My visit to North Karnataka Heritage Sites - From 12th November to 18th November, 2014
I reached bangalore around 8.30 pm (silk board) and I went and stayed in my cousin's place at Jaya Nagar.
Around 5.45 am on the 14th we reached Tungrabadra dam Guest house (4 kms from Hospet). This guest house was earlier used as an inspection bungalow for the engineers and others to stay at the time of construction of the dam. However, after the dam got commissioned, karanataka tourism board took over.
After
freshening up and breakfast we left for Hampi. The city of Hampi bears
exceptional testimony to the vanished civilization of the kingdom of
Vijayanagar, which reached its apogee under the reign of Krishna Deva Raya
(1509-30). It offers an outstanding example of a type of structure that
illustrates a significant historical situation: that of the kingdoms of South
India which, menaced by the Muslims, were occasionally allied with the
Portuguese of Goa.
Kadalekalu Ganesha Temple
This giant
statue of Ganesha was carved out of a huge boulder at the northeastern slope of
the Hemakuta hill. The belly of this
statue resembles a Bengal gram (Kadalekalu, in local language) and hence the
name.
A sanctum is built around the statue. The pillared hall in front of this sanctum is as charming as this giant statue itself. The open hall constructed by unusually slender and tall pillars. Each of them is highly ornate with mythical themes.Kadalekalu Ganesha is one of the largest Ganesha images in this part of the country.
This 4.5
meters (15 feet) tall statue is one among the largest sculptures in Hampi. The
pillared hall is a vantage point to survey the environs, especially the Hampi Bazaar and the foothills of
Matanga Hill.
Virupaksha Temple
Although most
of the temple buildings were constructed during the Vijayanagara rule, some few
were also erected during the late Hoysala and Chalukya empires. Major
renovations and additions were carried out in the 19th century and gopuras were
established and ceilings painted during this time.
This is a giant
statue of the Hindu deity
Lord Ganesha,
it is named so as the belly of the statue is shaped like a mustard seed and Sasivekalu is the
local name for a mustard seed. In Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha is notorious
for his food habits. One day he ate so much of food that his tummy was almost about to burst,
so he just caught a snake and tied it around his tummy as a belt to save his
tummy from bursting; hence, giving the sculpture its unique design.
The statue was carved out of a single boulder and stands at around 8 feet in height; an open pavilion is build around the statue, according to inscriptions found nearby this pavilion was built by a trader from Chandragiri (in present day Andhra Pradesh) in 1506 AD, in memory of one of the Vijayanagara king – Narasimha II (1491-1505 AD).
The Krishna
Temple is also among the Group of Monuments which is currently listed as a part
of the World Heritage Monuments by the UNESCO. This temple was built by the
ruler Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara period in the year 1513 A.D. He
erected this temple in honour of winning the battle and subsequent annexure of
Utkala or the eastern reign of Udayagiri. This place is currently known as
Orissa.
The main idol of the temple is that of Lord Balakrishna which is now on display in the State Museum at Chennai. The temple campus is adorned with pillared halls and many small shrines. This is one of the rare temples which have epics inscribed on the tower walls. More or less, this temple is fairly intact and stands testimony to the prosperous reign under the Vijayanagara rule.
To the east of the temple lies a hall. Banana plantations are located on the right (south) of the temple. The long pavilions in the temple were initially shops. On the left of the temple is a rocky landscape. A leisurely stroll through these structures will lead one to the temple pond. This tank is not in use anymore.
For some
curious reasons, this temple dedicated for Lord Siva was built many meters
below the ground level. For this reason, earlier all the time the sanctum and the core parts
of the temple are under water, restricting entry to the inner areas.
This Temple Hampi was built in the early 15th
century by the great king in the name of Devaraya. Originally the Hazara Rama
Temple consisted of a sanctum, an ardha
mantapa and a pillared hall, but later on an open porch with tall and elegant
pillars was added.
This temple is a fabulous masterpiece of the ancient architecture of the Vijayanagara's sculptors. There is a beautiful path that connects the Zenena Enclosure with the Royal Enclosure. This path passes along the temple courtyard. There is another path from Danaik's Enclosure and Underground Shiva Temple that connects and joins this path at its northeastern corner.
A beautiful grand stone platform, Mahanavmi
Dibba once the site of royal celebrations and events, today it is the perfect
place to get a sweeping view of the ancient land of Hampi and see the sun set
as it once did on the once glorious Vijaynagara empire. Built by King
Krishnadevaraya after his conquest over the kingdom of Udaygiri, present day
Orissa. Mahanavami Dibba is the highest establishment in Hampi and possibly
used by the kings to watch baronial processions of the army and enjoy
celebrations, particularly Navratri.
As you reach Hampi from Kamalapura and enter the
Royal enclosure the first ancient sight to fall your way is the Queen's bath,
the private bathing chamber of Vijayanagara kings and queens that makes today's
whirlpool bathtubs and hot tub spas appear less lavish and
self-indulgent. A massive verandah runs around a big open rectangular pool
with a number of balconies projecting into it. Each balcony has three charming
windows and the pool has a depth of 6 feet.
There are total of
four caves in Badami. Out of which three are the Brahminical caves and one is
the Jain cave. Cave I is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Cave II and III to Lord
Vishnu and cave IV to the Jain saints. These caves were built during the regime
of the Chalukya Empire around the 6th century. They were discovered by the
Pulekeshin I, the great Chalukya ruler. Along with these cave temples you may
find here number of monuments belonging to the ancient times. These caves
presents the perfect blend of the architectural design of the north India Nagara
style and the south India Nagara. Description of caves of Badami :
At the back of the temple, there is a Buddha temple which is in a cave.
This temple,
called Sri Trailokeswara Maha Saila Prasada in an inscription was built
around 740 A.D. by one of the Queens, Trailokyamahadevi of Vikramaditya II
(733-45 A.D.) to commemorate her husband’s victory over the Pallavas of
Kanchipuram. In general appearance and style it resembles the Virupaksha temple
built for the same purpose, at the same time, and most probably by the same
guild of architects. These two temples stand side by side, closely resemble
each other in their plan elevation, decoration and even the arrangements of
sculptural art. Presenting the fully developed southern vimana style,
this temple consists on plan a sanctum (garbhagriha) with
circumambulatory path (pradakshinapatha) an antechamber (antarala) with
a sub-shrine each on either side in front, a sabha-mandapa with entrance
porches on the east, north and south and a separate Nandi-mandapa in
front. The sub-shrines, originally dedicated to Ganesa and Mahisasuramardhini,
are now empty. Only a portion of the enclosure walls (prakara) is intact
on the southern side and two upright pillars and a few huge stone blocks mark
the once existence of the western gateway (pratoli).
The epic and puranic episodes carved on the pillars of the sabha-mandapa include goddesses fighting Mahisasura, churning of the ocean (samudra-manthana), Narasimha fighting Hiranyakasipu “exploits of Krishna” slaying of Maricha etc., . The amorous couples relieved on the engaged columns here are slightly bigger in size and better preserved than those in the Virupaksha temple.
Even in its ruined state, the well conceived and skillfully executed Nandi-mandapa presents an elegant piece of architecture. Its basement (adhistana) has beautifully carved figures of elephants and other animals. Its prominently projecting balconies show nicely shaped sixteen-sided pillars with scroll belts. Graceful female figures are carved in the ornate niches on the walls.
The Virupaksha or the Pampapathi temple is
the main center of pilgrimage at Hampi. It is fully intact, and it incorporates
some earlier structures. This temple has three towers, the eastern tower rises
to a height of 160 feet and is nine tiered. It dates back to the first half of
the fifteenth century and was renovated in the sixteenth century by Krishnadevaraya.
This tower has been built such that an inverted shadow of this huge tower falls on the western wall of the temple through a small hole behind the sanctum. The northern gopuram has five storeys, and the inner eastern gopuram is endowed with three storeys.
The presiding deity here is Virupaksheshwara or Pampapathi. His consort Pampa, is believed to be the daughter of Bhrama. There is an ornate shrine to Bhuvaneswari. There is a shrine to Vidyaranya, the spiritual founder of Vijayanagar in this temple. The inner prakaram consists of shrines and pillars dating back to the 12th century.
Krishnadevaraya also built a mandapam in front of the sanctum, and embellished it with Vijayanagar style bas reliefs and murals. Several of Shiva's manifestations, and the ten incarnations of Vishnu are portrayed here, as is the classic scene from Mahabharata depicting Arjuna's shooting the fish device in order to secure Draupadi's hand in marriage. There is also a mural depicting Vidyaranya the spiritual founder of Vijayanagar in procession.
In the vicinity of the Virupaksha temple are several dilapidated mandapams. In front of the temple was once an ancient shopping center lined with mandapams, the ruins of which stand today.
Aihole Durgadagudi Durga Temple
The fort in Bijapur was constructed in 1565, on
the site of an earlier citadel called the Ark Killa. Up a small flight of steep
steps is the famous Malik-i- Maidan (Monarch of the Plain), the most famous gun
hereabouts. The gun stands on a low platform, ringed by iron hoops, atop the
Sherj Burj or Lion Bastion, so called because of the lions carved on its
entrance. Nearby is the Upari Burj (or Haider Burj) built in 1583. One can view
the entire citadel from this tower. Once a Hall of Justice in the 17th century,
the Adalat Mahal is situated on the outer edge of the citadel. Behind the
Adalat Mahal is a magnificent arch, the Pasari Kaman that connects with the
citadel. Built by Ibrahim II in 1589, Anand Mahal was meant to be
a pleasure palace. Ferishta, the historian who made Bijapur his home in
the 16th century, describes the grandeur of Ibrahim’s arrival in the newly
constructed palace. Across the street lies the Gagan Mahal, the Durbar Hall
built by Ali Adil Shah I in 1561. Within the citadel is the Saat Manzil, at the
corner of a quadrangle called the Granary. In front of the Saat Manzil is an
exquisite structure, the Jal Mandir, rising like a lotus from a stagnant pond.
The place is
a village about 19 km (12 mi) from Hungund. Close by is the holy
pilgrim centre and the renowned temple of Sangameshwara, on the river bank, at
the confluence of the Krishna and the Malaprabha rivers. Formerly it was known
as Kappadi sangama where Basaveshwara’s teacher Ishanaguru lived.
The temple consists of a porch, navaranga and the main shrine. The idols of Basaveshvara, Neelamma, Nandi and Ganapathi have been placed in the navaranga. The door frame of the garbhagriha is richly carved with floral designs and animal figures. In the shrine is the linga famed as Sangameshvara or Sangamanatha.
In front of the temple, in the midst of the river, is a small stone mantapa with a Shivalinga in it, and lofty cement concrete dry well has been built around it to protect it from submersion.
On 17th morning
around 430 am we reached Badmi House, Bangalore.
Straight I went to my cousin's place. In the morning after breakfast I went to see an old friend and his family. I met this friend after 20 years. We both were in the U.S. I also met his mother and wife. From there I went to another friend's house and reached my cousin's house by evening.
YES,
YES - I made it this time. Earlier I tried three times to visit these
places. Thanks to my caretaker Raju to return on time, my cousin Murali/shanthi
who did my bookings with Karnataka
Tourism Department Corporation (KTDC), Bangalore for organising an excellent package
tour. In order to avail this facility if anyone is interested, the contact
details of KTDC is given below
Tour Starting
Point:
Badami House, Opp Secretariat
Bangalore 560 002
Tel:080-4334 4334, 4334 4337, 089706 50070 (6.00 am to 8.30pm)
Fax: 080-4334 4353
Email: enquiry@karnatakaholidays.net
Badami House, Opp Secretariat
Bangalore 560 002
Tel:080-4334 4334, 4334 4337, 089706 50070 (6.00 am to 8.30pm)
Fax: 080-4334 4353
Email: enquiry@karnatakaholidays.net
Tour details:
North
Karnataka Heritage Tour : A five-day tour to the Heritage Sites of North Karnataka covering
Tungabhadra Dam, Hampi, Banashankari Temple, Pattadakal, Bijapur and Kudala
Sangama.
Frequency:
Every Thursday during season (October to January) ending on Monday morning
around 5 am.
Contact
details: email and Phone Nos
Departure
from Badami House, Banglore at 10.00 pm (Thursday) and arrival at Badami House
at 6.00 am on Monday.
Day 1: 12th November 2014
I took a 1.30 pm Conti Travels bus from Coimbatore to Bangalore to cover these locations. Around 5 pm bus stopped for tea/coffee
(the so called Tiffin).
I reached bangalore around 8.30 pm (silk board) and I went and stayed in my cousin's place at Jaya Nagar.
Day 2: : 13th November 2014
In the morning I decided to venture out in Bangalore even though I had gone several times to Bangalore. I accompanied my cousin to his office. After sometime he dropped me in the 4th block near the Jaya Nagar market and he went for a business meeting. This market is amazing - Flowers, fruits, vegetables, and many many other things.
In the morning I decided to venture out in Bangalore even though I had gone several times to Bangalore. I accompanied my cousin to his office. After sometime he dropped me in the 4th block near the Jaya Nagar market and he went for a business meeting. This market is amazing - Flowers, fruits, vegetables, and many many other things.
After lunch my cousin drove me to see we Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's ashram and saw
Visalakshy Hall
In the evening we returned back. On the way we went to a nice restaurant
which is in the 4th block of jaya nagar.
On the way back
home, my cousin took me to a wine shop in Jaya Nagar. Amazing! I have not seen
such a wine shop in Goa or Mumbai.
After dinner I
took an auto and got dropped self in Badami House to start my journey. As
requested by the authorities, I got registered myself. Along with others we started our journey
around 11 pm.
Day 3 - 14th November 2014Around 5.45 am on the 14th we reached Tungrabadra dam Guest house (4 kms from Hospet). This guest house was earlier used as an inspection bungalow for the engineers and others to stay at the time of construction of the dam. However, after the dam got commissioned, karanataka tourism board took over.
Kadalekalu Ganesha Temple
A sanctum is built around the statue. The pillared hall in front of this sanctum is as charming as this giant statue itself. The open hall constructed by unusually slender and tall pillars. Each of them is highly ornate with mythical themes.Kadalekalu Ganesha is one of the largest Ganesha images in this part of the country.
Virupaksha Temple
The Virupaksha
Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is renowned as one of the most sacred
temples in Karnataka. Virupaksha is an avatar of Lord Shiva, and among all the
surrounding ruins, this temple is intact and is still in use. Hampi is located
on the banks of River Tungabhadra. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and
is renowned as one of the most sacred temples in Karnataka. Virupaksha is an
avatar of Lord Siva. Among all the surrounding ruins, this temple is intact and
is still in use.
Originally it was a small shrine, and the sanctuary of Virupaksha–Pampa existed prior to the commencement of the Vijayanagara Empire. However, the Vijayanagara rulers were responsible for building this small shrine into a large temple complex.
Although most
of the temple buildings were constructed during the Vijayanagara rule, some few
were also erected during the late Hoysala and Chalukya empires. Major
renovations and additions were carried out in the 19th century and gopuras were
established and ceilings painted during this time.
Sasivekalu Ganesha Temple
Even though we did not
get down from the bus to see this temple, a brief description about the temple:
The statue was carved out of a single boulder and stands at around 8 feet in height; an open pavilion is build around the statue, according to inscriptions found nearby this pavilion was built by a trader from Chandragiri (in present day Andhra Pradesh) in 1506 AD, in memory of one of the Vijayanagara king – Narasimha II (1491-1505 AD).
Lakshmi Narsimha
Temple
This
image of Lakshmi-Narasimha, popularly called Ugranarasimha, meaning Narasimha
of terrifying countenance, is hewn out of a rock in-situ. According to an
inscription found here, it was executed in 1528 A.D. during the rule of
Krishnadevaraya. Originally, the icon bore a smaller image of Lakshmi sitting
on his lap. This gigantic image, 6.7 meters in height, was mutilated and the
figure of Lakshmi was entirely damaged and vandalized in 1565 A.D. Narasimha
with an articulately chiseled and well delineated mane and large bulging eyes
and broad chest still retains His awesome charm. He is seated on the coils of
the snake Adisesha, who rises behind him with seven hoods, which serve as a
canopy. The entire image is set within a Makara torana, or arch, with a
lion-mask above the hoods of Adisesha.
Badavi
Linga
This is the biggest of all
lingas in Hampi. This gorgeous Linga is made of black stone. It is nearly 12ft.
in height. It inner sanctum has no ceiling. It is always in water since a canal
passes through this temple.
Krishna Temple
Since
this temple is being under renovation, we did not visit this temple. However, a
brief description about this temple.
The main idol of the temple is that of Lord Balakrishna which is now on display in the State Museum at Chennai. The temple campus is adorned with pillared halls and many small shrines. This is one of the rare temples which have epics inscribed on the tower walls. More or less, this temple is fairly intact and stands testimony to the prosperous reign under the Vijayanagara rule.
To the east of the temple lies a hall. Banana plantations are located on the right (south) of the temple. The long pavilions in the temple were initially shops. On the left of the temple is a rocky landscape. A leisurely stroll through these structures will lead one to the temple pond. This tank is not in use anymore.
Sister
Stones
These are
two giant boulders leaning against each other, making an archway like formation.
You can find them on the left side of the main road when you go from the
Underground Shiva Temple towards Hampi village square. The road almost passes
through under the stones. Akka-Thangi Gudda means ‘sister stones’ in the local
language.
Underground
Temple,
Lotus
Mahal
It is also known as Chitrangini Temple, an incredible blend of
Hindu-Islamic architecture. This is the primary attraction of the Zenana
Enclosure. Surrounded by walls and four watch towers in each corner, Lotus Mahal's base begins with
traditional Vijaynagara architectural pattern but as your gaze moves upward to
its superstructure, you will find atypical pyramidal towers that more
representative of Islamic architecture.
Elephant
Stables
This long structure was constructed with majestic
openings for the resting places of the royal elephants. The open area in front
of the of the building was a parade ground for the elephants.
The open area in front of the of the building was a
parade ground for the elephants. The Elephant stables with their lofty domes
and arches is synthesis of Hindu and Islamic forms.
Hazara Rama Temple
This temple was
dedicated to Lord Rama. This temple boasts of and is proud of many fine bas
reliefs depicting and portraying scenes from Ramayana and Mahanavami festival.
The Hazara Rama Temple is believed to have been the private place of worship of
the Royal family. The temple is famous for its many Ramayana panels.
This temple is a fabulous masterpiece of the ancient architecture of the Vijayanagara's sculptors. There is a beautiful path that connects the Zenena Enclosure with the Royal Enclosure. This path passes along the temple courtyard. There is another path from Danaik's Enclosure and Underground Shiva Temple that connects and joins this path at its northeastern corner.
Mahanavmi
Dibba:
Queen’s Bath
After a tired morning, after visiting queen’s Bath, we broke our journey
for lunch. After having a good lunch, we moved to see Vijaya Vittala Temple (the famous Stone
Chariot),
Vijaya
Vittala Temple
Stone
Chariot, Vittala Temple, Hampi Karnataka
At Hampi,
the stone chariot located in the Vittala Temple Complex is a shrine built in
the form of temple chariot. An image of Garuda was originally enshrined within
its sanctum. Garuda, according to the Hindu mythology, is the vehicle of lord
Vishnu.
The
chariot built with many giant granite blocks. The joints of the blocks are
smartly hidden in the carvings that adorn the Stone Chariot and due to this it
appears as a monolithic structure. It is built on a feet high rectangular
platform. All around this base platform is carved with mythical battle scenes.
The four giant stone wheels attached to the chariot look complete with the axis
shafts. On the wheels are concentric floral motifs.
In front
of the chariot two elephants are positioned as if they are pulling the chariot.
These elephants where later additions to the chariot and they actually replaced
two horses that were carved in that position. The tails and the rear legs of
the horses can be still seen just behind these elephant sculptures. A broken
stone ladder once gave access to the sanctum is kept between the elephants.
After
visiting Vijaya Vittla temple, we returned to our base camp which was
Tungabadra Dam Guest House. Some of them
visited the Tungabadra Dam before Dinner.
After dinner were told to be ready to leave by 5.30 am net day.
Day 4:
15th November, 2014
On the 4th
day at 5.30 am we moved to see Banashankari Temple.
Banashankari
Temple
The
famous Banashankari Temple is located at Cholachigud about 5 kilometers from
Badami - the historic capital of Chalukyas. Here Banashankari or Shakambari is
the form of Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. The Banashankari Temple
is quite old. Its original structure is said to have been built by the Chalukyas
of Kalyan. However, the existing temple was built in the 17th century. The
temple has a marked Dravidian style of architecture.
Banashankari Temple has significant mythological relevance also. According to the Skanda Purana it was here that Devi killed a demon called Durgamasura. As the temple is located in the Tilakaaranya forest, the Devi is popularly called Banashankari or Vanashankari where 'Van' or 'Ban' means forest. Banashankari Devi is also said to be worshiped by mighty Chalukyas as Kuladevi.
Idol of Goddess Banashankari is of Blackstone. Here the Goddess can be seen seated on lion and trampling a demon by foot. The Goddess has eight arms holding trishul-damaruga, kapaalpatra, ghanta, veda scripts and khadg-kheta. The temple has been considerably modernized in the present times. In front of the temple is a large pond called as 'Haridra Tirtha' which is enclosed by stone mantapas on the three sides.
The best time to visit Banashankari Temple is Pushya-Maas or the month of January - February when car festival is organized.
Banashankari Temple has significant mythological relevance also. According to the Skanda Purana it was here that Devi killed a demon called Durgamasura. As the temple is located in the Tilakaaranya forest, the Devi is popularly called Banashankari or Vanashankari where 'Van' or 'Ban' means forest. Banashankari Devi is also said to be worshiped by mighty Chalukyas as Kuladevi.
Idol of Goddess Banashankari is of Blackstone. Here the Goddess can be seen seated on lion and trampling a demon by foot. The Goddess has eight arms holding trishul-damaruga, kapaalpatra, ghanta, veda scripts and khadg-kheta. The temple has been considerably modernized in the present times. In front of the temple is a large pond called as 'Haridra Tirtha' which is enclosed by stone mantapas on the three sides.
The best time to visit Banashankari Temple is Pushya-Maas or the month of January - February when car festival is organized.
Badmi
Caves
Cave I :
It is the oldest of the four caves of Badami. It was carved in 578 AD made of red sandstone. A flight of steps leads to the hall of pillars, behind which is the square shaped sanctum. The cave is beautifully designed with the painting and carved work that leaves the tourists spell binded. Apart from the walls the ceilings provides the ultimate example of the finest art work of that period. Another main attraction of the ceilings are the Nataraja panel and the carved panels. The ceiling also has the collection of paintings of Shiva and Parvati.
It is the oldest of the four caves of Badami. It was carved in 578 AD made of red sandstone. A flight of steps leads to the hall of pillars, behind which is the square shaped sanctum. The cave is beautifully designed with the painting and carved work that leaves the tourists spell binded. Apart from the walls the ceilings provides the ultimate example of the finest art work of that period. Another main attraction of the ceilings are the Nataraja panel and the carved panels. The ceiling also has the collection of paintings of Shiva and Parvati.
Cave
II :
In this cave you will find Lord Vishnu in different forms and shapes. In one of the images Lord Vishnu is shown as Trivikrama. The artists try to portrays Vishnu with one foot conquering the earth and the other covering the sky. There is one more very beautiful image of Vishnu which displays him as Varaha, the boar incarnation of Vishnu. But the most striking feature of the cave is the form Lord Vishnu, riding the Garuda and the lotus is encircled by the sixteen fishes.
Cave III :
This is the most interesting cave among the four caves of Badami. The cave contains the wonderful sculptures and paintings of the Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. This beautiful large cave is approximately 70 feet wide. You may find here the images of Trivikrama, Shankaranarayana, Bhuvaraha, Anantasayana, Harihara. It is only cave which contains inscriptions dating back from 578 AD.
Cave IV :
It is the only Jain cave among the other four Badami caves. The cave was completed around 100 years later when the other three caves were completed. The main attractions of the cave include image of Lord Mahavira, image of Lord Parsvanath (with the serpent in his feet), images of Padmavathi and Tirthankaras.
In this cave you will find Lord Vishnu in different forms and shapes. In one of the images Lord Vishnu is shown as Trivikrama. The artists try to portrays Vishnu with one foot conquering the earth and the other covering the sky. There is one more very beautiful image of Vishnu which displays him as Varaha, the boar incarnation of Vishnu. But the most striking feature of the cave is the form Lord Vishnu, riding the Garuda and the lotus is encircled by the sixteen fishes.
Cave III :
This is the most interesting cave among the four caves of Badami. The cave contains the wonderful sculptures and paintings of the Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. This beautiful large cave is approximately 70 feet wide. You may find here the images of Trivikrama, Shankaranarayana, Bhuvaraha, Anantasayana, Harihara. It is only cave which contains inscriptions dating back from 578 AD.
Cave IV :
It is the only Jain cave among the other four Badami caves. The cave was completed around 100 years later when the other three caves were completed. The main attractions of the cave include image of Lord Mahavira, image of Lord Parsvanath (with the serpent in his feet), images of Padmavathi and Tirthankaras.
After visiting the Caves, few of us visited the Bhutanath
temple just behind the caves.
After visiting these places, we went to a good restaurant and had lunch
which is in Badmi town.
Mahakutra
Temple
14 kms from Badami, once a great center of shaiva cult,
Mahakuta is a beautiful place surrounded by hills. The place is famous for the
Mahakuteshwara Temple, the temple dedicated to Shiva. Built in the Dravidian
style, Mahakuta temple Badami has several other shrines surrounding it.
Pattadakal
Mallikarjuna, Virupaksha & other temples:
The epic and puranic episodes carved on the pillars of the sabha-mandapa include goddesses fighting Mahisasura, churning of the ocean (samudra-manthana), Narasimha fighting Hiranyakasipu “exploits of Krishna” slaying of Maricha etc., . The amorous couples relieved on the engaged columns here are slightly bigger in size and better preserved than those in the Virupaksha temple.
Even in its ruined state, the well conceived and skillfully executed Nandi-mandapa presents an elegant piece of architecture. Its basement (adhistana) has beautifully carved figures of elephants and other animals. Its prominently projecting balconies show nicely shaped sixteen-sided pillars with scroll belts. Graceful female figures are carved in the ornate niches on the walls.
This tower has been built such that an inverted shadow of this huge tower falls on the western wall of the temple through a small hole behind the sanctum. The northern gopuram has five storeys, and the inner eastern gopuram is endowed with three storeys.
The presiding deity here is Virupaksheshwara or Pampapathi. His consort Pampa, is believed to be the daughter of Bhrama. There is an ornate shrine to Bhuvaneswari. There is a shrine to Vidyaranya, the spiritual founder of Vijayanagar in this temple. The inner prakaram consists of shrines and pillars dating back to the 12th century.
Krishnadevaraya also built a mandapam in front of the sanctum, and embellished it with Vijayanagar style bas reliefs and murals. Several of Shiva's manifestations, and the ten incarnations of Vishnu are portrayed here, as is the classic scene from Mahabharata depicting Arjuna's shooting the fish device in order to secure Draupadi's hand in marriage. There is also a mural depicting Vidyaranya the spiritual founder of Vijayanagar in procession.
In the vicinity of the Virupaksha temple are several dilapidated mandapams. In front of the temple was once an ancient shopping center lined with mandapams, the ruins of which stand today.
Aihole Durgadagudi Durga Temple
The Durga Temple at Aihole is one of the most celebrated
and intriguing ancient Hindu temples. One of the most beautiful and
well-preserved temple, it has a unique tapered-oblong plan, and one could never
be tired of walking around it and admiring its shape. The photogenic Durga or
the fortress temple is planned along the lines of a Buddhist chaitya, a high
molded adisthana and a tower - curvilinear shikhara. A pillared corridor runs
around the temple, enveloping the shrine, the mukhamandapa and the
sabhamandapa. All through the temple, there are beautiful carvings.
The temple derives its name from Durgadagudi meaning 'temple near the fort'. Dedicated to Vishnu, the temple appears to be a Hindu adaptation of the Buddhist chaitya (hall) with its apsidal end. Standing on a high platform with a 'rekhanagara' type of Shikhara, it is the most elaborately decorated monument in Aihole. The columns at the entrance and within the porch are carved with figures and ornamental relief's. The temple appears to be a late 7th or early 8th century construction.
The temple derives its name from Durgadagudi meaning 'temple near the fort'. Dedicated to Vishnu, the temple appears to be a Hindu adaptation of the Buddhist chaitya (hall) with its apsidal end. Standing on a high platform with a 'rekhanagara' type of Shikhara, it is the most elaborately decorated monument in Aihole. The columns at the entrance and within the porch are carved with figures and ornamental relief's. The temple appears to be a late 7th or early 8th century construction.
From here we moved to Bijapur and stayed in Navaratna
Hotel.
Day
5: 16th November, 2014
After breakfast straight we visited the famous Gol
Gumbaz.
Gol Gumbaz
is the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah which was constructed
in the 17th century by the seventh ruler of Adilshahi dynasty. Gol Gumbaz
is situated at Bijapur in Karnataka. The place is 530 kilometers away from
Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka.
Gol Gumbaz is a fine piece of Islamic architectural style. The Gol Gumbaz has a floor area of 1700 square meter, a height of 51 meter and diameter of 37 meters with 3 meter thick walls. The construction of this large tomb took around 20 years to complete.
Another significant feature of the Gol Gumbaz is its central dome which stands without the support of pillars. Also the central dome of Gol Gumbaz is the second largest dome in the world after the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
Gol Gumbaz is a fine piece of Islamic architectural style. The Gol Gumbaz has a floor area of 1700 square meter, a height of 51 meter and diameter of 37 meters with 3 meter thick walls. The construction of this large tomb took around 20 years to complete.
Another significant feature of the Gol Gumbaz is its central dome which stands without the support of pillars. Also the central dome of Gol Gumbaz is the second largest dome in the world after the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
Gol
Gumbaz has
another amazing feature. Any sound at this place echoes for over eleven times.
Moreover you can even hear the tick of a watch across a distance of 37 meter in
the vast dome. You can enjoy the picturesque landscape of the region near Gol
Gumbaz from its terrace which can be reached through the steps across the
narrow passages.
Apart from the burial chambers of Mohammed Adil Shah, his two wives, his mistress Ramba, his daughter and grandson, the complex of Gol Gumbaz also houses a mosque, a Naqqar Khana, a gateway and a dharamshala. The building in front of the Gol Gumbaz has been turned into a museum that contains all the history about the royal past related to Adilshah dynasty who constructed Gol Gumbaz.
Apart from the burial chambers of Mohammed Adil Shah, his two wives, his mistress Ramba, his daughter and grandson, the complex of Gol Gumbaz also houses a mosque, a Naqqar Khana, a gateway and a dharamshala. The building in front of the Gol Gumbaz has been turned into a museum that contains all the history about the royal past related to Adilshah dynasty who constructed Gol Gumbaz.
In the first picture one can see the dome but there is no dome in the first building. Actually the dome is in the second building behind. This is to confuse the attack.
Jamia Masjid
Jamia
Masjid is a mosque located at Bijapur in Karnataka. This great mosque was built
in the year 1578 by Ali Adil Shah. It is also the first and the largest
constructed mosque in Bijapur. The mosque is well admired by the tourists for
its magnificent architecture and art works. This massive monument covers an
area of over 10,000 square meters and has enough room for 2250 devotees. The
Central Mihrab on the western wall is inscribed with lines from the Holy Koran.
This inscription was completed in 1676by Malik Yakut, under the orders from
Muhammad Adil Shah. It houses a golden written copy of the Holy Koran. Its
marvelous architecture includes a huge hall having 45 compartments, large domes
shaped like onions, a huge inner courtyard with a large reservoir and
fountains.
Ibrahim Roza
The Ibrahim
Rauza was built by Ibrahim Adil Shah II in the 15th century. It consists of
mosque and tomb enclosed together in the square compound. Mosque and Tomb are
separated from each other by tank and fountain. The mosque has finely crafted
arches in its rectangular prayer hall and it’s shaded by chhaja and slender
minarets at each corner. The bulbous dome with beautiful rows of petals at its
base is enclosed in a square structure giving a majestic look to the mosque.
Each corner of the mosque is captivating and takes you back to the time when every
moment of the era was immersed in luxury and royalty. There are various secret
and closed passages inside the mosque which are said to have treasures within.
The mosque also has dark tunnels leading to the various areas of Ibrahim Rauza.
This mosque was built by a Persian architect. The Persian architect last wish
was to die beside his master, King Ibrahim Adil Shah II and hence, the area
also houses this great architect’s tomb.
It is believed that King Ibrahim Adil Shah II wanted to bring together Hindu and Muslim by building this mosque. He was the king with vision and had a Hindu Temple built in the premises of his palace. It is also said that Shah Jahan while searching for the plan to build a mosque for his beloved Mumtaz Mahal, found Ibrahim Rauza and was fascinated by the beauty of the structure. He was highly inspired looking at this mosque which later led him to build the magnificent Taj Mahal. So capture the splendor of Ibrahim Rauza and take a glimpse into the history which was filled with mesmerizing architecture and sculpture.
It is believed that King Ibrahim Adil Shah II wanted to bring together Hindu and Muslim by building this mosque. He was the king with vision and had a Hindu Temple built in the premises of his palace. It is also said that Shah Jahan while searching for the plan to build a mosque for his beloved Mumtaz Mahal, found Ibrahim Rauza and was fascinated by the beauty of the structure. He was highly inspired looking at this mosque which later led him to build the magnificent Taj Mahal. So capture the splendor of Ibrahim Rauza and take a glimpse into the history which was filled with mesmerizing architecture and sculpture.
Big Cannon (Upari Burj)
Bara Kaman
Due to
traffic jam, we saw this unfinished mausoleum of Ali Adi Shah from the bus
itself. A brief description is given below.
He lost
his life in a conspiracy and the monument remained unfinished. "Bara
Kaman" translates to "12 arches".
"Ali
Adil Shah was murdered by his father Ibrahim Adil Shah to prevent him from
constructing Bara kaman. Ibrahim Adil Shah feared that Bara kaman would lessen
the popularity of "Gol Gumbaz" that he had constructed and so had his
son murdered. Bara Kaman has the tombs of Ali Adil Shah, his wife Chand Bibi,
mistress and his daughters." History records, Ali Adil Shah had only one
son and a daughter. Though there is record of other Adil Shahi sultans having a
mistress, there is no known record of Ali Adil Shah having one.
Malik
Sandal was the architect of Gol Gumbaz but there is no historic record of him
designing the Bara Kaman. The unbuilt fort can be seen behind.
Kudala Sangama Temple
The temple consists of a porch, navaranga and the main shrine. The idols of Basaveshvara, Neelamma, Nandi and Ganapathi have been placed in the navaranga. The door frame of the garbhagriha is richly carved with floral designs and animal figures. In the shrine is the linga famed as Sangameshvara or Sangamanatha.
In front of the temple, in the midst of the river, is a small stone mantapa with a Shivalinga in it, and lofty cement concrete dry well has been built around it to protect it from submersion.
On the
east, across the river Krishna, stands the Neelamma’s temple. She was the
consort of Basaveshvara. Here also a high cement concrete dry well has been
built around the structure to protect it from the waters.
Few of
us had a boating in the river.
Anubhava
Mantapa:
was an academy of mystics, saints and
philosophers of the Lingayat faith
in the 12th century. It was the fountainhead of all religious and philosophical
thought pertaining to the Lingayat. It
was presided over by the mystic Allama Prabhu and numerous Sharanas from all over Karnataka and
other parts of India were participants. This institution was also the
fountainhead of the Vachana
literature which was used as the vector to propagate Lingayata religious and
philosophical thought. Other giants of Lingayat theosophy like Akka Mahadevi, Channabasavanna and Basavanna himself were participants in the Anubhava
Mantapa. The Anubhava Mantapa was originally called the Shivanubhava Mantapa.
This being the last location, by evening 5 pm we
left for Hampi. We had dinner at tungabadra Dam guest House we had dinner and
left for Bangalore.
Day 6: 17th November,
Straight I went to my cousin's place. In the morning after breakfast I went to see an old friend and his family. I met this friend after 20 years. We both were in the U.S. I also met his mother and wife. From there I went to another friend's house and reached my cousin's house by evening.
Day 7: 18th November, 2014
Around
1.30 pm I left for Coimbatore and reached around 8,30 pm.
If you ask me I liked Badami and Bijapur rather than Hampi. I really enjoyed this trip.
If you ask me I liked Badami and Bijapur rather than Hampi. I really enjoyed this trip.
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