which means 'Blue Mountain.'. It is believed that performing some aesthetic poojas (worship) at this temple could bring a lot of relief to the sufferings one may have gone through in life
It is said that the hill got its name after a wild elephant, Kari attacked and killed four girls taking bath. To bring them back to life Sage Kutsamuni undertook a rigorous penance and requested the Lord to save His devotees. Another legend has it that during the building of the bridge to Lanka to bring back Sita, Sugreeva brought this hillock, also called ‘Neelachala’ from Tirumala (Thirupathi). On his way several Vishnubhakhtas (disciples of Lord Vishnu) pleaded with him to leave it here and so the hill remained here.
At the temple premises, there are sharp grasses, Eragrostis cynosuroides locally known as Dharbe hullu(grass) in Kannada, which is used for performing all sacred rites In "Varaha Purana" it is said that when Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of Varaha and shook his body some of the body hair fell on the ground near here the grass now seen here is believed to have come from his hair
Legend has it that it was on this hill that the British had placed their cannons during the siege of Srirangapatnam.^[4]

Temple Festivals

The traditional car festival held every year is believed to have been initiated by sage Vaikhanasa as early as the Treta Yuga. This practice is being continued and annual fair takes place during Kumbha Masa Palguna (February-March), when a large number of pilgrims attend 

Kasivisvesvara Temple, Lakkundi, Karnataka

The Kasivisvesvara temple (Kannada: ಕಾಶಿವಿಶ್ವೇಶ್ವರ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ ) (also spelt Kashivishveshvara) and sometimes called Kashivishvanatha (Kannada: ಕಾಶಿವಿಶ್ವನಾಥ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ ) temple is located in Lakkundi, in the (Gadag district) of Karnataka state, India. It is 11 km from Gadag city, 24 km from Dambal and about 50 km from Kuknur
The centre of cultural and temple-building activity of the Western Chalukya Empire lay in the Tungabhadra river region, where large medieval workshops built numerous monuments.  These monuments, regional variants of pre-existing dravida (South Indian) temples, defined the Karnata dravida tradition  Lakkundi in particular was the location of the mature phase of the Western Chalukya architecture  and the Kasivisvesvara temple marks a high point of these achievements. According the Henry Cousens, it is one of the most ornate temples in the Kannada spoken region of India.
The existence of a 1087 CE inscription on a beam in the temple mantapa (hall) and the plainness of that part of the temple suggests that the original construction may have been simpler and that the profusion of decoration may have been added to the other parts of the temple at a later period, with the end of Chola invasions of Chalukyan territory. ^] Most of the inscriptions in Lakkundi date from 1170 CE onwards. It is known that Hoysala king Veera Ballala II annexed Lakkundi (also known as Lokkigundi) from the Seunas of Devagiri and made it his capital around 1193 CE. It is possible that the temple may have received embellishment during his rule

Temple Plan

This is a double shrined temple (dvikuta). The shrine facing east is dedicated to Kasivisvesvara (Hindu god Shiva) whose universal symbol, a linga, stands three feet tall in the sanctum. The other shrine, which faces the main shrine is dedicated to the sun god Surya and is called Suryanarayana. The Surya shrine faces west, an unusual occurrence among Surya temples, which normally face east   The Kasivisvesvara temple epitomises the shift in Chalukyan artistic achievements, towards sharper and crisper stone work not seen in earlier constructions, taking full advantage of the effect of light and shade. Special attention was paid to mouldings, arches and other details on the tower, and decorations on door jambs and lintels

Door jamb and lintel mouldings on shrine door of Kasivisvesvara temple

The architects in the Karnataka region seem to have been inspired by architectural developments in northern India. This is evidenced by the fact that they incorporated decorative miniature towers (multi-aedicular towers depicting superstructures) of the Sekhari and Bhumija types, supported on pilasters, almost simultaneously with these developments in the temples in northern India. The miniature towers represented shrines, which in turn represented deities. Sculptural depictions of deities were generally discreet although not uncommon. Other northern ideas they incorporated were the pillar bodies that appeared as wall projections.  Well-known constructions incorporating these features are found at the Kasivisvesvara Temple and the nearby Nannesvara Temple.

Decorative features    

The doorpost mouldings on the southern and eastern doorway are worthy of mention. ^] On both sides of the southern doorway are four inner bands of scrolls which run up the sides and around the lower part of the entablature above. Next to these bands, on either side, in the centre, are tall columns or pilasters supporting the lower cornice above. Beyond these columns, on either side, are four more bands of decorative mouldings On the lintel of the doorway is a dedicatory block containing an image of Gaja-Lakshmi with an elephant on either side. In fact, in the Kannada spoken regions, it is common to find the image of Lakshmi in the dedicatory block on the lintel irrespective of the temple's original dedication; whether the principal deity was Shiva, Vishnu or Jaina.  Above the lower cornice, the entablature consists of small figures, now numbering only three (must have been eleven originally) standing under cusped arches. Above these figures is a valance of beads hanging in festoons  The decoration on the eastern doorway, though not a fine as on the southern doorway, is worthy of praise   for its filigree work. The doorway to the shrine (sanctum) rivals the exterior ones in finish. The dedicatory block on the lintel has an image of Gaja-Lakshmi and her elephants. Above the cornice is a procession of men and animals. These images, which are barely six inches tall, include horsemen and musicians. Above these images are the trinity of Hindu gods: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

The ornamentation on the outer wall of the shrine consists of prominent central niches above which is a miniature tower (sikhara or aedicule) which is purely nagara (north Indian) in style and cuts through the principal cornice. The decorative arch above the miniature tower is a conspicuous ornamental feature of the superstructure. The miniature tower–arch combination is repeated up the superstructure of the shrine.  The finial (kalasha) and the capping structure of the tower is missing. In the temple hall, the pillars, their capital, and brackets figures above the capital (which include little lions, kirthimukhas and scrolls) are evidence of expert workmanship, the kind found on ivory or silver. The artisans fully availed the workable properties of finely grained stone (soapstone) to produce polished pillars whose shafts have a rounded appearance obtained by using a lathe.

 

Kedareswara temple, Halebidu, Karnataka

Kedareshwara Temple in Halebidu, Hassan district, Karnataka, India, is about 400 meters South East of Hoysaleswara Temple. It was made by rulers of Hoysala dynasty. It is a shrine dedicated to Shanthinatha and Parshavanatha.
Its entrance faces the East. It features Shiva in the form of Kedareshwara. The suffix eshwara suggests it is a Shiva temple.

How to reach

Halebidu is just 16 km away from the one more historical place Belur. It is well connected by road and rail to Bangalore, Mysore and Mangalore. There are regular buses to Hassan. The distance is 149 km to Mysore and 31 km to Hassan.

 

Kedareshvara Temple, Balligavi, Karnataka

The Kedareshvara temple (also spelt Kedareshwara or Kedaresvara) is located in the town of Balligavi (known variously in ancient inscriptions as Belagami, Belligave, Ballagamve and Ballipura), near Shikaripura in the Shimoga district of Karnataka state, India. Dotted with centres of learning (agrahara), Balligavi was an important city during the 11th - 12th century Western Chalukya rule. The term Anadi Rajadhani (ancient capital) used in medieval inscriptions to describe this town tells a tale of great antiquity. Art historian Adam Hardy classifies the style involved in the construction of the temple as "Later Chalukya, non mainstream, relatively close to mainstream". He dates the temple to late 11th century, with inscriptional evidence of additions made up to 1131 A.D., by the Hoysalas during their control over the region. The building material used is soapstone. The Archaeological Survey of India classifies the style of architecture as distinctly Hoysala.  The Hoysala ruling family was during this period a powerful feudatory of the imperial Western Chalukya Empire, gaining the trappings of independence only from the period of King Vishnuvardhana (1108-1152 A.D). The temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Temple plan

The temple is in trikuta style (three shrined, each with a superstructure or sikhara ) with the shrines facing west, north and south. The western shrine has a vestibule where as the other two shrines have a "half hall" (ardhamantapa). All shrines open up to a six-pillared hall called mahamantapa which is preceded by a large ornate open "gathering hall" called sabhamantapa.  The layout of the gathering hall is "staggered square" which has the effect of creating projections and recesses. Each projection of the wall has a complete "architectural articulation" (achieved by repetitive decoration).  The gathering hall has entrances from the north, south and eastern directions. The cella (garbhagriha) in the shrines to the west and south contain a linga (the universal symbol of the Hindu god Shiva) and the cella to the north has an image of the god Vishnu.

Decoration

The outer walls of the shrines are quite austere save for the pilasters that are capped by miniature decorative towers (aedicula) The superstructures over the shrines are 3-tiered (tritala arpita) vesara (combination of south and north Indian style) with the sculptural details being repeated in each tier.  The temple exhibits other standard features present in a Hoysala style temple: the large decorative domed roof over the tower; the kalasha on top of it (the decorative water-pot at the apex of the dome); and the Hoysala crest (emblem of the Hoysala warrior stabbing a lion) over the sukhanasi (tower over the vestibule). The dome is the largest sculptural piece in the temple with ground surface area of about 2x2 meters and is called the "helmet" or amalaka. Its shape usually follows that of the shrine (square or star shape). The tower over the vestibules of the three shrines appear as low protrusions of the main tower and is hence called the "nose"

Tourism

Balligavi is 20 Kms. from Shikaripura and 80Kms. from Shimoga. This was the capital of Banavasi Nadu during 12th century.

Keladi Temple, Karnataka

Keladi is a temple town in Shimoga district of the state of Karnataka in India.
Located about 8 KM from Sagara town.

 History

It is interesting as the place whence the Ikkeri chiefs derived their origin, which is thus related:
Two brothers named Chavuda Gauda and Bhadra Gauda, living in the village of Hale-bayal, in the Keladi taluk of the Chandragutti paragana, had two servants or slaves, named Yadava and Murari, who cultivated their masters' fields. A cow they had was discovered to shed her milk over a certain ant-hill, which, on digging into, Chavuda Gauda found, contained a linga, over which, therefore, he built a small temple. A little time after, the servants, when ploughing, turned up an old sword, which they put into the thatch of the house, intending to make a scythe of it. But they discovered that if a crow perched on the shed the sword leaped out in the form of a serpent and killed it. On this, Chavuda Gauda took it and, carefully cleaning it, kept in his house, giving it the name of Nagaramuri. At another time, the ploughshare struck against the ring of a cauldron, which contained treasure. Afraid to disturb it, Chavuda Gauda covered it up again, but that night had a dream, in which he was directed to offer a human sacrifice and take the treasure. On hearing this, his two slaves volunteered to be the victims on condition that their memory was preserved. All the preparations being made, the place was dug up at night and the slaves, after ablutions, prostrated themselves to the cauldron and were beheaded with the sword Nagaramuri.
With this accession of wealth, the Gaudas raised a small force and began to subdue the neighbouring villages. But they were seized and sent to Vijayanagar by order from the king, and there put into custody. Hearing that a Palegar near Balihalu was rebellious, they made an offer through the court musicians to punish him if allowed to do so. Permission being given, they went with a force and killed the Palegar, on which they were released and confirmed in the possession of the places they had captured, receiving from the king a seal (sikha moharu). The town of Keladi was then founded, together with the temple of Rameshwara.
One day while the Gauda was hunting, a hare turned upon his hounds, indicating heroic virtue in the soil of the place in which this occurred. He therefore removed his town to the spot, calling Ikkeri. His son and successor, with the sanction of Sadasiva Raya, the Vijayanagar sovereign, took the name of Sadasiva-Nayak.
Two mounds, called Kalte, at the entrance to Keladi are pointed out as the scene of the human sacrifices.
The principal building in the place is the double temple of Rameshwara and Virabhadra, a large and plain structure built in the Hoysala-Dravida style.
After the disintegration of Vijayanagar Empire in the Battle of Talikota, the Keladi Nayakas created an independent kingdom and it remained so until it was annexed to Mysore Kingdom by Hyder Ali.
Shivappa Nayaka and Chennamma were the rulers of this kingdom.

 

Kodandarama Temple, Hiremagalur, Karnataka

Kodandaramaswami Temple (Kannada: ಕೋದಂಡರಾಮಸ್ವಾಮಿ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ   is a Hindu shrine located at Hiremagalur near Chikkamagaluru, in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka, India. The temple deity is called Kodandarama, as Rama, and his brother Lakshmana are depicted holding arrows.
The temple is State protected and appears to have been constructed in three stages, with its garbhagrha and sukhanasi structures in the Hoysala style. The remaining portions are additions in Dravidian style. The present navaranga is of the 14th century. While the mukhamandapa may be of the 16th century. The outer walls of the garbhagruha and vestibule are raised on a square basement which consists of six cornices. The outer walls of the navaranga and mukhamandapa are built with brick and mortar. The projection of the vestibule appears to be of the 17th century.

Temple contents

In the garbhagrha on a common Hanuman pedestal, 1.5 ft high, there are idols of Kodandarama with Sita to his right and Lakshmana to his left. Rama and Lakshmana carry the arrows in their right hands and strung bows in their left hands. The idols appear to be of a later date and not of the Hoysala period.
In the prakara (enclosure) of the temple, there are small shrines containing the figures of Yoganarasimha, Sugriva, Kalinga, Mardhana, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Vedanta Desika, and some alwars. Yoganarasimha, so called because his meditation posture, measures 1.06 metres (3½ ft.) high having a prabhavati on which the 10 incarnations are sculpted. But after Rama, Balarama and Krishna are engraved, with the Buddha missing. This is common in many Srivaishnava representations of dashavataras as they give prominence to Balarama, here measuring 4 ft. with four hands and in a pre-Hoysala style, resembling Badami Chalukya workmanship. While his right lower hand has a short round staff, the lower left is placed on the waist. The outer-walls of the garbhagrha and sukansi have, besides pilasters and turrets, two rows of figures representing mostly Vishnu and his Avatars such as Hayagriva, Narasimha, Lakshminarayana, Venugopala, Kalinga-Mardana and Govardhanadhari. There are also figures of Lakshmi, Hanuman, Garuda and Ganapati. A yatra of Kodandarama temple is held for one day about (February–March) of every year. The temple had a pond nearby which is now dry.

Legend

According to sthalapurana, or local legend, proud Purushottama was subdued at Hiremagalur by Rama. Purushottama requested Rama to show him the scene of his (Rama's) marriage. Therefore Sita stands to Rama’s right side and Lakshmana to his left, as per the tradition in Hindu marriage ceremonies. Perhaps this is the only temple where Sita and Lakshmana are positioned like this, as popular renderings of the trio (Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita) depict Sita to Rama's left. The idols are best described by the poet Sri. Da. Ra. Bendre: "All the three idols appear to be walking towards the viewer looking at the placement of their feet. The sculptor has carved intricately the crown, jewellery and the positions of the bodies. Sita’s posture, eyes looking down, her jewelery are sculpted really well."
Legends say that the place was the residence of nine siddhas who performed penance near a pond in the village known as Siddha Pushkarni and that as Parashurama too lived here, it was called Bhargavapuri, or "town of Bhargava (Parashurama)

Location

Hiremagalur  is located about 3 km from the city of Chikmagalur. The new Chikmagalur railway station is bieng built in this place. A lot of new industries have stated in this place.
Transport to Chikamagalur
The nearest airport to this town is Bajpe international airport of Mangalore (160 km). The awaited Chikmagalur Railway line has been completed and a trial run was held on June 17. This railway line will be connecting the city to Kadur The station is expected to inaugurate this year

 

Om Tat Sat

                                                        

(Continued...)                                                                                                                              

(My humble  salutations to the great devotees ,  wikisources  and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the collection )