The twin towns that supplied lotus to the Royal household of Chalukyas

One of the best known twin cities in India are Hyderabad and Secundrabad in Andhra Pradesh. Similarly, in Karnataka, the twin cities of Gadag and Betagiri are equally well-known.

However, there is a twin town which dates back to the times of the Chalukyas of Kalyana and it is not popularly known outside its location. Though this historic twin town  is in Karnataka, few know about it and fewer have visited it. 

The twin town supplied large quantity of lotus flowers to the Chalukyas and their royal household. This is the little known twin town of Umapura-Laheshwara which is located in  Basavakalyan taluk of Bidar district. They are home to perhaps some of the most beautiful and exquisite temples belonging to the Chalukyas.

It was the Chalukyas of Kalyan (These Chalukyas are different from the Chalukyas of Badami and the Chalukyas of Gujarat though they are all related.) who built several temples here when they ruled from Kalyan or Basavakalyan which was their capital.

It was Someshwara, the first, who made Kalyan, the capital and it reached its zenith under his son, Vikramaditya. He ruled from 1076 for fifty years and during his time, he constructed temples here, in Kalyan and even in Kanchi which he conquered in his war against the Cholas.  

During the time of  the Chalukyas, the town of  Umapura was a thriving centre of art, architecture and religion. It had scores of temples and it was then known as Uma Maheshwara.

The Chalukyas held this town in great esteem as it supplied lotus flowers to the Royal palace. The town had hundreds of ponds, tanks and small water bodies where lotus grew in abundance. The lotus flowers were carefully plucked and sent in elaborately decorated baskets to the Royal palace where they were used for religious and social occasions.

There are records to suggest that Uma Maheshwara was also the centre of flower trade and lotus was widely cultivated and marketed. Several craters and ponds were exclusively set aisde to grow lotus.

The Chalukya Emperors constructed many temples but only a few of them-Neelakantha, Mahadeva, Parvathi and Ganapathi-survived. Infact, even these temples were on the verge of collapse and in a sorry state.

The Archaeology Survey of India (ASI) dismantled the temples and reconstructed them, brick by brick, bringing back the glory of a bygone era. A majority of the temples in Uma Maheswara were built by Vikramaditya, the sixth.

One of the most outstanding temples here is that of  Mahadeva which has some unique characteristics. It is built in the shape of a chariot and it has three mukha mantapas. There are sculptures on the walls of the temple, including those of gods, goddesses, dancers. Nearby is the Parvathi temple, with the deity of Uma-Maheshwara. It is this temple that lent its name to the town.  The Neelakantheshwara temple too is beautiful though in ruins.

The Neelakantheshwara temple is famous for its legendary well. Locals and the priest will tell you to take a look at the waters of the big well so that you can see the reflection of a huge Ganesha.

The Ganesha is installed across the well and it is eight feet in height and five feet in width. The idol is placed between two 12 feet-high pillars. It is this Ganesha that you can see reflected in a well.

The pillars adjoining the Ganesha are a superb example of  Chalukyas workmanship. Shake them and you can hear the sounds of temple bells.

A little away, or rather a kilometer away from here is the Padmavathi Kere. There is a small temple dedicated to Padmavathi atop a small hillock. Locals say there was a Jain Basadi at the place before it was converted into a temple for Padmavathi.

To the south of Umapura is the small village of  Raiwad. This is the place where Bicchala of Bijjala the ruler of Kalachuri dynasty, had his palace. Stones from the huge palace were transported by the Chalukyas to Basavakalyan where they built a fort, which exists to this day.

Incidentally, the renowned saint, Basaveshwara or Basavanna, started his career as an accountant in the service of Bijjala.

The twin towns are easily approachable from Basavakalyan which itself has several monuments of note, including the fort and temples.

When a PM's plane forcelanded

It was around 10 a.m., and a Principal of a school was busy with his work in a village near Yeramaras, on the outskirts of Raichur, a historic City ion Karnataka.

The Principal, Sheshachar Hunisigi of the Secondary Teachers’ Basic Training (STBT) School, was busy with his work. The work load was heavy as Karnataka had come into being just five months ago-November 1, 1956.

It was February 26, 1957 and Mr. Hunisigi was deeply engrossed in his work. Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming near and when he looked up, he almost froze for before him stood the Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Nehru looked slightly flustered but he was easily recognizable in his trademark jacket and kurta. With him were a few officials, who also appeared equally flustered and disoriented.

The Principal stood up and quickly offered his seat to the Prime Minister. Nehru casually looked around and took the seat and began a polite conversation with the dumb struck Principal.

By then, other teachers and students of the institution realized the presence of the Prime Minister and rushed towards the Principal’s chamber.

Even as the conversation progresses, officials in the entrouge of the Prime Minister got in touch with the officials, including the district administration.

When news broke that the Prime Minister was in a school building near Raichur, a stunned Deputy Commissioner, K R Ramachandran, the Superintendent of Police, Subramanyam and Tahsildar Narasimhachar N Kathavi rushed post haste to the school.

Apart from these officials, the Mayor of Raichur, A Gurunath Rao, and several advocates came to the school and among them were Raghottama Rao and D R Vittal Rao, who later became a judge of the Karnataka High Court. He was then a 27-year-old practising lawyer in Raichur.

(Incidentally, Vittal Rao and another Judge, M.N. Venkatachalaiah sitting in a Division Bench  heard the first public interest litigation- PIL- filed in the Karnataka High Court against the demolition of the iconic High Court structure during the Chief Ministership of Ramakrishna Hedge in 1982.)

When the crowd around the school grew, officials accompanying the Prime Minister told the gathering that their plane (WIP IL-14) had developed a snag and one of the engines had caught fire. The pilot, Squadron Leader Reginald Azariah (R A) Rufus who was commissioned on February 25, 1946, had landed the aircraft at an abandoned airfield at Yeramaras, seven kilometers from Raichur.

Yeramaras was used by the British during the world war as an air strip. It was built in 1942 and was abandoned soon after the war and neither the Centre nor the State had made any effort to develop it. The airfield was in disuse and it still is.

Pandit Nehru, meanwhile, was on an election campaign. He had campaigned for the Congress Party in Kerala and he had come to Mangalore.

Nehru had left Mangalore at 8-05 a.m., and his next stop was Raipur in Madhya Pradesh where he was scheduled to address an election rally. He was not slated to stop anywhere else in Karnataka.

Nehru was using an Illushin aircraft of Indian Air Force (IAF) which was named as Meghadoot. The twin engined Illushin plane had been gifted by the Soviets to Nehru on December 23, 1955 by the Russian Ambassador in Delhi on December 23, 1955 on behalf of the Russian premier Bulganin and Communist Party Secretary Nikita Krushchev (who later became President of the USSR).  Nehru had himself christened the aircraft as Meghadoot-the messenger of the clouds.   

The right engine of the plane caught fire in mid air and the pilot, made an emergency landing at the deserted airstrip. The pilot feathered the engine and though the plane tilted to one side, he managed to land the craft. The Prime Minister appeared calm and he inspected the damaged engine and congratulated the pilot for making a landing with only one engine and without any support from the ATC.

When the aircraft force landed it was a little after 9-30 a.m., and Nehru and his party of officials and Congressmen walked towards the school. He looked at the still smoking port side engine which was emitting smoke and walked off still reading the text of Foreign Minister V.K. Krishna Menon’s speech at the United Nations Security Council on the Kashmir issue. Menon had made a marathon speech which had gone on for seven hours  and newspapers had covered it extensively.

With Nehru sitting in the school premises, the officials immediately contacted Hyderabad from where another aircraft was flown to Raichur and Nehru continued his onward journey.

The Meghdoot remained at the airstrip for more than a week and very soon it became a tourist attraction. When news of the force landing reached the Soviets, they offered a new Ilyshin aircraft to Nehru which the Prime Minister accepted. Russian engineers visited the Yeramaras airstrip and conducted an enquiry into the issue of engine failure.
Incidentally, this was Nehru’s second visit to Raichur. Earlier, during the 1952 general elections,  he had had come to Raichur along with his sister Vijayalakashmi Pandit.
Later, Sqn Ldr RA Rufus, an Anglo-Indian, was awarded the Ashok Chakra for his presence of mind and

It was around 10 a.m., and a Principal of a school was busy with his work in a village near Yeramaras, on the outskirts of Raichur, a historic City ion Karnataka.

The Principal, Sheshachar Hunisigi of the Secondary Teachers’ Basic Training (STBT) School, was busy with his work. The work load was heavy as Karnataka had come into being just five months ago-November 1, 1956.

It was February 26, 1957 and Mr. Hunisigi was deeply engrossed in his work. Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming near and when he looked up, he almost froze for before him stood the Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Nehru looked slightly flustered but he was easily recognizable in his trademark jacket and kurta. With him were a few officials, who also appeared equally flustered and disoriented.

The Principal stood up and quickly offered his seat to the Prime Minister. Nehru casually looked around and took the seat and began a polite conversation with the dumb struck Principal.

By then, other teachers and students of the institution realized the presence of the Prime Minister and rushed towards the Principal’s chamber.

Even as the conversation progresses, officials in the entrouge of the Prime Minister got in touch with the officials, including the district administration.

When news broke that the Prime Minister was in a school building near Raichur, a stunned Deputy Commissioner, K R Ramachandran, the Superintendent of Police, Subramanyam and Tahsildar Narasimhachar N Kathavi rushed post haste to the school.

Apart from these officials, the Mayor of Raichur, A Gurunath Rao, and several advocates came to the school and among them were Raghottama Rao and D R Vittal Rao, who later became a judge of the Karnataka High Court. He was then a 27-year-old practising lawyer in Raichur.

(Incidentally, Vittal Rao and another Judge, M.N. Venkatachalaiah sitting in a Division Bench  heard the first public interest litigation- PIL- filed in the Karnataka High Court against the demolition of the iconic High Court structure during the Chief Ministership of Ramakrishna Hedge in 1982.)

When the crowd around the school grew, officials accompanying the Prime Minister told the gathering that their plane (WIP IL-14) had developed a snag and one of the engines had caught fire. The pilot, Squadron Leader Reginald Azariah (R A) Rufus who was commissioned on February 25, 1946, had landed the aircraft at an abandoned airfield at Yeramaras, seven kilometers from Raichur.

Yeramaras was used by the British during the world war as an air strip. It was built in 1942 and was abandoned soon after the war and neither the Centre nor the State had made any effort to develop it. The airfield was in disuse and it still is.

Pandit Nehru, meanwhile, was on an election campaign. He had campaigned for the Congress Party in Kerala and he had come to Mangalore.

Nehru had left Mangalore at 8-05 a.m., and his next stop was Raipur in Madhya Pradesh where he was scheduled to address an election rally. He was not slated to stop anywhere else in Karnataka.

Nehru was using an Illushin aircraft of Indian Air Force (IAF) which was named as Meghadoot. The twin engined Illushin plane had been gifted by the Soviets to Nehru on December 23, 1955 by the Russian Ambassador in Delhi on December 23, 1955 on behalf of the Russian premier Bulganin and Communist Party Secretary Nikita Krushchev (who later became President of the USSR).  Nehru had himself christened the aircraft as Meghadoot-the messenger of the clouds.   

The right engine of the plane caught fire in mid air and the pilot, made an emergency landing at the deserted airstrip. The pilot feathered the engine and though the plane tilted to one side, he managed to land the craft. The Prime Minister appeared calm and he inspected the damaged engine and congratulated the pilot for making a landing with only one engine and without any support from the ATC.

When the aircraft force landed it was a little after 9-30 a.m., and Nehru and his party of officials and Congressmen walked towards the school. He looked at the still smoking port side engine which was emitting smoke and walked off still reading the text of Foreign Minister V.K. Krishna Menon’s speech at the United Nations Security Council on the Kashmir issue. Menon had made a marathon speech which had gone on for seven hours  and newspapers had covered it extensively.

With Nehru sitting in the school premises, the officials immediately contacted Hyderabad from where another aircraft was flown to Raichur and Nehru continued his onward journey.

The Meghdoot remained at the airstrip for more than a week and very soon it became a tourist attraction. When news of the force landing reached the Soviets, they offered a new Ilyshin aircraft to Nehru which the Prime Minister accepted. Russian engineers visited the Yeramaras airstrip and conducted an enquiry into the issue of engine failure.
Incidentally, this was Nehru’s second visit to Raichur. Earlier, during the 1952 general elections,  he had had come to Raichur along with his sister Vijayalakashmi Pandit.Later, Rufus was awarded the Ashoka Chakra for his presence of mind. He was an instructor in Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) Jodhpur and Transport Training Centre in Hyderabad. He commanded a Squadron on AN-12s and retired as Wing Commander.
He later joined Air India and flew Boeing 707 and 747 aircraft.

(This post was written after one of the readers-Skyflash- pointed the incident of the force landing of Nehru's plane. Thank you, Skyflash)

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A barber who impersonated an Emperor

This was truly an incident that perfectly illustrated the proverb of a David overcoming a Goliath. But in this case, the David was more shrewd, more brave, more intelligent than the Goliath who outnumbered him in thousands and had scores of generals and commanders who were battle hardy.

The David here was one of the greatest Indians of all times and the founder of a Hindu Empire after the fall of Vijayanagar. A man whose valour was known and appreciated even by his enemies, he was a perfect foil to two mighty dynasties, both Muslims.

If one of the dynasties ruled the whole of India, barring the Deccan, the other was an equally powerful dynasty that had a major say in the decimation of Vijayanagar and in the 17^th century it was the foremost Kingdom in the south.

The David, however, was unperturbed by the two Muslim powers and he managed to carve out an independent Kingdom which threatened the very existence of the Muslim Kingdoms. The Emperors of both the Kingdoms tried every trick in the trade, every military and political tactic to overcome their common foe but to no avail.

If the Kingdom in the south attempted to assassinate the David, the Kingdom in the north even held David a prisoner for short while before he managed to escape. Emperors of both the Muslim Kingdoms spent huge amounts of money and manpower to capture the David but in vain.

Today, both the Kingdoms are history and most of their monarchs are forgotten. Only the ruins of their empire stand but the David is still revered today. He is ever present in the hearts of people and the his is the first name when one talks about patriotism. He is none other than Chatrapathi Shivaji, who founded the glorious Maratha Empire in the 17^th century and the two Muslim Kingdoms which opposed him tooth and nail were the Adil Shahs of Bijapur and the Mughals.

Both the Adil Shahs and Mughals made numerous attempts to reign in Shivaji and his marauding forces but in vain. A Bijapur General, Afzal Khan, a physical giant (He was almost seven feet tall) and an outstanding commander tried to kill Shivaji by deceit but ended up dying. The Mughals Emperor, Aurangzeb, too by deceit, imprisoned Shivaji but he had not reckoned with the Maratha’s resourcefulness. Shivaji and his son escaped from prison, much to the Mughal’s humiliation.

Shivaji inspired his men to greater heights. Even a common man, inspired by the Maratha’s ideals of freedom, independence and patriotism, gave up his life for Shivaji and one of the most outstanding example of this is how a barber saved the Chatrapathi.

The barber is immortalised even today and his deeds are sung about in Maharashtra. The barber impersonated Shivaji, allowing him the much needed time to escape from the Adil Shahis.

This is how the story of Shivaji and his barber unfolded.

It was July 13, 1660 and Chatrapathi Shivaji was facing perhaps the toughest time of his illustrious career. Both the Mughals under Emperor Shahajan and the Adil Shahis under Ali Adil Shah had joined forces to take on Shivaji.

The Adil Shahis had a clutch of  formidable generals and they were led by the huge African, Siddi Jahaur and his son-in-law, Siddi Masud Khan. With them was Fazal Khan, son of Afzal Khan whom Shivaji had killed on November 10, 1659 near Pratapgadh fort.

The Adil Shahis were 15,000  strong and they had completely surrounded Panhala, leaving no room for Shivaji to escape. The siege by the Adil Shahis was so tight that it would not be wrong to describe it as an action in which even a fly could not escape.

Try as he might, Shivaji was unable to pierce through the Adil Shahi ranks. To add to Shivaji’s discomfiture, the Mughal General Shaistya or Shaista Khan was attacking the Maratha Empire from the northern side towards Pune.

Even the redoubtable Maratha commander and Shivaji’s Sanapathi Netaji Palkar could not break through the siege from outside. A desperate Shivaji then decided to give a final battle. However, he hit upon a plan and he opened negotiations with Siddi Jahaur.

Siddi Jahaur was so sure that Shivaji would have to surrender that he relaxed the siege and Shivaji soon took advantage and rode away from the fort. However, he realized that unless and until he reached the fort of Vishalgad, he was still in danger. He then asked his barber to impersonate him.

The plan worked and even as Shivaji and his faithful band galloped towards Vishalgadh, the barber-Shiva Khasid-deliberately drew attention to himself. An incensed Siddi Jahaur came after Shiva even as Shivaji and a band of 600 faithfuls led by Baji Prabhu Deshpande rode to safety.

Meanwhile, the Adil Shahi troops captured Shiva Kashid and a few remnants of  the Maratha army. When they were brought before Siddi Jahaur, he soon realised that the Shivaji in front of him was not the man he wanted. He immediately had Shiva Khasid killed and asked his Siddi Masud Khan to go after Shivaji.

Siddi Masud attacked the Marathas at Pavankhind and the incident  is popularly known as the Battle of Pavankhind. The battle was fought in the vicinity of  Vishalgadh near present day Kolhapur.

The Marathas were led by Baji Prabhu Deshpande, while Siddi Masud led the Adilshah forces. The Maratha forces, though heavily outnumbered held the Adilshahi forces till Shivaji reached the fort Vishalgad.

The Marathas managed to defeat Siddi Masud Khan and this was the last major battle between Adilshahi forces and Marathas. Hereafter, the  Marathas came to be recognised as an independent power.

The sacrifices of Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Shiva Kashid is remembered even today. The war and  the escape of Shivaji, the gallantry of the Marathas and the defeat of the numerically superior Bijapur forces are recreated even today when youths trek on the route taken by the Chatrapathi between the forts of Panhala and Vishalgadh. The distance between the two forts is around 70 km.

Both the forts are in Maharashtra. Panala is 18 kms north west of Kolhapur. Incidentally, the descendents of Shivaji ruled from Kolhapur which also happens to be the place where Goddess Padmavathi, the wife of Srinivasa, resides.   

A King who was a Jacobian

Though much has been written about Tipu Sultan and his times, there are still many facets of his life that are not well known.

While everyone knows that Tipu hated the British and tried his best to throw them out of the country, not many know that Tipu wanted to send one of his sons to France for higher education and that he had even approached Frenchmen stationed in Srirangapatna, his capital, for this purpose.

The powers that be at France had agreed to Tipu’s suggestion but they had felt that it would be better if Tipu’s sons learnt French before coming over to France. They had suggested that Tipu’s sons learn French from a tutor in Srirangapatna and then embark to France. 

Another little known fact is that Tipu was one of the founder member of the Jacobian Club of Srirangapatna. A  piece of paper discovered in his library after Tipu’s death on May 4, 1799 in Srirangapatna testified to this fact.

The paper was entitled “Proceedings of a Jacobin Club formed at Seringapatam by the French Soldiers in the Corps commanded by M.Dompart”.

A Scotsman, Capt W Macleod, attested to the authenticity of the paper. The paper listed by name 59 Frenchmen in the pay of 'Citizen Tippoo' as it described the Sultan. It further said that  a gathering of a Primary Assembly was held in Srirangapatna on May 5, 1797, to elect a President, Francois Ripaud, and other officers.

The gathering proclaimed the “Rights of Man”, and Ripaud then  lectured the members on Republican principles. Further deliberations and formalities followed before, on 14th May, the National flag was ceremonially raised and a small delegation were formally received by Tipu.

Tipu, the “Citizen Prince” ordered a salute of 2,300 cannon, all the musketry and 500 rockets, with a further 500 cannon firing from the Fort. A Tree of Liberty was planted in his palace in Srirangapatna on May 15, 1797 and crowned with a Cap of Equality, before Ripaud challenged his co-patriots: “Do you swear hatred to all Kings, except Tippoo Sultaun, the Victorious, the Ally of the French Republic - War against all Tyrants, and love towards your Country and that of Citizen Tippoo.”Yes! We swear to live free or die,' they replied.

Tipu Sultan then became a founder-member of the Jacobin Club. While accepting the membership, he said of France, “Behold my acknowledgement of the standard of your country, which is dear to me, and to which I am allied; it shall always be supported in my country, as it has been in the Republic, my sister!”.

The Sultan was thus named as “Citizen Tipu”. Tipu remained and even now remains the only Indian King who was a member of the Jacobian club. Unfortunately, neither the French nor the club could stave off the British conquest of Srirangapatna and the subsequent death of  the Sultan. When Srirangapatna fell, the Jacobian Club automatically wound up.

Though the Jacobin Club at his court and later in India died down, its influence on France was tremendous. It led to the French revolution and the club was so named after the Dominican convent where its members first met.

In France, the club of thousands of chapters totaling more than 4.2 lakhs members. The club closed down after the fall of Robespierre.

Today, there is no trace of the tree in Srirangapatna. The palace of Tipu is in ruins. Except for the many graves of Frenchmen who fought alongside Tipu, there is no trace of the French connection in Srirangapatna today.

The piece of paper that was found in Tipu’s library is long gone too. However, the ideas of the club found expression in the French revolution and its slogan of liberty, equality and fraternity.

When Rayaru blessed an African

Who has not heard of the story of  Nawab Siddi Masud Khan and Raghavendra Swamy or Rayaru of Mantralaya.

Siddi Masud Khan (1662-1687) was the Governor of Adoni (Adwani), now in Andhra Pradesh, and he held the province as part of the Adil Shahi dominion.

It was at Adoni itself that Siddi Masud Khan first met Raghavendra Swamy and tried to test him by offering him meat on a plate covered with a clothe. Siddi Masud realized the greatness of Raghavendra Swamy when the meat turned into fruits and flowers.

Siddi Masud later gifted Raghavendra Swamy the land at Manchale, which is now better known as Mantralaya. All these facts are more or less well-known as is the fact that Venkanna Pant, a devotee of  Rayaru, was the Dewan of Adoni.

Venkanna had been appointed to the post by Siddi Masud Khan and he continued in the same position even when the Khan went to Bijapur to discharge his duties.

However, not much is known about Siddi Masud Khan or his rule over Adoni. Records available at Bijapur, the Adil Shah chronicles and even Maratha texts when pieced together give a fascinating account of  Siddi Masud Khan, his life and times.

Siddi Masud Khan was not an Indian. He was an African and he belonged to the Siddi tribe.

He was of African descent, a Habshi. He was the son-in-law of Siddi Jahaur, a front-ranking general and commander of the Adil Shahis.  Siddi Jahaur was also the governor of Kurnool, now in Andhra Pradesh. Interestingly, both Siddi Jahaur and Siddi Masud fought Chatrapathi Shivaji as did other Adil Shahi Generals, Afzal Khan and Ranadulla Khan.

Siddi Jahaur was one of the few Bijapur Generals to treat Shivaji with respect. Siddi Masud too was friendly with Shivaji and thanked him when he came to his aid when the Mughals invaded Bijapur.

There is a painting in England of Siddi Masud Khan which is part of the Golconda series of portraits of eminent men.

Masud Khan remained in power until 1683 and he was also the Regent of  the King, Sikander Adil Shah. However, he was disgusted with the internal politics in Bijapur and he returned to Adoni where he soon asserted his independence.

At Adoni, he built a mosque and also a well. Both these structures exists even today. This is the Shahi Jamia Masjid and its architects were Iranian engineers headed by Mallik Sandal. The area of this masjid is as same as of Holy Kabba in Mecca.

The well is called Kamam Bhavi and it was also used for irrigation purposes.

A little known fact about Siddi Masud Khan is that Bijapur would have fallen to the Marathas under Shivaji much before Aurangzeb could conquer the Adil Shahi Kingdom.

It was December 23, 1677 and the Regent of Bijapur, Bahlol Khan, died. His slave and close confidant, Jamshed Khan, seized the reigns of power in Bijapur.

Sikander Adil Shah was then barely nine years of age and he was a mere puppet in the hands of his powerful nobles. Jamshed entered into a secret pact with Shivaji. He agreed to hand over Bijapur to Shivaji and also deliver the boy King to the Chatrapathi for six lakh pagodas.

News of this plot leaked to Siddi Masud Khan and he immediately made plans to safeguard the Bijapur Kingdom. He himself spread a rumour of his death and directed four thousand of his elite troops to go over to Jamshed and seek employment.

Jamshed was only too happy to oblige. Jamshed was a weak and timid person and the arrival of battle-hardened troops were a God send. He recruited all of them. The troops cleverly trapped Jamshed and killed him and Siddi Masud Khan entered Bijapur triumphantly.

Siddi Masud Khan then took over as the Regent of Bijapur and strengthened its defences. Meanwhile, the Mughals under Diler Khan invaded Bijapur and laid a siege of the city. Masud appealed to Shivaji for help, saying that he and Shivaji both had eaten the salt of Adil Shah and that they should form a common front against the Mughals.

The valiant Shivaji agreed at once and he arrived at the gates of Bijapur and began harassing the troops of  Mughals, who subsequently withdrew. A grateful Masud Khan thanked Shivaji for his gesture. Masud Khan, however, withdrew to Adoni and left Bijapur to its fate when he realised that he was no longer welcome in Kingdom. He retired to Adoni on November 21, 1683 on the pretext of visiting his jagir. He left Bijapur, never to come back. He then sent in his resignation to Sikander Adil Shah who then appointed Agha Khusro as the Wazir. However, the Mughals were already knocking on the doors of Bijapur and on September 13, 1686, Sikander Adil Shah walked out of the fort and handed over the keys of Bijapur and the royal insignia to Aurangzeb.

Sikander Adil Shah became a Mughal prisoner and died in captivity in Daulatabad in 1700.

Coming back to Siddi Masud, the Mughal General Firuz Jang on January 25, 1688 attacked Adoni with a head of 25,000 cavalry. On August 6, 1688, Siddi Masud surrendered to the Mughals and he was enrolled as a high ranking commander along with his sons. 

Siddi Masud had thus a meteoric rise and Venkanna attributed it to the blessings of Rayaru.    

He lived and died like a Tiger

Today, May 4, happens to be the day the Tiger of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, was killed in the battle of Srirangapatna, and even 215 years after his death, he still mains a controversial figure, a hero and freedom fighter for some,  a religious bigot and ill tempered person for others.

While many call him the first freedom fighter of India, there are others who say that Tipu (November 20, 1750-May 4, 1799) was dictated by avarice and the prevailing conditions of south India then. They say much of his actions was the result of his ambition to extend his kingdom. Whatever the contradictory stand, the trust lies somewhere between.

At the post, we would first like to remember Tipu as a man who laid down his life. Yes, it is true and there are sufficient historical records to prove that the Sultan did sue for peace but when he found the terms demeaning and humiliating, he decided to go all out for war. “It is far better to live like a Tiger for a day than to live like a jackal for a hundred years”, he said.

The British army was more than 50,000 strong and it was reinforced by troops sent by the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas. Tipu, all put together, had just 30,000 men. The British Army had arrived at Tipu’s capital after defeating the Mysore Army at several places.

Tipu was perfectly aware that the Cauvery would be fordable for all but four months in an year and in May when the British under General Harris mounted an attack on Srirangapatna, the river was just a little more than four feet deep and the northern part of the island fortress was weak. It had only three cannons. Tipu had taken extra precautions to ensure that the British could not enter the fort. He had stationed some of his best troops on the northern part and near the present Water Gate (from where today we go to the bathing ghats of Srirangapatna). Unfortunately, for him when the tome came for Namaz and lunch, he left for his palace which was nearby and this too today is in ruins and it is in front of the Ranganatha Temple.

British and even Indian records indicate that it was sometime around 1 p.m., when a group of British soldiers, 76 to be precise, managed to scale the breach on the northern part and enter the area between two forts. This they managed to do after Mir Sadiq, a minister of Tipu  and a Commander called back the men from guard duty to take their pay.

Mir Sadiq had entered into negotiations with the British. They had promised him the Mysore Kingdom if he joined them and helped them in the war. Tipu had earlier imprisoned Mir Sadiq when he was told about his confidant hobnobbing with the British. Mir Sadiq then had begged for mercy and he had also pleaded innocence, saying that his enemies had poisoned the Sultan’s mind against him. Tipu had pardoned Mir Sadiq and restored him to his position.

Sadiq had all along been in touch with the British and he had given them sufficient information about Tipu, his preparations, supplies and other details. But his greatest act of betrayal was the recall of soldiers and the raising of a flag near the present Water Gate to signal to the British that the coast was clear.

Tipu had pitched his tent here. There were two forts at Srirangapatna. The outer fort and an inner one. In Kannada, this place is called Kalale Doddi as it was constructed by Devaraj, a minister of the Wodeyar dynasty and the Regent of Mysore who hailed from Kalale, a small village near Nanjangud. Tipu had closed this gate around 1793.

Tipu had constructed a temporary shelter here by using curtains and he had pitched four tents around. He had with him his eunuchs, body guards and personal servants. It was from here, he was dictating the course of the war.      

Tipu went back to his palace around 10 a.m., where he took his bath and then came down to the Kalale Doddi. He once again looked out from the ramparts and ordered the soldiers to fill in the breach. He then retired  to his curtained enclosure and he had just taken a morsel when he heard several sounds or rather shouts. When he realized that the British had hoisted the Union Jack on his beloved fort, he  rode into the thick of battle on horseback. He was told that one of his most trusted men, Syed Ghafoor, was killed. Tipu decided against publicising news of the death and asked another able commander, Mohammad Quasim, to take over.

When Tipu saw the British scaling the outer wall and entering the space between the outer and inner fort (there is no trace of the inner fort today It was destroyed by the British in the war and subsequently pulled down), he jumped into the fray. It is here that the second betrayal occurred. Even as he was fighting the British with a band of loyal followers and soldiers, including a few women bodyguards,  the gate of the inner fort as deliberately closed, pinning the Sultan in the narrow space and giving him little room to manouvre.

The British began closing in on the small but fierce band of Mysore soldiers who kept up a relentless defense. They quickly realised that they would have to overcome this band if they were to enter the inner fort. One of the British soldiers managed to shoot Tipu’s horse, which then fell taking its master with it. Tipu’s man servant, Raja Khan urged the Sultan to reveal his identity. To this the Sultan had only a glare and the words, “Are you mad”.  His turban slipped to  the ground and his robes were covered with blood and dust. The British could not make out Tipu from others and he died a martyr’s death.

Once his band was silenced, the British had it easy and by afternoon, the battle was almost over. The British soon entered the town and began ravishing and raping Srirangapatna. By then, there were several rumours floating around about Tipu. Some said he had fled: Others said he was in hiding and that he would launch a fierce counter attack. The British along with Mir Sadiq and others began checking the bodies for Tipu as yet another rumour said he had been killed.

Tipu’s body was identified by his faithful servant, Raja Khan. Even them the British dare not believe that the Tiger was dead. Some among them said they saw the Sultan alive. It was then that Lord Wellesley felt the Sultan’s pulse and declared him dead.

The British immediately summoned a palanquin from the palace and placed Tipu’s body in it. The palanquin was then conveyed to the palace where it was laid in state. He was then given a State burial with the British troops escorting his body to the Place where his father Hyder Ali, was buried.

When Tipu’s body was about to be buried, the skies opened up and it began raining so heavily that one of the British officer,  Lieutenant Richard Bayly of the British 12th regiment wrote, “I have experienced hurricanes, typhoons, and gales of wind at sea, but never in the whole course of my existence had I seen anything comparable to this desolating visitation.”

It seems even Nature had conspired against Tipu. Had the rains struck Srirangapatna a day earlier, there could have been no chance of the British fording the river.

However, one of the most outstanding tributes to Tipu was paid by Sir Walter Scot, the novelist, who referring to the abdication of the throne of France by Napoleon Bonaparte said, “Although I never supposed that Napoleon possessed, allowing for some difference of education, the liberality of conduct and political views which were sometimes exhibited by old Hyde Ali, yet I did think he might have shown the same resolved and dogged spirit of resolution which induced Tipu Sahib to die manfully upon the breach of his capital city with his sabre clenched in his hand.”

What the post would like to say is that unlike other Emperors and Kings, Tipu neither bent nor bowed before the British. He could have entered into a peace treaty with the British and kept his Kingdom. He did not and we have to appreciate this aspect. He fought to the end and he died a martyr’s death. You can love him or hate him, you cannot ignore him. To this day, even more than 200 years after his death, Tipu continues to inflame extreme views and passions. What is lost in this confrontation is his everlasting contribution to Mysore State and the jolt he and his father gave the British several times.    

The only hot water springs of south India

This is the only sulphur hot spring or rather there are two such springs in the whole of south India and it is located in Karnataka.  The hot water spring has a hoary history and Sage Kanva and his disciples are associated with it.

What sets these two springs apart from their Himalayan counterparts is that they are lukewarm and visitors and pilgrims can directly take a dip without the fear of getting scalded or getting skin burnt.

The streaming hot sulphur springs of the Himalayas contrasts sharply with the lukewarm water of these springs and the curative properties they possess.

Another peculiarity of these springs is that they are in a non-volcanic region and they do not possess the large amounts of sulphur that the Himayalan springs do.     

Both these springs are near each other and both are not very largely known outside the district in which they are located. According to a legend, the disciples of Sage Kanva came across the vast forests here with flowing streams and plenty of wildlife. The disciples were transfixed when they noticed lions and tigers lived peacefully and with perfect amity with cattle and other herbivorous animals. All the animals drank water from the pool.

The disciples examined the place and came across the spring of lukewarm water. Charmed by the surrounding, they called it Gopalakshetra. The disciples then built a temple dedicated to Vishnumurthy.

Today, Gopalakshetra is better known as Bendre Theertha or Bendru as the locals call it. It is also known as Irde after the village in which it is located. The theertha is at the confluence of three streams- Chelyadka, Byladi and Bettampadi. added to the religious significance.

Locals consider the Teertha Amavasya day in first week of September to be highly auspicious and the take a dip. Newly married couples also visit this place for a holy bath on that day.  
The Bendre Teertha unfortunately seems to have a little bit of its character, thanks to unimaginative polices of the Government and the lack of concern by local farmers.

The Bendre Teertha is the only hot water spring in South India and it is located off the main road between Sullia and Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district.

Bendre or Bendr in Tulu means hot. The natural spring is a geological wonder and the temperature of the water is due to the geothermal energy emanating from the hot rocks underground that heats up the water table. The heated water has a lower density than normal water, and therefore, it tends to spring out.

The land around Irde or Bendre theertha consists of early Precambrian gneisses granulites and smaller bands of schists. The Precambrian rocks are covered under a blanket of laterites and clays. The laterite-clay cover ranges from less than 10 metres to about 30 metres at different places. The hot water spring is located on granitic gneisses covered by a two meter thick cover of lateritic soils.

The three streams join at right angles and flow into the west flowing Baddanthadka, which is also known locally as Seere. These four water bodies join at approximate right angles. This intersecting configuration shows that the streams are controlled by tectonic factors that have produced mutually intersecting fractures. The chemical analysis data of spring water shows T.D.S. of 424 ppm, SiO2, 80.0 ppm, Cl 60 ppm, HCO3 196 ppm, Mg 21 ppm, SO4 61 ppm, CaCO3 121 ppm, Na 81 ppm, K 7.0 ppm and pH 8.2.

The theertha is close to the intersection of the streams. The flow of water from the spring is quite weak and often dries up in the summer because of lowering of the groundwater table. Air bubbles releasing from the outlet of the spring can be noticed within the pool. The temperature in the pool is about 37º C.
Bendre Teertha is easily accessible from Puttur and there are plenty of private buses. If not, take the road to Sullia and seven kms before Puttur, take a deviation to the left. Drive down eight kilometres and you reach Bendre Teertha.

By the way, there is another thermal or hot spring near Bendre Theertha. This is the hot spring at Panekal near Uppinangady and this too is in Dakshina district.

Both the springs have pH, dissolved oxygen, sulphur content and aquatic hyphomycetes. There were 20 species of aquatic hyphomycetes in Bendre Thirtha and 16 in Panekal. Out of these, nine species were common for both the springs.

The natural thermal spring of Bendre were first scientifically catalogued by Thomas Oldham (1816-1878), an Anglo-Irish geologist. He went about cataloguing the thermal springs of India as early as 1882.

The Panekal spring is about 22 km from Uppinangady and it originates under the crevices of rocks, and forms a small pond, which flows through paddy fields for about half a kilometer before joining Nethravathi.

The forgotten heroes and their forsaken descendents

Chatrapathi Shivaji (1630-1680) had with him a loyal and extremely skilled band of supporters who stood by him through thick and thin. Their tales of valour, devotion and single mindedness in protecting Shivaji and establishing a Hindu Rashtra are the stuff of legends and their names are even today recalled with awe and respect.

The exploits of these men have now become part of Indian folklore and legend. While we do have information about the descendents of Shivaji-his direct descendents continue to live in Satara and the 13^th King, Udayanraje Bhonale, is he thirteenth descendent- there is little or no information about the descendents of Shivaji’s closest followers.

One of the first names that comes to our mind when we go through Maratha history is that of Baji Murarbaji Deshpande (17th century), a  general in the early reign of Shivaji. He is even today widely remembered for his stout defense of the Purandar fort ear Pune against the Mughal General Diler Khan, who accompanied Raja Jai Singh during the campaign.

Thus was in 1665 and Diler Khan, a Pathan, had camped outside the gigantic fort of Purandar. Baji was incharge of the fort and he had just 60 men at his command.

Undeterred by the massive Mughal strength,  Baji stormed the Mughal army, slaying 500 Pathans. The Mughal General stopped the battle midway and directly spoke to Baji, inviting him to join hands with him.

Baji refused and he was killed by an arrow shot by Khan himself. Sandip Potnis, a farmer near Pune, is proud of his ancestry tracing its roots to Baji.
Kaustubh Deshpande is a descendant of Shivaji's Kayastha commander Baji Prabhu Deshpande (1615-1660).  History says Baji Prabhu held off Bijapur General Siddi Jauda's or Siddi Jahaur’s forces for seven hours at the Pawakind mountain pass near Kolhapur, allowing Shivaji to escape. Baji Prabhu was wounded 47 times in the battle.
Today, Kaustubh, a computer professional, is trying to build a monument in his ancestral village Shind as homage to his ancestor. As can be expected , politicians and bureaucrats have shown scant  interest in building the memorial.
The descendants of Jiva Mahale, the bodyguard of Shivaji-who saved the Chatrapathi by killing Bijapur's General Afzal Khan-today lives in poverty. Balkrishna Sapkal, a descendant of Jiva, is paralysed and lives in poverty. A barber, he can no longer work and he lives in a small rented room with his wife near Kondivli
Ranojirao Ghorpade is a grandson of Shivaji's General Santaji Ghorpade.
Santaji belonged to the Ghorpade family and though his year of birth is not exactly known, it is generally put at 1660 AD. He along with his younger brother Bahirji accompanied Shivaji in his Karnataka campaign in 1678.
He was named by Shivaji on his death bed to be among six pillars of Maratha Empire who were tasked to carry out the war against Mughals and the Sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda and to save the Maratha kingdom at all costs. Santaji’s father Mhaloji died in the battle of Sangmeshwar while fighting the Mughals who then captured, tortured and killed Sambhaji.
Santaji’s descendent, Ranojirao, is a farmer in his ancestral village of Kapshi near Kolhapur.

Another farmer Dilip Singh Himmat Bahadur Chavan of Nigwe near Kolhapur is a direct descendent of Vithoji who earned the title of Himmat Bahadur from Shivaji's son Rajaram for his bravery against the Mughals.

Vithoji along with two other Generals Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav also known as Dhanaji Shambhusinha Jadhav (1650–1708) had almost captured Aurangzeb once. They had   once entered Aurangzeb’s camp, plundered it and cut off the penants at its gate.

Dhanaji’s descendent, Vikramsinhraje Jadhavrao, who is also the Raja of Malegaon Budruk near Baramati in Maharashtra, is a builder in Pune.

Jaywantrao Mohite, a retired professional, is the descendent of Hambirao Mohite who was the commander-in-chief of Shivaji's army after the Chatrapathi’s death in 1680. Mohite was the brother of Soyarabai, one of the Queens of Shivaji.

Krishnaraje Rajemahadik and his father Shilsinhraje are descendants of Shivaji's eldest son-in-law Harjiraje Rajemahadik. Even today, their haveli in Tarale near Satara has swords, daggers, spears, silverware and ancient covered carts used by women to travel. Shivaji had visited Tarale for his daughter Ambicabai's wedding.

Another forgotten hero is Balasaheb Jedhe who traces his lineage to Kanhoji Jedhe, the jagirdar of Kari near Pune who backed  Shivaji with 22 chieftains and soldiers in the battle against Afzal Khan.

In the battle of Yelburga in 1677, Kanoji's son Nagoji severed the trunk of the elephant on which Bijapur General Hussain Khan Miyana was riding. Nagoji was subsequently shot dead. Today, Jedhe and his four brothers share 70 acres of land and a haveli.

Padmasenraje Dabhade and his son Satyashil Dabhade are descendents of General Khanderao Dabhade who played a key role in extending Maratha power north of the Narmada during the reign of Shivaji's grandson Sahu.

The Dadhabes now live in a flat in Pune. One of their women ancestors Umabhai Dabhade, the daughter-in-law of Khanderao, led the Maratha Army and won a battle against the Mughals near Ahmedabad..

What we see here is that today’s politicians and governments are very adept at making promises and then conveniently forgetting them. The least they can do is to identify men and families that laid down their lives for the nation and honor them

Counting the canines

Well, well, well. What has India come to. In the next few months officials of  a prominent State will be saddled with the onerous responsibility of  counting the genital organs of sterilised canines.

Though this strange may not entirely be in the line of duty, the officials will have no go but to start counting once payments for sterilization of dogs starts.

This bizarre count will soon take place in Haryana, one of the many states of India. Counting is important because payment will depend on the number of dogs   sterilised and the best and one hundred percent accurate manner of countings is by physical checking.

Thus the payment will depend on the number of sterilization of cannines undertaken and mere filing up of forms or reeling of numbers would not do. This strange move by Haryana is part of a comprehensive scheme to control the population of stray dogs in the state and also ensure accountability by a society which will be exclusively in charge of  the sterlisation programme.
Under the scheme, a Society for Stray Canine Birth Control will soon be set up. Officials of the society will include government functionaries and representatives of animal welfare organisations,   animal health officials and others. They will set up inspection teams that will verify and count genital organs of the sterilised dogs.
The responsibility of sterlising the dogs has been handed over to the State's Department of Animal Husbandary. Once the canines are sterlised, the genital organs will be preserved in formalin solution for the society's inspection team to physically count and verify.
The municipalities will be asked to release money based on the number of genital organs counted. No payments will be made till then.

The society in each civic area will be headed by commissioners of municipal corporations, deputy commissioners and sub-divisional officers. They will be supported by representatives from the public health department, the animal welfare department, veterinarians, the district Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs) and other officials.
This scheme was approved by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda recently after he and his Cabinet colleagues were inundated with increasing complaints of stray dogs creating menace in the state and attacking humans.
The Haryana Government has asked municipalities to set up dog catching teams and if this is not feasible, engage private contractors to catch stray dogs and sterilise them.

The municipalities, in turn, will arrange dog vans with ramps for the capture and  transportation of stray dogs, along with two trained dog catchers. On its part, the animal husbandry department will set up dog sterilisation centres, which will include minor operation theatres (OT) and post-operative recovery rooms for the canines.
Once the dogs are sterilised and immunized against rabies, they  will be kept in kennels for post-operative care, feeding and management till they are fit for release.

Now the question is whether Karnataka too will follow the Haryana model. There have been increasing stray dog attacks in Bangalore and it remains to be seen whether the civic body in Bangalore will go in for such checks to make sure that NGOs which sterlise cannines do their job satisfactorily.

There have been cases filed in the High court of Karnataka seeking judicial sanction to eliminate stray dogs. The High Court has been told of the increasing stray dog menace in Bangalore and the failure of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in taking remedial measures.

A few years ago, the Karnataka Lokayuktha had ordered elimination of stray dogs and this had also been challenged in the High Court by animal rights organisations.  

Meanwhile, the BBMP has shifted the blame on NGOs saying that they are no longer in the field of sterlisation of dogs and if anyone has to be blamed it is the NGOs. The  BBMP says it got 69,149 stray dogs vaccinated or sterilised in 2010-11, while 93,447 dogs were sterilised in 2011-12.

A cure for Kalasarpa Dosha

This is one of the holiest pilgrimage spots of one of the oldest religions of the world. It is barely 54 kilometers away from the royal city of Mysore and yet it is not as widely heard of as other pilgrim centres.

Emperors and Kings patronised the shrine on the hill here and monks and seers performed penance for decades, seeking salvation and nirvana. shrine and pious monks lived here doing their penance for centuries.

The pilgrim centre is all the more famous as Mahaveera, one of the Jain theerthankaras, is believed to have passed through this place, Today, this centre, which is surrounded by lush green forests and captivating wildlife, is slowly emerging from obscurity and it is becoming a major tourist and wildlife attraction.

This is Kanakagiri, one of the holiest of  pilgrim places for the Jains and an unmatched tourist destination which offers a little bit of everything-wildlife, ancient temples, legends and local myths, trekking, Nature and  ever green forests. Add to this good, clean and fairly reasonable accommodation and excellent food at the Jain centre and you have the perfect picnic spot.

Kanakagiri in Chamarajanagar district is 53 Kms away from Mysore and it is adjoining  Maleyuru, the small village which is connected by bus from Mysore,  Nanjangud and Chamarajanagar.

The Kanakagiri hill centuries ago was known as Hemanga Desha and Jain accounts speak of Mahaveera once having passed through this place during his southern sojourn.

What sets this place apart fro other Jain centres such as Shravanabelagola and Moodabidari is its relative seclusion and evergreen surroundings. Set 18 kms from Chamarajanagar, this pilgrim spot was the very place where one of the most famous Jain author, grammarian and scholar, Ācārya Pūjyapāda, lived. The acharya belonged to the Didambara sect of the Jains and before initiation as a Jain ascetic, he was known as Devanandi.

Jains believed and still do that as the Acharya was worshiped by demigods on account of his  scholarship and deep piety, he was named Pūjyapāda.

He was heavily influenced by the writings of his predecessors like Ācārya Kundakunda and Ācārya Samantabhadra. He is rated as among the greatest of the early masters of Jain literature.

He wrote in Sanskrit, in prose as well as verse form. He was a pontiff of the Nandi sangha, which was a part of the lineage of Ācārya Kundakunda. He was the tenth guru of the Sangha. What makes the Acharya and his association with Kanakagiri all the more important to Kannadigas is that he was from a Brahmin family from Karnataka and his parents were Madhava Bhatta and Shridevi.

Ācārya Pūjyapāda was the guru of Emperor Durvinita of the Ganga dynasty and we can, therefore, date his period as having lived between 464 - 524 AD.

He later chose this hillock for his penance and attained salvation here itself. The inscriptions, engravings of footprints, samadhi mantapas and nishadi caves in the hill here throw much light on the heritage of the place as well as the history of Jain religion.

There is an interesting story on how the hill got its name. The Acharya’s nephew Nagarjuna, who lived here, was driven to poverty after the death of his father. He undertook rigorous penance in a cave on the hill and acquired the power to convert everything he laid his hands on into gold. Ecstatic with newly found magical powers, he began to convert the entire hill into gold. However Goddess Padmavathi Devi, who had granted him the boon, prevented him from misusing the boon further and directed him to build a temple.

Nagarjuna then built the present temple of Sri Parshwanatha on the hill. Locals to this day swear that fragments of gold could be seen around the hillock and hence the name Kanakagiri or the hillock of gold. When the temple was completed, it came to be known as Athishaya Kshetra Kanakagiri.

When Hoysala Emperors worshiped here and won a major battle,
they called this place as Vijaya Parshwanatha. The Gangas, Emperors of Vijayanagar and Wodeyar Kings all came here.

Coming to the hill, 370 steps have been cut out from the rock face to enable the devotees to climb up to the hill shrine. A motorable road is also being laid, side by side, to the top. The flight of steps passing through the arches leads to the northern entrance of the temple.
The sanctum has an attractive three foot image of Parshwanatha. The images of Kushmandini and Padmavathi Devi face each other. A rare feature of the images is that the goddesses are believed to be embodiments of Rahu and Kethu respectively.

They are believed to have a special force, Divyashakthi, between them to eliminate the ill-effects of Rahu and Kethu, known as Kalasarpa Dosha. Thus Kanakagiri is the only place where Rahu and Kethu face each other. Thousands of people troubled by planetary effects visit the place and seek solace and solution.

Even Queen Deveerammanni of  the Wodeyars from Mysore visited the temple to find a solution to her problems. Once her problems were solved, she presented a specially made snakehood with the figures of Dharanendra and Padmavathi to the temple.
A walk behind the temple takes you to Nagarjuna Guhe, the cave where Nagarjuna sat in meditation. The pond nearby has fresh water all through the year and this water is used for abhisheka in the temple.

The hill is punctuated by small, pink coloured cells with the footprints of twenty four Jain Thirthankaras. In the centre of the footprints is a large mantapa bearing the footprints of  Pujyapada. The view of the surrounding forests from the top of the hill is panoramic.
The Jain math, at the base of the hill, serves free meals as prasada for all the visitors everyday. Accommodation is also available here.

Maleyuru
Maleyuru village is just three kilometers from Kanakagiri and both share a close bond. It was once one of the important Jain centres in the world and it is well known for its sandalwood.

According to a legend, Princess Jevandara of the Ganga dynasty attained sainthood at the behest of Mahaveera when he visited this place. Many saints undertook penance and attained Kevala Jnana and salvation atop the hill.

Jain ascetics Supratishta Munivarya of Suryapura and Jnanachandra Munivarya preached here to the devotees and thus propagated the principles of Jain religion.

The nearest railway station to approach Kanakagiri is Chamarajanagar.  For accommodation and other details contact  Sri Digambar Jain Mutt, Sri Kshetra Kanakagiri, 571128, Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka: Phone - 91 08226 296786

Nearby is the Survarnavathi reservoir. Large herds of elephants can be seen in the waters of this reservoir during May-June. The scenic beauty of Nature around the dam is breathtaking and is a spot worth visiting.