ADHVAGATI

  There are things in life which seem part of  humdrum growing up years , but someday , suddenly, you come to realise what a wonder that thing is . And then , you  want to go grab it once again .   Its about Bahubali , the  colossal Gommateshwara of Sravanabelagola . Yes, been there , seen him. But in such a distant past that there is no sharp memory of anything , no recollection of the impressions he made on the mind . No photos . I cannot claim that my familiarity with this Icon comes from having met  and admired him in person , it is most certainly due to seeing pictures of him intermittently down the years  : in books , brochures, newspaper reports and later, on TV and The Net .  The personal connect , sorely missing .   One-day-excursions they were , in early 1960s . The excitement of seeing  the giant's torso bobbing into view even  from a good 7 kilometers away.....  the climb up the warm , shallow steps cut in...

Once upon a time - in 1173 CE to be exact - a certain Bucchiraja's wife Bachala Devi gave  birth to a son . Cause for  HAPPYness and celebration , of course.   For some reason, some people go slightly over the top in showing their HAPPYness and  gratitude to God . Distribution of sweets or feeding the public or presenting a gold crown to the God would not have done in this case , for he was Bucchiraja , Lord of Accounts and Public Benefactor , of Brahmana lineage , serving under Hoysala King Narasimha I . And the birth of his son coincided with the coronation of the next king , Veera Ballala II . So, not content with merely naming the infant Narasimha , Bucchraja " HAPPY in everything "  (exact words in the Inscription) , acquired lands and gardens for Iswara at Koravangala , 'presenting at the feet of Ballala Deva 200Gadyanas and land to pay for daily services, offerings , burning of perpetual lamp and purification ceremonies of the God, giving them to D...

  AGRAHARA BACCHALLI : is an obscure little town in KR-Pete Taluk , Mandya District with a very small  Hoysala Temple of 12th Century  dedicated to  Shiva named Hunaseshwara . The gramadevata ( Village Guardian ) is Bacchalamma Devi , for whom  the hamlet is named. As it was an Agrahara during Hoysala times , created by grant of the King, it would have been a prosperous place once.  Today, though not impoverished , it looks humble but  quite self satisfied with its fields, large tank and groves. Its two streets are clean ; people friendly and welcoming.  The temple is not difficult to find in that tiny settlement . Recently renovated, it looks tidy and cheerful with shiny new icons in the subsidiary alters. The front pavilion with the signature  Hoysala pillars , ceiling medallion , Garbhagriha and the  tower are original structures. A short circumambulation will cover the entire edifice.  The USP or STARS of the place are the uniq...

Scattered across Karnataka are hundreds of temples - big / small , popular /obscure -  all mostly situated in what in modern times have become "Small Towns" , whatever their status was when the temples were built.  The Hoysalas were obsessive temple builders . Having discovered the merits of Schist that can be worked on with ease , they seem to have found it difficult to stop themselves from chiseling away to glory !  It is interesting to note that in many sites , they built two important temples, one dedicated to their favourite Keshava and the other to Shiva.  In any given town, both temples surviving in good condition up to modern times  is only a matter of chance. For instance , in the very famous Somanathapura, the magnificent Chennakesava has survived  and is thriving gloriously in the tourist circuit ; while the Panchalingeswara , not very far from it , suffered like a poor relative, collecting dust and vegetation , till recently.  (Only now , t...

  Yaarivanu ?  It is said that between the 10 th and 13 th Centuries,   the super busy Hoysalas commissioned scores of temples to be built , out of which , about a hundred-plus are still standing , albeit in various states of preservation. The Hoysala artisans built   modest sized structures, but managed to   create more surface for decorative work by opting for the stellate plan with indented walls . The bhitti part , consequently ,   afforded ample canvas to mount innumerable icons of   Deities, demi-gods, celestial attendants, dancing nymphs, Purnaghata motifs and aedicules, not forgetting endless friezes of elephants, horses, hamsas and makaras. Inspite of the profusion of highly stylized accessories held in various arms, almost all the murtis are   recognisable by anyone with a basic   knowledge of the Hindu pantheon. Almost all.  One figure who cannot be slotted as a Deity or attendant or mythical being , stands right the...

    Balligave , in Shivamogga District, Karnataka was one of the most celebrated focal points of religion, trade, education, art and architecture for many centuries.   Mythologically, it is connected to  Bali  Chakravarthi and later to Pandavas . Legends apart,  the 120plus inscriptions found around here provide a lot of historical inputs about the place , which has been  called by various similar sounding names : Balligame , Belligavi , Baligrama etc etc.   Though existing as a well known town from the seventh century , it reached its zenith of celebrity and prominence under the Chalukyas of Kalyana, between 11 th and 12 Cents. Administered by powerful Chiefs appointed by King Bijjala , the town received generous donations for development of many temples, mathas and allied instituitions . Its gradual decline came by, with the rising of the Hoysalas to prominence in the region, shifting the power centers to their chose...