The second of the three Rangas

The second of the three Rangas is the Ranganatha Temple at Shivanasamudra.

Shivanasamudra is the smallest of the three islands of Srirangapatna, Shivanasamudra and Srirangam. The idol here and the temple too is the smallest among the three.

Shivanasamudra is not only a religious centre but also a historical one. It is also the place where one can see two beautiful waterfalls-Gganachukki and Barachukki and the power generating station.

Shivanasamudra is accessible by road from several places, including Bangalore, Mysore, Mandya, Malavalli and Chamarajanagar.

Since we are writing about seeing the three rangas in a day, we will confine ourselves to the journey from Srirangapatna to Shivanasamudra.

A small town in Mandya district, Shivanasamudra forms the boundary to Chamarajanagar district. Several decades ago it was called Heggur. It has the distinction of having Asia’s first hydro electric power station. This happened way back in 1902. The western branch of the Cauvery forms the twin waterfalls of Gaganachukki, whereas the eastern branch is the Bharachukki falls. The Gaganachukki waterfalls are best viewed from the Shivanasamudra watch tower.

The Madhya Ranga is a small but beautiful temple. The idol is also known as Jaganmohan Ranga. The Someshwara temple nearby has a idol of Meenakshi. It is also called Meenakshi temple. There is a Srichakra here believed to have been consecrated by Shankaracharya.

The journey from Srirangapatna to Madhya Ranga takes a little over an hour. The nearest railhead is Maddur.

There are scores of  pilgrim and tourist places around Shivanasamudra. They can be covered in a day or two. It is better to have your own transport as some of the places are way off the tourist map. Let me start with some better known tourist places.

Shimsha

This is near Shivanasamudra but it is not as well known as the former. There is a beautifully located Inspection bungalow overlooking the deep Shimsha valley where the river Shimsha joins the Cauvery. You can reach this place by the road that branches off from the main Maddur-Malavalli-Kollegal road

Talakad

This is the lost town of the Gangas. It was once the capital of the Gangas till the Cholas overan it (It was during the Gangas that the statue of Gomata was built at Shravanabelogala).

Several temples here are buried under sand. The architecture of the temples is awesome. It is at this spot that Alamulu, the wife of the Vijayanagar Viceroy of Srirangapatna, cursed Raja Wodeyar. The curse said Wodeyars will not have any male heirs: that Malagni will transform into a whirlpool and that Talakad will be buried under sand.

The Pathaleshwara, Maruleshwara, Arkeshwara, Vaidyanatheshwara and Mallikarjuna temples represent the five lingas and consequently the five faces of Shiva. Hence, Shiva here is called Pancha Pathi and the Panchalinga Darshana is held once in 12 years. The last such event was held in 2009.

The Cauvery here is fairly deep and it is dangerous to venture into the middle. There are plenty of guides to help you around the temples.

Talakad is 45 kms from Mysore and 133 kms from Bangalore. Talakadu is 27 kms from Shivanasamudra. It is on the left bank of the Cauvery. It is here that the East flowing Cauvery changes course. Therefore, there are many whirlpools.

Somanathapura

Twenty five kms from Talakadu and 35 kms from Mysore is Somanathapura which has one of the most exquisite Hoysala temple dedicated to Somanatheswara or Chennakshava. The temple was built by Soma, a Dandanayaka  or commander in 1268 when Narasimha, the third, was the Hoysala Emperor. This is the last major temple of Hoysala dynasty.

The Temple is built on a raised platform so that the devotees can perform pradakshina of the temple. It is stellar in shape and the outer walls are beautifully carved.

Mudukuthore 

This is a pilgrim centre on the banks of the Cauvery. It is 48 km from Mysore, 25 km from Somanathapur, 18 kms from T. Narsipura and very close to Takalad. The temple of Lord Mallikarjuna is one of the Pancha Linga temples.

It is believed that Arjuna, the Pandava, stayed here and he consecrated the Shiva Linga here. Every year during January and February, a week-long festival and fair is organised where cattle and agricultural products are traded. This fair attracts thousands of people.

The place is called Mudukuthore (break and turn) as the Cauvery here takes a turn.

T Narsipura

Tirumakudalu Narasipura or T Narsipura is the only place in south India to host Kumba Melas. A small town in Mysore district, it is situated at the confluence of three rivers-Cauvery, Kabini and Spatika Sarovara or the mythical underground river.

The Skanda Purana rates T Narsipura as one of the Trimakuta Kshetras  or holy places with the confluence of three rivers. The word Narasipur  comes from the famous Gunja Narasimhaswamy temple that is located on the right bank of the Kabini.

This is just 14 kms from Somanathapura and five kms from Takaladu.

Sosale

This is an important religious centre and it houses the Sosale Vyasa Raja Matha. It is one the left bank of the Cauvery. This Vyasa Raja matha is distrinct from the Abbur or Kundapura Vyasaraja Matha. The Abbur Matha is headquartered at Abbur near Chennapatna. The renowned Madhwa seer, Vyasa Raja, (1447-1539) visited this place. The matha has brindavanas of nine saints and hence it is called Nava Brindavana. (Do not confuse this with the Nava Brindavana at Hampi). It is 3 kms from T. Narsipura.

Bannur

This is another small town in Mysore district. It is famous for its sheep called Banur sheep. Not many know that this is the place where the great Madhwa sage, Vyasa Raja, was born.The place where he was born is now the Vyasa Raja Matha. There is a small idol to show the place where he was born in 1447.

The Kodandarama temple and theYoga Narasimha temples here are outstanding.

Bannur is 34 kms from Takaladu, 64 kms from Mysore and 14 kms from Sosale.

Kollegal

You will come across this town when you head from Shivanasamudra to Srirangam. Kollegal is in Chamarajanagar district and it is a well-known silk centre.  Kollegal is the main junction where you can Salem, Coimbatore, Ooty, Mysore, Bangalore, Shivanasamudra and Kozhikode. Chamarajanagar at 30 kms away is the nearest railhead.

Kollegal is 30 kms away from BR Hills and it has easy access to MM hills and several forest and picnic spots. There are many temples in Kollegal.

Shivanasamudra isjust 15 kms away. Maradi Gudda in Kollegal is a famous place as is the Gundal reservoir.   

Maddur

Today, this town on the Bangalore-Mysore highway is known for its Maddur vada. This is in Mandya district and it is 19 kms from Mandya city and 81 kms from Bangalore. It is a little over 40 kms from Shivanasamudra.

The Ugra Narasimha Temple has sannidhis for Ugra Narasimha,  Sowmya Nayaki, Narasimha Nayaki,  Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman, Yashoda, Krishna, Srinivasa and the alwars.

The temple is unique and Yashoda is seen breast feeding Krishna in the sanctum. Brahma is seen held from Krishna's nabhi.

Arjuna wanted Krishna to give him a darshan of  Narasimha.  Krishna advised Arjuna that he would be able to see Narasimha as he was a Ugra (angry) avatar. He, therefore, requested Brahma to craft a stone replica of Ugra Narasimha. This was installed in Maddur temple andArjune had his wish fulfilled.

In earlier days,  Maddur was called Arjunapuri as Arjuna worshipped in this temple. Later, Kadamba rishi came and worshipped here.

Another famous temple is that of  Varadaraja Swamy which was by the Hoysala Emperor Vishnuvardhan. The Emperor’s  mother was blind and Ramanujacharya, the Srivaishnava saint philosopher, asked Vishnuvardhana to take his mother to Kanchi Varadarajaswamy temple for curing her blindness.

As she was too old to travel, Varadaraja came in the dream of t Vishnuvardhana and ordered him to construct the temple in Maddur itself. The king got artistes from Kanchi and created the idol of Sri Varadaraja. After the installation of the idol, a mandala pooja -48 days pooja- was perfoemed and on the forty eighth day when the Emperor’s mother came to worship the God, her eyesight was restored. The Varadaraja here is also called as Nethra Narayana.

Kokrebellur

Very near Maddur (13 kms away and 95 kms from Bangalore) is the world famous bird sanctuary of Kokre Bellur. This is just off the Bangalore-Mysore road.  During October and November every year, the village of Kokre Bellur transforms into a home to migratory birds. Flocks of painted storks (ibis leucocephalus) and spot billed pelicans (pelecanus philippenis) come here to build their nests and rear their young. The trees are always swarming with storks and pelicans.

Malavalli

The presiding deity of Marehalli Temple here Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy (Perumal Narasimha who is in a sitting posture with Lakshmi on his lap).

The deity is a chaturbhuja – having four hands. The ancient temple is enormous in size. A canal carrying Cauvery water runs in front of the Temple.

Bhimana Kindi

This is natural rock formation. It is located at Bhimana Kindi in Malavalli taluk of Mandya district. The arch formation of the rock is over the hill. It is a breathtaking place near Kanchina Halli village. It is on the Chennapatna route via Halaguru.

Muthathi

Muthathi or Muttatti is on the banks of the Cauvery near Malavalli.  It is surrounded by dense forest which is the home of the Cauvery  Wildlife Sanctuary. Muthathi is associated with Seetha, Rama and Hanuman. Many animals such as deer, elephants, squirrels and several species of birds can be spotted. The river here has several   whirlpools and powerful currents which have led to the deaths of several people. In the last three years, 108 people have died here and of them Bangalore accounts for 85.

Muttatti is 40 kms from Malavalli.

Bhimeswari

One of the world’s best angling camps is in Bheemeswari which is in Malavalli taluk. This also called Cauveri fishing camp. It is regared as a perfect picnic and fishing spot for masheer near Muthathi. Bheemeswari is located in between Shimsha and Mekadatu.  You can easily spot crocodiles, wild boars, jackals, leopards and birds. This place is a natural habitat for Masheer fish.

The Jungle Lodges and Resorts operate resorts here.

Chennapatna

Seventy two kilometers away from Shivanasamudra and twenty kms from Maddur is the toy town of Chennapatna. This is a famous silk centre and it is also called as Toy town as it manufactures a variety of wooden toys. The toy industry was first introduced here by Tippu Sultan.

Chennapatna is known for some of the finest temples. Ramanujacharya consecrated the Varadaraja (Srinivasa) temple here. The Madhwa saint, Vyasa Raja, also built a Srinivasa temple here. Both the temples are near to each other.

Near Chennapatna is the Apremaya Swamy Temple. Rama, Lakshmana and Sita came here during their Vanavasa. The Srinivasa idol here is magnificent and there are several legends about it. There is an idol of Krishna which is called Ambegallu Krishna. Purandara was so enraptured by it that he burst into a song “Jagododarana”.

Abbur

There are several other places like Abbur which houses the Brindavana of  Bramanye Theertha and it belongs to the Abbur or Kundapura Matha. Nearby is the cave or Guhe where Purushottama Theertha, the guru of  Nramanye Theertha, disappeared in a cave. The cave is accessible but the road is bad and you have to trek through fields to go to the place. There is an Anjaneya Temple here.

Bramanyepura

This is the small town that Bramanye Theerha founded sometime in the 15th century. It is just before Chennapatna when you approach it from Bangalore side. Just after the Chennapatna lake on your left on the Bangalore-Mysore highway, you will find a lot of autos parked on a road. Take this road and it winds its way to this obscure village. 
There is a Hanuman here and it was consecrated by three Madhwa seers-Bramanye Theertha of Abbur Matha, his cousin brother, Sripadaraja of Mulabagal Matha and Vyasa Raja of Vyasa Raja Matha. Purandara Das also visited this shrine and sung a song.
There is an old house belonging to the archaka of this small temple. He says this was the house which Bramanye Theerthe himself constructed. Only a portion of an inner wall remains and the rest have been repaired and  reconstructed.

Kambada Narasimha

This is a temple which you come across on the road to Bramanye Pura. As you turn left from this road to Bramanye Pura, you can see a Garuda Sthamba on the middle of the road. Stop here and yopu can see a hillock a little distance away. The Kambada Narasimha Temple is on this hillock.
Legend has it that Purushottama Theertha used to worship the Kambada Narasimha every day walking from Abbur, which is 8 kms away. After him, Bramanye Theertha followed the practice. However, he found it a difficult task to carry holy water  to perform abhisheka all the way from Abbur. He then constructed the Bramanye Sarovara nearby. 
The Maddur-Chennapatna-Kanakapura sector has several hill and trek places. The entire areas is full of temples, hill ranges and small tanks and lakes. All these are easily accesible provided you have your own transport. The Maddur-Mandy-Chennapatna sector is full of eateries and some of the best hotels and restaurants. Nature is at its best here. 

The wildlife sanctuary of Melkote

Many readers of the blog and friends of mine have asked me whether they have to go nearly 600 kilometres to Gulbarga to see the Indian wolves. They were referring to the previous post where I had mentioned about the Chilcholi wildlife sanctuary where wolves and hyenas are found in sufficient numbers.

Well, in case you do not want to go so far to Gulbarga, you can see both the se animals-wolves and  hyenas a little away from the Bangalore Mysore highway.

What is more this sanctuary off the highway is also a well-known pilgrim centre and a trekker’s delight. Moreover, it is so well connected by busses that connectivity is never a problem from Bangalore, Mysore, Mandya, Maddur, Ramanagar and several other places in Karnataka and even Taml Nadu.

This is so as the pilgrim place is one of the holiest of Srivaishnava shrines and it provided shelter to the great Srivaishnava scholar Ramanujacharya.

Yes, this is Melkote in Mandy district, an important place for Srivaishnavas. The Cheluvanarayamaswamy temple of Melkote is famous  all over India and it is one of the most magnificent temples of its kind.

However, not many know that just a few kilometers from the temple is a wildlife sanctuary, the first of its kind in India, for the endangered wolves.

Called the Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, it is a protective area for wolves and it comprises of  two hills or blocks called Mudibetta and the Narayandurga. Unlike the forest at Chincholi, the Melkote forest cover is dense and it is home to several several animals like leopard, jungle cat, Indian fox, spotted deer, black-buck, leopard, bonnet macaque, langur, pangolin and wild pig.

Of course, you can spot the elusive wolf. The ideal time to visit the sanctuary is between October and April.

The sanctuary was created in June 1974 and its is one of the earliest of such covers for the wolf. It is stretched over an area of 49.82 square kms. The hill range of Mudibetta is smaller and the sanctuary covers 4.48 sq kma here, while the Narayanadurga Betta covers 45.34 sq kms. There are a few villages between these two hills and the land too is cultivated.

The highest point here is Gavikallu Betta or Karikallu gudda which rises to a height of 1127 metres in the south. Mudi Betta is 1065 metres high and Narayana Durga, 1094 metres in height. There are several other peaks in the sanctuary and also around Melkote.

There are also more than two dozen water bodies in and around the Sanctuary.

By the way, one of the rare species of flora fond here is Cycas Circinalis. It has been given a new name as C Swami after the famous botanist  Prof. B.G.L. Swamy, son of  Kannada laureate D. V. Gundappa.

This is an endangered gymnosperm that is being threatened with extinction, thanks to flower decorators and local village doctors. Other important botanical species are Shorea roxburghii  that exists  around Narayana Durga hillock. Terminalia chebula, Chloroxylon swietenia, Anogeissus latifolia, Santalum album and Memecylon spp have also been recorded in the sanctuary.’

The sanctuary is quite rich in bio-diversity supporting rare species like Memecylon spp (plant), Southern Rustic (butterfly), Bamboo Pit Viper (snake), Brown Rock Pipit (resident bird), and Ultramarine Flycatcher (migratory bird).

There are more than 110 different species of  butterflies found here and it was surprising to see that the Southern rustic was seen here. This butterfly is native only to Western Ghats and it is not known to move so far away from its natural habitat. Another butterfly that is very common here is Monkey Puzzzle. Even this species being found here in large numbers is a bit of a puzzle.

Orinthologists have recorded 190 species of birds in the sanctuary.     

Other than this location, Brown Rock Pipit is found in Ramanagar hills, Ramanagar District and Ultramarine Flycatcher in Nandi hills, Chikkaballapur District. 

If you are lucky, you can spot the rare Changeable Hawk Eagle. Others birds to be seen here are Sirkeer Cuckoo Phaenicophaeus leschenaultia  and Brown Rock Pipit Anthus similis. Migratory birds such as Indian Blue Robin Luscinia brunnea , Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula, Ultramarine Flycatcher Ficedula superciliaris are also seen here.

Orinthologists will be thrilled to note that the small Pratincole Glareola which bred at Talkad near T. Narasipura in neighbouring Mysore district , can be found here in secluded locations.

The Little-ringed Plover also breeds in the many water holes here. 

The sanctuary is about five kms from Melkote town  

Mandya is just 35 kms away, Bangalore 140 km and Mysore 55 kms away. There are frequent bus services from all these cities to Melkote. The nearest train stop would be Mandya.   

The sanctuary near Ranganathittu

Who has not heard of Ranganathittu. A trip from Bangalore to Mysore would not be complete without a visit to this well-known bird sanctuary.

It helps that the sanctuary is just across Srirangapatna and it,  therefore, draws large crowds. Another reason for the popularity of the sanctuary is its nearness to Mysore, the City of palaces.

However, there is another equally captivating sanctuary nearby and it is on the left banks of the Cauvery. The birds that are found in Ranganathittu are also found here and what is more unlike Ranganathittu this place is not much heard of  and, therefore, crowds are not common.

This is the bird sanctuary of Gende Hosahalli  which is located 19 kilometres south east of  Srirangapatna taluk. It is on the road from Bannur to Srirangapatna and it is the place where several films-Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi- have been shot. A local told me that more than 200 films have so far been shot here. The sanctuary is just off the Mahadevapura village where there is an anicut across the Cauvery in the shape of a horse shoe.

The Cauvery here has created several small islands of bamboo bushes and other shrubs which have found favour with our winged brethren. The many islands, coupled with the flowing river and sparse population have made this spot a favourite among the avians.

If carefully nurtured, this place has all the ingredients for  becoming a major bird sanctuary. You can have a close look at birds from Siberia, Australia and North America.

Gende Hosahalli is actually the eastern portion of the Ranganathittu sanctuary but it is less explored by the tourists.

The best time to visit this sanctuary is from June to November. The sanctuary attracts birds like Great Cormorant, Indian Cormorant, Little Cormorant, Darter, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Little Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Purple Heron, Painted Stork, Asian Openbill, Black-headed Ibis and others.

Watch out for Spot-billed Pelican, River Tern, Grey Heron, White-browed Wagtail, Great Thick-knee, Streak-throated Swallow and others. Peregrine are some of the main species of birds that inhabit the sanctuary. Colonies of bats can also be seen on some trees.

There are mammals and reptiles too.

Enjoy a coracle ride and visit the Shiva temple which is more than 600 years old. This place of worship is called Cauvery Bore Devaru. Go around the thick forests that ring the Cauvery. Halt on the bridge at Mahadevapura. The view of the river and the small islands from here is awesome. Visit Karighatta Hill which is nearby.

The visiting hours is from 6 a. m., to 6 p.m. The entry fee is  Rs.25per person and the parking fee is Rs.30.

The Bhoo Varaha of Kalahalli

The temples constructed by Hoysalas are noted for their architectural beauty and exquisite workmanship. Generally, both the exterior and interior of Hoysala temples are minutely carved sculptures with an eye for detail.

Whether it is Belur, Halebid or Somanathapura, almost all the Hoysala temples there show the fine workmanship of the times. There could be only a few temples, which could be counted on fingertips, that are plain in design on the exterior. One such temple is the temple of Varahaswamy in Kalahalli in Krishnarajepet taluk of Mandya district.

The Varahaswamy temple looks so plain from the outside that one would even begin to wonder whether it is a Hoysala structure. Very soon, this illusion is dispelled when one enters the temple.

The massive idol of Vahara, the third incarnation of Vishnu or Hari, takes one’s breath away. The idol, built of grey stone, is 18 feet in height. Vahara is sitting with his consort, Bhoo Devi, on his left lap.

Since Vahara means boar, the deity has horns which are lighter in colour than the idol. The eyes of Vahara is red.

A local legend says the temple is more than 2,000 years old. However, inscriptions found nearby confirm that the temple was built by the Hoysalas during the time of Vera Ballala, the third. 

The temple is also called the Pralaya Varahaswamy. It is on the banks of the Hemavathi. The river looks serene but please do not be deceived by it. There are strong undercurrents at several places and it is better to be cautious. Do not take the risk of swimming.

Coming back to the temple, the temple is rectangular in shape and it s built of  grey stone blocks. The temple has two parts, the sanctum and the front hall.
Another legend is that Sage Gautama performed tapas here and worshipped a saligrama. Another legend states that Veera Ballala, the third, lost his way in the forests here. Tired, he rested under a tree only to notice a dog chasing a rabbit When the rabbit reached a particular spot in the jungle, it turned back and jumped towards the dog. Surprised at the sudden action, the dog turned tail and fled.

Veera Ballala released that the spot where the hare turned on the dog was holy. When he dug up the place, he found the idol of Varahaswamy. He then built the temple and consecrated the idol.

Locals say the temple has withstood several floods. The temple is open from 10.30 a. m., to 5.30 p.,m. What make the temple outstanding is that thsi could perhaps be the biggest idol sculpted by the Hoysalas or consecrated during their period. This is also the only Hoysala structure where the idol is so magnificent that it dwarfs all other aspcets of the temple.  

There is another temple adjacent to the Varahaswamy temple and this once housed Lakshmi. When the area was submerged after the construction of the KRS Dam, Lakshmi herself  threw out the roof of the temple and came to Melukote where she still stands. If you do not believe this, check out the roof of the Lakshmi temple and the roof slab that has been found at Dodda Gadiganahalli village, which is nearby.

The roof slab at Dodda Gadiganahalli matches exactly the hole in the roof of the Lakshmi temple at Kalahalli. This has been verified by historians and archaeologists.

You can also see the ruins of the Hanuman Temple when the water level in the river recedes. During monsoon season, the rover touched the temple.    

If  you are travelling from Bangalore, take the Bangalore-Mysore road and go towards Pandavaura. The small village of Kalahalli is 35 kms from here. To reach Kalahalli, you have to cross other small villages of  Aaralukuppe, Katere, Hosa Kanambadi, Banamgadi, Belenahalli and Gangikere.

KSRTC buses halt from Mysore, Mandya and Pandavapura at Gangikere and Kalahalli is  2 kms from here. No buses come up to Kalahalli. So you have to hire a vehicle or trek.

Kalahalli is also known as Varahanathana Kalahalli. It is just 50 kms from Mysore. It is easily approachable by road and the nearest railway station is Krishnarasagar. The Varahara temple is about 2.5 kms away from the village. The easy route from Mysore is to come to Pandavapura and from there travel to Chinkurli and Bookanakere.

The Lenkarus of Bachihalli

Several centuries ago, it housed a huge Brahmin colony and, therefore, came to be known as Agrahara. Today, it is a small and sleepy village called as Bachihalli in Krishnarajpet taluk of Mandya district.

There is nothing extraordinary about the village. It is a human settlement as any other. There are a few temples and inscriptions. So what, you might ask. Such temples are there in almost every village in India.

On inscriptions, you might turn around and say that there are a “dime to a dozen” and what is so special about them. Yes, I would like to bring to light some lesser known facets of history that are buried in these inscriptions.

But first let me tell you about the village.

This is just six kilometres north-east of Krishnarajepet. The village and even the taluk are famous for pillar inscriptions-history that is written on pillars. These pillars may either form part of temples or stand in isolation.

The pillars tell a tale and those of Bachihalli have a special tale to relate. Many of the pillars have beautiful sculptures on them. They are an outstanding example of the Garuda tradition that was prevalent in the Hoysala period.

The Hoysala Emperors ruled over large parts of south India with their capital at Dwarasamudra in present day Hassan district. Some of the finest examples of Hoysala art and architecture can be found at Belur, Halebidu, Somanathapura and other places.

The Hoysala Emperors introduced a unique system of bodyguards called Garudas. These Garudas were exclusively devoted to guarding the Emperor and other members of the Royal family.

These Garudas enjoyed high position and they were totally dedicated to the cause of protecting the Emperor. They did not hesitate to even sacrifice their lives.

The Garudas would have slipped away into the realms of history but for these pillar inscriptions. The pillars at  Bachihalli stand mute testimony to the role of these magnificent warriors. Yes, they were primarily warriors who acted as the elite bodyguards.

Bachihalli has several such pillars and it was in ancient times a part of Kabbahu Nadu.

The first mention of the village as Bachiyahalli in an inscription dated 1244 A.D and as Bacheyahalli in 1251 A.D and 1291

A.D.

The village is an epigraphists’ delight as eight Hoysala inscriptions have been reported from here.

Apart from the Hoysala inscriptions, the Huniseshwara

temple is a typical Hoysala structure with a garbhagrtha, antarala, navaranaga and a mukhamantapa.

The temple is on an elevated place located at the centre of the

village and houses a Linga in its garbhagriha and Nandi in its antarala The main entrance of the temple and the central ceiling in the navaranga are attractively carved. The garbhagriha has a Dravidian shikhara.

On the outer wall of the navaranga, are sculptures of devakoshtas. There are three entrances to the mukhamantapa with steps.

There is a hero stone to the left of the temple. Near by are five

other hero stones in the form of memorial sculptures of heroes who died during different skirmishes or wars.

To the south of the Huniseshwara temple, there are three inscribed pillars of about fifteen feet height. These pillars were constructed  during the reign of Hoysala kings Ballala I and Narasimha III (1100 A.D.-1291A.D) in memory of the heroes or Garudas who

self immolated by sacrificing their lives for the welfare of the Hoysala kingdom and Hoysala kings.

These pillars poignantly depict the valour of seven generations of Garudas, belonging to Mugila sect of the Bananju family of Bachihalli in Kabbahu Nadu.

The carvings on these pillars represent Garuda Nayakas with their

queens and servants (Lenka-Lenkiti) travelling on an elephant to embrace the Garuda with utmost enthusiasm.

If you are an epigraphist or a person interested in the history of Hoysalas, then you are sure to find these pillars interesting. Some of the inscriptions refer to the Garudas killed on battlefield, trying to protect their Kings.

What is astonishing is that the inscription of  1256 AD deals exclusively with only one family and its sacrifices through generations. I am not sure of any other such epigraph anywhere else, at least, in Karnataka.

This unique pillar gives you the heartrending tale of Garudas commencing from Yereyanga to Someshwara. History says the Mugilu family were initially merchants. They ruled over Kabbahu Nadu before they took up arms in the Hoysala Army.    

By then, they had taken up the task of protecting this Agrahara and other surrounding villages in present day Krishnarajapet taluk. The Hoysalas let them be and inducted them in their Army.

The Mugilus then developed a  highly efficient and almost fool-proof system of protecting the villages and ensuring the safety of people. Subsequently, they began working as bodyguards to the Hoysala royal family.

They became so fiercely loyal to their employers that they preferred death to defeat and disgrace. They were so unquestionably loyal that when they died while on duty, their family and friends too died along with them-a “samuhika sati papampare” (collective sacrifice of lives involving family and relatives) unheard of anywhere in mediaeval India.

Even the wives of  these valiant men at arms sacrificed their lives at the altar of their husband’s funeral pyre.

The importance of the 1256 AD pillar is that it records for posterity the sacrifice of  the genealogy of all those bodyguards from the Mugila family: Gandanarayana Setty and his wife Nayaki Maravve, Hoysala Setty and his wife Nayaki Machavve, Koreyanayaka and Maravve, Shivaneyanayaka, Lakkeyanayaka and his wife Gangadevi, and Kanneyanayaka.

Over a period of time, these bodyguards also came to be called as Lenkaru, They were classified by villagers as war leaders who perpetuated the family tradition of  a class of Kannadigas who sacrificed their lives for their masters. It is these people who were allowed by the Hoysalas to administer the Kabbahu Nadu comprising Krishnarajapet and surrounding areas.  A few inscriptions here testify to this fact.

Therefore, the Garuda Kambas or Sthambas found here are better known as Garudahovudu and dedicated to the life and sacrifice of Lenkarus.

By the way, the village is all not history. The Shiva, Channakeshava and Bore Deva temples in the village all are Hoysala temples. They have been renovated. There are temples for  Bachalamma, Maramma, Mahalakshmi, Ningamma,  Sanideva and others. They are all recent in construction and are of no historical relevance.

There is a big ancient tank near the village. It is very picturesque.

Bachihalli is six kms away from Krishnarajepet which is well-cponnecetd by road from both Mandya and Mysore

The other Gomateshwara

If one is world famous, the other is not even known in its neighbourhood. If  one is remembered every day as one of mankind’s greatest achievement, the other is not even mentioned.

If one is accounted among the tallest, the other is small in size. They are a sharp study in contrast.

They are two sculptures of the same deity and perhaps even from the same sculptor. They both belong to the same dynasty and perhaps they are only a few years apart. Unfortunately, only one of them is well-known while the other is languishing in obscurity.

The contrast is between the same status of Bahubali or Gomateshwara, While the Gomateshwara in Shravanabelogala in Hassan district is too well-known to merit any mention, its earlier cousin located in the village of Tippur or Tippurur in Maddur district of  Mandya district is not even in the tourist books. Nor is it on any tourist itinery.

Both the statues were built by the Gangas of Talkad. A local legend of  Tippur or Bastitipur has it that Chavundaraya, the poet-minister-builder and commander of the Gangas first built the statue of Gomata here before going in for a bigger statue in Shravanabelogala. 

If the Gomata in Shravanabelogala is 57 feet in height, the statue at Tippur or Aretippur is just four feet in height. The statue at Tippur is similar in construction to its big brother in Shravanabelogala.      

It has floral scrolls and creepers winding up its leg and historians say it is a prototype of the one at Shravanabelagola.

However, the statue is reckoned to be crude and looks unfinished. It is set on a small hillock, adjoining another hillock. Thus the construction of the statue, the two hills and floral patterns on the idol make it a prototype of the bigger one.

This statue is believed to be the oldest among all the seven statues of Bahubali or Gomata in Karnataka. There is another eighteen foot statue of Bahubali near Basadihalli in Mandya district. Basidihalli is better known today as Kurubara Basti. This statue too is uncared for and is almost in ruins.  

During the period of the Gangas, Shravanabelogala, Tippur and even Basadihalli were well-known Jain centers. However, after the Cholas overran Gangas around 1000AD, only Shravanabelogala retained its former glory while the other two gradually fade away. Today, except for Shravanabelogala, the other two are not even mentioned.  

The two hillocks of Tippur are called Kanakagiri or Jinagudda and Savanappana Betta. An edict found in Tippur says that the place was called Tippeyur or Bastiya Tippur. There is historical evidence to prove that a basadi was built here during the time of Ganga kings (916-17 AD).
A soldier called Manaleyar built the basadi during the period of the Ganga Emperor Neetimarga Permadi. The basadi was later gifted  to Jain saint Kanaka Bhattararya. It was this saint who gave the hillock the name Kanakagiri.
Kanakagiri is now an  open-air museum housing several Jain memorials and sculptures. There are ruins of four basadis built of brick. In a heap of bricks that lie scattered here, one can still spot the foundations of these structures. In the middle of this heap of bricks is a stone edict. This edict is inscribed by poet Balachandradeva in memory of his father and guru Kandarpadeva and mother Sonnadevi.
The edict also points out that the Jain centre was given away to Maddur’s Sriramachandra Deva by the 14th century.
There is a beautiful tank on Kanakagiri called Kanakagiri Teertha. On the banks of this tank are some Jain sculptures that point to the existence of Parshwanath and Suparshwanatha basadis. There are several other sculptures all strewn around on the ground here.
Towards the north of Kanakagiri is Savanappana Gudda.
Here, atop the hill is a ten feet tall statue of Bahubali. The edict found here points out that the statue was constructed  here in 918 AD much before the Gommateshwara statue in Shravanabelagola which was constructed in 984 AD.
This statue is called Savanappa by locals. The Savanappana Gudda is being harmed by stone quarrying.
Stones are being cut away with the help of machines. Sometimes, dynamite is also used to blow up some parts of the hillock, sending out vibrations across the area. If mining continues unabated, in a few years, the hill is likely to be history.
The local deity of Tippur village is Jinamma. Unlike in some villages where a sacrifice is offered to the grama devata (village deity), Tippur village has no such practice. This could be because of  the Jain influence of non-violence.

  The Jain centre of Basadi Hoskote is situated at the backwaters of KRS in Mandya district.

It is just 55 kms from Mysore and it houses a shrine of Gomata apart from five basadis called pancha basadi.

The basadis are dedicated to Adinath, Shanthinath, Neminath, Mahavir and Bahubali. However, the primary attraction here is the  18 feet high idol of Bahubali.

The unique feature of the shrine is the fact that though there are no Jains residing in and around the village, villagers of  Sapanahalli, Basasi Hoskote, Hosa Mavinakere, Hale Mavinakere, Ganjigere, Ballenahalli, Murukanahalli, Kurubarabasti, Kabbalagerepura and Machgonahalli  participate in the puja.

Take the Mysore -Channarayapatna state highway via Modur and travel further on Bookanakere, Machagonahalli and reach  Kurubarabasti or take the Krishnarajapet, Vittalapura, Ganjigere, Machagonahalli road and reach Basadi Hoskote.
The statue here is carved out of soap stone and is seen leaning to its right side. There are beautifully carved branches, petals at the feet and legs of the statue. There are mutilated pieces of sculpture and  damaged sculptures of Parshwanatha and other Tirthankaras in sitting (padmasana) and standing (kayotsarga) postures.

The river Cavery flows nearby.
Another statue is at Gommatagiri, which is about 20 km from Mysore and it is located situated in Bilikere hobli of Hunsur taluk.

Gommatagiri is an acclaimed Jain centre of learning an philosophy. The 700-year-old statue of Gomata is on a 50 meter tall hillock called Shravana Gudda.

The statue of Gomata is an early Vijayanagar creation in granite. It has serene facial expressions and curly hair. This Jain centre attracts many pilgrims during the annual "Maha masthakabhisekha" in September.

The statue at Gommatagiri has striking similarities to its famous counterpart in  Shravanabelogala except that it is dwarfed in size in comparison.

However, the statue at Gommatagiri is in danger of being irretrievably damaged due to quarrying, and the explosions triggered off in the region have resulted in cracks at the base of the statue. The joints supporting the hillock have widened because of the blasts and the hillock needs to be strengthened.

Gommatagiri is on a diversion road from Bilikere and about 12 kms from Yelwal.

Thus there are five main monolithic statues of Bahubali in Karnataka measuring more than 20 feet in height. They are the statues of Bahubali of  57 feet at Shravanabelogala in Hasan district built in  981 AD, the 42 feet statue at Karkala in Udupi district built in  1432 AD, the 39 feet statue at Dharmastala in Dakshina Kannada district built in 1973 AD, the 35 feet statue at Venur in Dakshina Kannada district in 1604 AD and the 20 feet statue at Gommatagiri in Mysore district built in the 12th Century.