The dynasty that made Kannadigas proud

They were counted among the four major Kingdoms of the world and Arab travelers lavished praise on the Kingdom. They had for two centuries and more the most powerful army in India and they ruled over large parts of  southern, central and north India.

What makes their achievement all the more significant for Kannadigas is that they were essentially a Kannada Empire.

Their Kings were Kannidagas and Kannada was the mother tongue. Several seminal Kannada works came to be written during the period.

This dynasty was known for its patronage to art and architecture apart from literature between the sixth and the tenth centuries. At its peak, the dynasty controlled more than 17 lakh square kilometers in India, including almost the whole of the Deccan.

The capital of the dynasty was such a magnificent structure that it was said to rival Krishna’s Dwaraka. Sadly, the capital was destroyed and today only a few ruins dot the almost dry and barren landscape.

The few remaining temples that the Kings of this dynasty built are so stupendous that they all have become world heritage monuments. They are in Karnataka and Maharashtra and they attract hordes of tourists.

Unfortunately, their downfall was as sudden as their rise. Centuries later, the Vijayanagars would again hold aloft the Kannada flag but their empire was not the size of this first Kannada Empire that straddled large parts of India.

The earliest known inscription of this dynasty is dated to the seventh century. A copper plate grant of that time mentions that this dynasty-which is known as the Rastrakutas-reigned from Manpur in the Malwa region of modern Madhya Pradesh to entire Karnataka, Maharashtra and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Other ruling Rashtrakuta clans from the same period mentioned in inscriptions were the kings of Achalapur, which is modern Elichpur in Maharashtra, and the rulers of Kannauj. Though several controversies exist regarding the origin of the early Rashtrakutas, their native home and their language was Karnataka and Kannada.

History tell us that the clan that ruled from Elichpur was a feudatory of the Badami Chalukyas and it was during the rule of  Dantidurga, it overthrew Chalukya Kirtivarman the second and went on to build an all India Empire with Bidar and Gulbarga regions its base.

This is how the Kingdom came to be known as the Rastrakutas of Manyakteha, which today is known as Malkhed. The Rastraukta first came to prominence in 753 and they were engaged in bitter rivalry with the  Palas of Bengal and the Prathiharas of Malwa. All the three held on to Kannauj for some time and their wars against each other weakened them.

Three Arab visitors came to India during the Rastrakuta overlordship and  the Arabic text, Silsilatuttavarikh (851),  labels the as  one of the four principal empires of the world.

At their peak, the Rastrakutas of Manyakheta ruled a vast empire stretching from the Ganga  and Yamuna in the north to Cape Comorin in the south. The early Rastrakuta kings were Hindus, while the later embraced Jainism.

One of the most famous rulers, Amoghavarsha, the first, wrote Kavirajamarga,  one of the first literary work in Kannada. The Rasrakutas built the Kailashnath temple in Ellore, the Elephanta caves near Mumbai and the Kashivishvanatha temple and the Jain Narayana temple at Pattadakal in Karnataka. All of them are world heritage sites.

The earliest ancestors of the Rastrakutas go back in history to the times of Emperor Ashoka  in the 2nd century BC.

However, the connection between the several Rashtrakuta dynasties that ruled in northern and central India and the Deccan between the 6th and 7th centuries is yet to be established.

Sulaiman (851), Al Masudi (944) and Ibn Khurdadba (912), all Arab travelers, lavished praise on the Rastrakutas and it was Sulaiman who called them one among the four great contemporary empires of the world.

According to Al Masudi and Ibn Khordidbih, “most of the kings of Hindustan turned their faces towards the Rastrakuta king while they were praying, and they prostrated themselves before his ambassadors. The Rastrakuta king was the King of kings who possessed the mightiest of armies and whose domains extended from Konkan to Sind.”

Since the Rastrakutas successfully captured Kannauj, levied tribute on its rulers and also ruled over large parts of Central and north India, their two century era could also be called the “Age of Imperial Karnataka”.

They disappeared as a central figure in Indian polity sometime in 982. Their capitals, Manyakheta in Gulbarga district and Mayurkhindi in Bidar district are today in ruins. The Rastrakutas are almost forgotten today and few are even aware in Karnataka-the land of Kannadigas-that they were perhaps the first to take the Kannada flag right upto the Himalayas.    

Nalanda of the South

A few days ago, one of  the contributors to the blog Samyuktha Harshitha, waxed eloquent about Taxila and said he would be writing about the world’s first University.

The contributor went on and on about Taxila and he regretted that the south did not have any institution to match Taxila or even lesser known institutions. He also regretted that all the well-known universities of yore-Nalanda, Taxila were in the north and that the South did not have any such institution of higher learning.

Well, when he began showering superlatives, I felt enough was enough and decided to bring him down to earth with a thud. While acknowledging the role of Nalanda and Taxila, I pointed to him that Karnataka too had an excellent and well-known institution of higher learning and that for several centuries it was considered to be a hallowed place of learning and excellence.

While the contributor looked askance, I gently reminded him that Karnataka has a glorious past and that it was the seat of some of the most outstanding kingdoms and personalities not only in the country but also the world.

Coming back to the topic, I reminded the contributor that he had either forgotten or had not heard of the university of excellence in north Karnataka.

This university was patronized by the Chalukyas of Kalyan and it attained such dizzing heights that people from all over south India made a beeline to the institution.

This was the Nagayi Ghatikasthana of  Chittapur which is situated just three kilometers south-east of Chittapur in Gulbarga district. The Nagayi Ghatikasthana was a residential university and it attained the pinnacle of its fame during the reign of Vikramaditya VI of Kalyan Chalukyas.

The institution not only imparted education, but it had one of the best stocked libraries ever. More importantly, the library was managed by a professional and it had scores of books on almost all topics, including Vedas, Shastras, Upanishats, Puranas, Ganitha, Vyakarna and Tarka.

Nagayi was an agrahara during the period of the Sathavahanas who ruled over a vast empire, including parts of Gulbarga district, during the second and third centuries. The number of Brahmins and scholars settling down in Nagayi increased and slowly schools to teach sprang up. Over time, it became an educational hub and during the times of the Kalyan Chalukyas, it transformed formally into a hub of teaching and centre of education.

Five inscriptions have been discovered here and they all belong to the Kalyan Chalukyas. The oldest inscription is the one on a pillar, in the compound of the Aravattu kambada gudi or temple of temple of 60 pillars.

According to this inscription, Dandanayaka Madhuvapparasa constructed the temple in 1058 AD as tripurusha sale.

Another inscription and this one is dated to 1086 AD also gives information relating to grades of education.
The university at Nagayi Ghatika taught students all the important branches of ancient Indian higher education and they included the vedas, Puranas, Samhitas, vyakarana, vedanga, sastra, poetry, drama, music and fine art.

The university had among its students scholars, members of royal families, diplomats and students from other prestigious sections of society.

The university had limited the intake of students to 250. Of them,  200 were for the Vedic branch and 50 for the Shastric branch. Students and teachers lived in the residential campus which offered  free boarding and lodging facilities. There were different grades of scholars such as Ekadandi, Tridandi, Snataka, Brahmachari, Hamsa, Paramahamsa and Anushthani. The members of all these grades resided in designated quarters.

The university had set up exclusive maths to teach students and scholars Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvanaveda and Vedanga.
The Ghatika had a systematic staff pattern. There were six teachers for 250 students. While three teachers taught Bhattadarshan, Nyasa and Prabhakar Commentary, the other three taught the vedas. It had one Saraswati Bhandari  or a librarian.

The Ghatika was constructed adjoining the Rama Teertha, a fairly large tank of perennial streams that never went dry.

Apart from Nagayi, the district of Gulbarga was home to more than 30 Agraharas and almost all of them were centres of learning.

The place today is full of temples, inscriptions, ancient statues of various gods, water tanks, and wells. In recent years, treasure hunters have started ravaging the area.
The famed Yellamma temple here is visited by pilgrims from all over the district and the State. The Yellamma of Nagayi was the family deity of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. Marriages are often celebrated in this temple.

Chittapur is well connected by bus and private transport from Gulbarga and other places in north Karnataka. Neither the Tourism Department nor the Archaeological Survey of India have taken care to preserve, protect and popularise the Nalanda of the South.

The first dryland forest of south India

It is south India’s first dry land forest and though it is in Karnataka, it is nearer from Hyderabad than Bangalore. Located in an extremely hot and dry climate, it is the only area in this vast and arid region to share many features of the Western Ghats.

Though the area in the Karnataka side have already been a forest, a little piece of land bordering  the forests between the two states pf Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have become the bone of contention with each state claiming right over it.

The dry land forests are not only home to some native species of wildlife but also to Lambani or Lamani tribes who live in small settlements called Thandas.

This is Chincholi in Gulbarga district and it was only last year that 134.88 sq km area of Chincholi forest on the Karnataka side was declared as South India’s first dry land wildlife sanctuary.

The area was formally notified as a forest on November 28, 2012 to protect the prime wolf and hyena habitat here which is spread over the two districts of Gulbarga and Yadgir.

Named as the Chincholi wildlife sanctuary, the Forest Department considers the areas to be ecologically sensitive. Though it has a canopy cover of just about 0.40 per cent, it is the only area in the entire Hyderabad-Karnataka region comprising Gulbarga, Yadgir, Bidar and Bellary to share certain similar features with the forests of  the Western Ghats.
The forests cover 13,488.31 hectare area (ha) or (134.88 sq km area) over five blocks, the Chincholi forest block comprising of 11,985.62 ha, Sangapura forest block comprising of 688.39 ha, Bhonsapur forest block comprising of 317.59 ha, Magdumpur forest block comprising of 327.67 ha and Shadipur forest block comprising of 169.04 ha.

There are 30 Lambani Thandas in the region and they mainly depend on forest produce for their livelihood. Medicinal herbs and sandalwood trees, red sanders and floral species like Anogessus Latifolia, Chloroxylon, Bosweellia Serrat and Madhuca Indica are widely scattered.  
Apart from the wolf and the hyena, the forest is known to house wildlife like panther, boar, antelope, black buck, common fox, fruit bat, snakes and mongoose. Orinthologists have recorded over 35 species of birds, including Rollers, Wagtails, Bee eaters, Jacanas kite, oriole, black drongo, blossom-headed parakeet, pigeon and grey patridge.

The wolves are classified as a major carnivore in north Karnataka and they are known as Canis lupus pallipes. They generally prey on black bucks. Since wolves are   

The forest is unique as it has the large Chandrampalli dam along with four smaller dams. The man made island of  the large dam is worth a visit. The forest area covers 28 villages. The large dam and the island are ideal for trekking and picnic.   
The wildlife sanctuary covers the forest areas of 28 villages of Chincholi taluk.

If you like to trek to the forests, the easiest and the best route is from Chandrampalli village. There is small Hanuman temple with a Nandi located on an adjoining hill. You can trek from here to the highest point in the forest.

The forest does not include 150 to 200 hectares in Sangapur village, over which both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are locked in a dispute.

Chandrampalli is 140 km from Hyderabad. Gulbarga is 578 kms from Bangalore. Chandrampalli is five kms from Chincholi, a taluk headquarters.

You can also visit several nearby places such as Harkud Channabasaveshwara Temple in Chincholi, Mulla Mari river  which is also called Dodda Phul bridge, the Chandrampalli Dam itself, Nagaral dam near Chimmanchode, Yettipota falls near Vantichinta and Bhoga Devara Ghat near Chincholi.

The forests that continue across the border and in Andhra Pradesh are called as Konchavaram. The Ettipothe or Yettipota falls is a small one but very beautiful. During rainy season, water falls from a height of 25 feet. Many small streams in the forest flow to the Mulla Maari river.  
The dam across the river Mulla Maari is another picnic spot. One side of the dam offers a fantastic view of the water, while the other side is bordered by a forest. Boating is popular here.

The Lamanis are a nomadic tribes of north Karnataka and they are as famous in India as the Maghyars or gypsies of Roma in Hungary, Europe. These Lambanis have their own customs and traditions and they live a simple life. Interact with them if you are interested in social sciences or anthropology.

Wolves attacking people particularly children are very common in Gulbarga district. Take care not to stray deep into the forest. Trek in groups  or keep to the trail marked out by the forest department officials.      

There are direct trains and buses from Bangalore and almost all other places in Karnataka to Gulbarga. From Gulbarga, take a bus or hire a private transport vehicle to Chincholi.

Summers are pretty hot and it is advisable to wear a hot and carry plenty of sun cream and bottles of water and juice.   

A masterpiece of Indian jurisprudence

Even today, it is considered to be a masterpiece on Indian jurisprudence. Written more than ten centuries ago, it has stood the test of time rather the test of the law.

This book on jurisprudence is so comprehensive that but for minor changes, the laws in India relating to Hindu joint family, distribution of property, property rights, stree dhana (women property), and succession are still governed by it.

No wonder, eminent jurists and research scholars swear by the book. It does not mater to them that the book is not contemporary and that it was written at a time when there was no country called India.

This is the Mitakshara, a book on law written by Vignaneshwara, a Kannadiga. Though it was written down during the period of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyan (Basavakalyan), its tenets and rules are still being debated almost every day in courts not only in Karnataka but all over India.

An authority on Hindu Nyaya Shastra, Vignaneshwara is said to have based Mitakshara on the Yagnvalkya Smruthi. The book has today become the most authoritative tract for its simple and humanitarian interpretation of complex laws, including the Hindu code.
The Mitakshara law is still preserved in epigraphic form in Martur village, 22 km from Gulbarga. Stone inscriptions dating back to  1124 AD obtained from Kalingeshwara temple of Martur note that Vignaneshwara lived in the court of  the Chalukyan Emperor Vikramaditya (1076-1126 AD).

Acknowledged as the Bible for Indian jurisprudence, Mitakshara has now been widely acknowledged even in the West. It mainly  deals with property, inheritance, procedure and succession and it is still used as a standard reference for interpretation of Hindu law in India.

Vignaneshwara was born in the village of Martur. Soon after he wrote the legal treatise, it became the standard all over India except in Bengal and Assam where the Dayabhaga prevailed. The Mitakshara is a commentary on only one Smriti called Yajnavalkya Smriti, whereas Dayabhaga is a digest of all the Smritis.

Mitakshara was certainly not a law mandated by Parliament. In fact, in those days there was no Parliament and the law consisted of treatises of learned jurists. Mitakshara was accepted as an authoritative text on Hindu law due to its scholarship, logical analysis and the intellect of its author.

The bifurcation of  Mitakshara and Dayabhaga was due to two different interpretations given to a single word “sapinda”. Manu has written that when a man dies, his property goes to his nearest sapinda. The question is, therefore, what is the meaning of the word sapinda.

According to Dayabhaga, pinda means the rice balls which are offered in the Shraddha ceremony to one’s deceased ancestors. On the other hand, according to the Mitakshara the word pinda does not mean the rice balls offered at the Shraddha ceremony at all but it means the particles of the body of the deceased.

The term sapinda as used in the Smritis and by the commentators before Vijnaneshwara meant only those connected with the funeral obligations. Vijnaneshwara's definition of  sapinda as one connected by the particles of the same body was apparently unknown to any previous commentator. He cites no Smriti in support of his view, but only the Vedic texts on the theory of heredity which do not mention pinda or sapinda at all. 

Vignaneshwara abandoned the theory of connection through the rice-ball offering and accepted the theory of transmission of constituent particles.

When Emperor Vikramaditya read the treatise, he touched the feet of this man to salute him. The inscriptions on a stone plaque, dated 1124 AD, found at the Kalingeshwara Temple in Martur village, 18 kilometres from Gulbarga, say:

“Ariraya Mukuta Tadhita Charanan-enalu

 Negabdi Vikramankana Ratnokara

 Nichita Mukuta Tadhita,”

meaning “When Emperor Vikramaditya bent down to salute Vignaneshwara, the Emperor’s jewelled crown touched the feet of Vignaneshwara”.

This was the respect and regard that Vignaneshwara commanded during his time.

Till 1932, little was known about when and where Vignaneshwara lived, and where he wrote his Mitakshara. The credit of discovering the time and place of Vignaneshwara goes to Prof. P. B. Desai of  Dharwad.

In the journal, Prachina Karnataka: Hosa Belaku (Historical Karnataka: New Light), he wrote about a stone inscription at Kalingeshwara Temple at Martur, which discloses that Vignaneshwara was a Kannadiga and that he was born at Masemadu village in Bidar district.

Eminent Epigraphist Dr. Sitaram Jagirdar took out a paper impression of the Martur inscriptions and published its contents. He says that Martur was the place of work of Vignaneshwara and in recognition of his merit and contribution, the jurist was gifted lands and honoured by Emperor Vikramaditya.
Vignaneshwara’s earlier name was Kancha and he was the son of Somaraj and Bhagyavanithe. His wife’s name was Kethikabbe. Of his four sons, Beethiraja constructed the temples of Shiva and Mahadeva at Martur.

It is at the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Martur that Vignaneshwara wrote his treatise. The temple still exists.

This Google is in Karnataka

Well, if you are in India, particularly in Karnataka, Google cannot be in the United States (US). It is very much in Namma Karnataka and it dates back to several centuries. Yes, this Google is much older than the Google company, the Google search engine or any of its Google-related products.

The Indian Google is perhaps the only one with the name that dates back to early 13^th century. Perhaps, Google had not heard of it or else I doubt whether it could kept the name without getting into copyright or trade mark issues.

The Google that I have been talking about here is a tiny village in Gulbarga district of Karnataka. The village with the Google name does not have any connectivity to boast. It may not even have a handful of people who are familiar with Internet connectivity as it is classified among the most backward villages of the district.

The village is on the banks of the Krishna and it is more than 500 kms from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka.

The story of Google, of course Namma Google, goes back to several centuries. The Sharana poet and saint of the 12^th century, Allama  Prabhu, had stayed at this village en route from Basava kalian to Srisailam. (Basava kalyan is in Gulbarga district, while Srisailam is in Andhra Pradesh.)

Allama Prabhu was a pioneer of the Lingayat movement and he was going to Srisailam to see the Mallikarjuna temple there. He is also believed to have stayed and meditated at a place near Srisailam called  Kadali Vana.

When he came to the village, he stayed for sometime at an underground cave which was called Gavi Kallu (cave of  stone or rock). In later years, the name transformed to Gavigallu and later to Gavigal, Guhagallu and nor Googallu.

Even today you can see the cave in which Allama Prabhu stayed.

There is a temple atop the underground cave. Devotees and visitor have to bend and crawl through a gap to enter the cave.

An idol of Allama Prabhu is installed in the cave.

There is another legend about the origin of the name of the village. Locals say the rocks around the village emit a musical sound when the are struck. Thus the name of the village was Kooguva Kallu (rocks that sing). The Helavas, who stayed in the village, went around telling people about the rocks or Kooguva Kallu. Over time, it became Kugukallu and Googukalu and now Googallu. In English, the name of the village is spelt as Google.

Ashoka and the Temple of Chandralamba

I studied in Karnataka University Dharwad and one of my classmates was from Gulbarga. Karnataka University when I studied included colleges in Gulbarga and Bidar districts.

Both my friend and I were part of the University cricket team and on one of the matches, we had to play in Gulbarga.

Though the match was played over three days, I stayed back with my friend for a few more days. It was during these free days that I went around the towns and cities I visited and read up the history of the place. This habit of mine earned the ire of the head of department and my parents were summoned and told about the shortage of attendance.

Well, back to the story of Gulbarga. My friend took me to the temple of Chandralamba in Sannati. He told me that the temple is as famous as the other ruins in the small village.

Sannati is located between Yadgir and Kanaganahalli and it stands on the banks of the Bheema river. Till the 1990s the only place of interest in the village of Sannati was the temple of Chandralamba and a few other temples.

An unusual event changed the face of the village forever and earned it worldwide attention.  The roof of the Chandralamba Temple collapsed in 1986 and a part of it fell on the idol. When the idol and other places in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple were being cleaned up, the pedestal on which the idol of Chandralamba stood had some carvings.

When the pedestal was removed from the place and examined, it was found to contain inscriptions in Prakrit written in Brahmi script.

Epigraphists were stunned to know that it was an Ashokan inscription. One of the panels, discovered subsequently, had a carving of Ashoka seated on a throne. This is perhaps the only pictorial representation of India’s greatest Emperor.

I saw both the pictorial representation and the Ashokan edict. The edict is at the entrance of the ruins near the temple and it speaks about religious tolerance. The pictorial representation talks of Raya Ashoka.

Further excavations by archaeologists led to the unearthing of  the remnants of a huge stupa called Maha Stupa believed to have been constructed by Ashoka. The Stupa and other Buddhist remains are more than 2000 years old.

Historians say after Ashoka, the stupa was renovated and maintained by the Sathavahana emperors. Centuries later, the stupa came to be destroyed and many materials were used in the construction of other buildings in the area. This perhaps explains why the pedestal was a Buddhist epigraph,          

The site where the stupa stood still being excavated. As of now, it has yielded a lot of artifacts dating to the period of Ashoka and other Maurayan emperors. Many of the inscriptions and edicts discovered here are now housed in the Gulbarga museum.

The entire area of the Maha Stupa and other Buddhist buildings covered more than 210 acres. Only a few acres have bee excavated till now. The entire area is now called Ranamandala.

I then turned my attention back to the 800 year old Chandralamba Temple which is situated at the bend of the Bheema river.

It is circular in shape and dedicated to a devi who is believed to be an incarnation of Lakshmi. This temple is unique as it is built in the Kerala style of architecture. 

The courtyard of the temple is huge and it can easily accommodate 2,000 people at one time.

The priest there told me an interesting legend of Chandralamba. A King of the area, Rajasena, had a beautiful daughter called Chandrala. The King organised a Swayamavara for Chandrala Many process came in the hope of winning the hand of the beautiful princess. The king said he would give the hand of his daughter to the Prince who passed a test.

The test was this. The princes would have to look into the reflection of water and shoot down a pillar. No prince could complete the task.

This worried Rajasena and he prayed to the Gods. One night, a Goddess came in his dreams and told him that a person called Narayana Muni would come and succeed in the challenge.

Narayana came, saw and conquered both the pillar and the princess. They were married and when they left the area, Sethu Raya saw Chandrala and fell in love. While Chandrala ran into the Someshwara temple to escape the evil designs of  Raya, her husband went to Hingula in Afganisthan to seek the blessings of Goddess Hingulambike, an incarnation of  Lakshmi.

The Goddess agreed to help Narayana but put forth a condition. Do not turn around and see if I am following you, she warned. Narayana agreed and both of them began their journey from North to South.

Narayana always took care not to see back. He heard the sound of the anklets worn by the Goddess. When they both reached Shahabad, he failed to hear the sound of anklets Alarmed, he turned back and The Goddess turned inst stone.

When Narayana prayed to her to come to his rescue, the Goddess said she could not move further. However, she gave him a coconut and asked Narayana to break it near Sethu Raya’s palace.

Nartayana went to Sannati and broke the coconut. Bees came out of the coconut and attacked Sethu Raya, who ran screaming in fear from the palace. Finding no way to escape from the stinging bees, the king jumped into the Bheema only to drown.

Even today, you can see the Setu Raya Maduvu near the river. Well, to complete the story, Chandrala became one with God. She had gone into the Someshwara temple to do penance. This is the story of Chandralamba Temple.

Chandralamba is believed to be another incarnation of Lakshmi and she is the family deity of lakhs of Brahmin and Hindu families in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Sannati is also the place where Markendaya Rishi meditated and composed Markendaya Upanishads. I saw a small temple here where it is believed that Markendaya wrote parts of the Upanishads.

By the way, there is a small temple dedicated to Chandralamba in Hongunti. It is called Hongunti Hingulambike.      

Sannati is nearer to Hyderabad which is 231 kms than Bangalore. Yadgir in Gulbarga district is just 31 kms from Sannati. Gulbarga itself is 60 kms away. This place can be reached by train from Wadi junction or Nalwar station. You can also stay at Shahapur and drive down to Sannati.

Yeregol is also nearby. This is the place where Jaya Theertha or Teeka Char wrote all his commentaries in a cave. Malked, which has the Brindavana of Jaya Theertha and his guru, Akshoba Theerth and other Madhwa saints is also near.

The only known Chandralamba temple outside Sannati is in Jayanagar Bangalore. The temple founders are Dr. S. R. Rao, archaeologist, and his wife Kamala Rao. It is called Lakshmi Chandrala Parameshwari Temple and it was consecrated in June 1999.

It is located between 20 and 22nd Main, 32nd cross, 4th T Block, Jayanagar. There is a Ganesha and Shiva Temple next to the Chandralamba Temple. The Temple is off 18th Main bus stop. Ask for HOPCOPMS outlet or BBMP office if you are confused. The temple is behind these offices.  

Let me end the story with what happened after I returned to Dharwad. I wads called by the head of the department and reprimanded for being frequently absent from class. All play and no study is dangerous I was told. I was warned not to repeat such acts and allowed to take the examinations, much to the relief of my parents.