The temple that was built with ghee

Mortar is mixed with water for constructing buildings and this system is followed almost uniformly through out the world with very few exceptions. Both mortar and water form an indelible part of the construction in any building.

But did you know that there is a building in India where water was not used to mix mortar. Instead, pure ghee and coconuts were used in the construction.

This building still stands today and it is universally acknowledged as one of those rare buildings which are a marvel in civil engineering and building construction.

The building is in Rajasthan and it is a beautiful temple belonging to the Jains. The temple is located in Bikaner which is 331 kms from the State capital of Jaipur and 310 kms from Jodhpur.

The structure I am talking about is called Bhandasar Jain Temple. It is situated within the walled city of Bikaner. The temple is dedicated to the fifth Jain Thirthankara, Suminath.

It was commissioned by a wealthy merchant, Bhandasa Oswal or Banda Shah in 1468 and was completed only in 1514.

The temple of red sandstone and white marble stands testimony to the artistic grace and intricate workmanship of the Rajputs.  It has lavish interiors, breathtaking frescos, sculpted pillars and the ceiling has beautiful paintings.

When the temple was being constructed,  40,000 kg or 40 barrels of ghee was used instead of water in the mortar. This can be felt today too when during the hot days, the ghee melts and seeps through the walls.

The temple is a three storied structure. The gold leaf work, artistically sculpted pillars and frescoes tell us the stories of all the 24 Jain thirthankaras.

As soon as you enter the temple, you can sandstone pillars with floral designs. The first floor is devoted to the carvings of Jain thirthankaras. There are two beautiful idols of sentinels of gods on the first floor. There are beautiful balconies on the first and second floor of the temple.

The marble statue of Lord Sumatinath  sits on a silver throne inside a gold-plated marble canopy adorned with floral paintings. The porcelain tiles were imported from England.

Locals say that even the foundation was filled with ghee and dry coconut.

The temple is open from 6 a.m., to 7 p.m. This is one of the two Jain temples in Bikaner. The other temple is that of Sandeshwar. Though its is smaller than the Bhandasar temple, it has beautiful carvings on its doors and pillars.

Bikaner has 27 Jain temples. Other tourist attractions are the Junagarh fort built by Raja Rai Singh, who was a high ranking officer in the court of the Mughal emperor Akbar and his son Jahangir.

The Lakshmi Nivas palace was the official residence of the Bikaner kings. The Lalgarh palace was built between 1902 and 1926 according to Mughal, Rajput and European architectural styles. The Moolnayakji Temple is the first Vaishanava structure constructed in Bikaner. Built in 1486, it quickly became the seat of the Vaishanava sect.
The temple of Karni Mata is in Deshnoke, which is 30 kms from Bikaner. There are thousands of rats in the temple and they are not shooed away. The presiding goddess is Durga. Every January, Bikaner comes alive with the magnificent camel festival. If you like adventure, take a camel ride or go into the Thar desert.

There is another Jain temple worth seeing in Phalodi. It is 184 kms away from Bikaner but let me tell you it is worth a visit. The Parasanath temple has beautifully sculpted Belgian glass. It was  constructed in 1847 by the Oswal Jains and has been built exclusively with  stones, It does not have any girders or RCC construction. It is made of old Belgium glass. This Jain temple is considered a marvel in architecture.

Bikaner is 2200 kms from Bangalore. There are trains and flights available. It is the fifth largest City of Rajasthan.

Tourist and pilgrim sites in and around Mantralaya, Raichur

In my earlier articles, I had written about different routes to Mantrayala from Bangalore. Several friends and readers have asked me why I have delayed writing about places of interest in and around Mantralaya.

Mantralaya is in Andhra Pradesh. It is is 53 km from Adoni or Adwani, 24 km from Yemmiganur ,100 km from Kurnool, 250 km from Hyderabad,  35 km from Raichur and 120 km from Bellary.

Raichur is in Karnataka and it is just an hour’s drive from Mantralaya. There are several places associated with Raghavendra Swamy in the district.  

Raichur district was known as the Doab as it is sandwiched between the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers. The Doab was the reason for several wars between the Vijayanagar Kingdom and the Bahamanis and later the Adil Shahis.

Raichur is known as the rice bowl of India. It is today the only place producing gold after the closure of KGF in Kolar district of Karnataka. There are several small islands in the district formed by the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers and you can enjoy them.

Raichur can be very hot during summers. So avoid it from say March to July. It is also home to one of the biggest thermal ppwers stations in India-RTPS.

Some of the historical and religious places of interest in and around Raichur are:

Bichale or Bhikshalaya

This is the place on Tungabhadra river where Raghavendra Swamy or Rayaru spent 13 years of his life with Appanacharya. Take in the Japada Katte where Rayaru and Appanacharya spent hours discussing philosophy and religion. There is an Ekashila Brindavana of Raghavendra Swamy which is the first outside Mantralaya.

The house of Appanacharya that Rayaru stayed has been rebuilt after the flood waters of Tungabhadra damaged it in 2009.

Madhwacharya has consecrated the idol of Ugra Narasimha here and Vyasa Raja, the previous avatar of  Raghavendra consecrated the  Hanuman temple.

Combine you visit to Bichale with  Panchamukhi Anjaneya Temple.

Panchamukhi Anjaneya Temple

This is in Raichur district. It is 22 kms from Mantralaya. The route is through Madhavaram village from where the stone slabs for the Brindavana were used. Even today, a piece of the stone used to make the Brindavana, is left behind.

After Madhavaram, take a right turn and proceed till you reach Tungabhadra river. When you cross the river you enter Raichur district.

Take the road till you reach Chiksugur camp junction. The road to the right leads to Panchamukhi Anjaneya Temple while the left leads you to Bichale.

The Panchamukhi Anjaneya Temple is open for Darshan from 5 -30 a.,m to  1 p.m.  It opens again in the evening and close at 8 p.m. This idol is closely associated with Rayaru.

From here, Bichale is 18 kms.

The Panchamukhi Temple is in Gandhal. It is about 31kms south of Raichur.

The temple  is situated on a hillock and is closely associated with Raghavendra Swamy.

During his stay at Manchale, Rayaru  regularly visited holy places nearby. Two of these villages which he visited very frequently were Bichale  and Gandhal.

There was a cave in Gandhal where he frequently meditated. Locals say Rayaru spent days in meditation here. The cave is in top of a hillock. Rayaru meditated only after finishing the pooje of  Rama at the cave.

He has himself carved the figures of Venkateswara and  Lakshmi on the rock. One day, Hanuman appeared before Raghavendra Swamy with five faces.

Rayaru saw the five faces as that of Hanuman, Hayagriva, Narasimha, Garuda and Varaha. It is this form as Panchamukhi he carved on the rock.

The rocks around the hillock are a sight to see.  There are fifty steps that lead you to the cave. A narrow passage will lead you to the sanctum

Deodurg

Deodurg is 34 miles west of Raichur. It has a fort. It was the stronghold of the Bidar chieftains. There is a hill here which contains talc.

Devarbhupur

This small town  is 11 miles from Lingsugur. The Amareshwara temple is located amidst hillocks and rolling forests.

The deity is also known as  Gurugunta Amareshwara which is a Shiva Linga.
There is a small well besides the  idol called Gadagi Bhavi. Bhavi in Kannada means well. The water from the well enters the main temple and reaches the Linga and then forms into a pool. Devottes take the water as Theertha.
The annual fair of the temple is held in Phalguna and commences from the day of Holi, Kamana Hunnime or Pournami. The fair will continue for a month and several theatre groups pitch their tents here.

 
Devasugur

Devarsugur is on the  Krishna river. It is famous for the Surugeshwara or Veerabhadra Temple.The annual jatra of this temple, held in the month of Margashira, attracts a large number of people.

Gabbur

Gabbur has many ancient temples and inscriptions. In ancient days, Gabbur was a major centre of education. It was then called Gopurugrama. There are many temples but some of the most important  are those of Male Shankara, Hanuman, Bangara Basappa, Venkateshwara and Ishwara or Shiva.

Another fascinating monument is a gateway Chandigage. There is a temple on either side of the gate. The Male Shankata Temple is built of rough grey stone.

The Venkateshwara Temple has three deities-two of Vishnu and another a Linga. There are seven cisterns called Sat Baoli.

The Bangara Basappa Temple houses a beautiful idol of Ganesha and two nandis.

Hutti

Hutti, which is the only gold producing area of Karnataka today, is 17 kms from Lingsugur. You have to take prior permission from the authorities if you want to see the mines.

Jaladurga

Jaladurga, in Lingsugur taluk, is an island fort surrounded by the Krishna.It is 13 kms from Lingsugur. The fort was held by the Adil Shahs of Bijapur.

Kadlur

Kadlur, in Raichur taluk, is a sacred place. It is here that Bhima joins the Krishna. The Vijayanagara Emperor Krishna Deva Raya visited this pilgrim center with his family and offered worship at the temple.

Kallur

Kallur is in Manvi taluk, located 19 kms from Raichur. The village is surrounded on all sides by granite hills except the east. There are six temples of which the Markendeshwara Temple is famous. Look  at the many wells here which are a thing of beauty.

The fort wall is in ruins.

 There is a temple of Srinivasa and Padmavathi here. According to legend, couples who want a child come here and worship the deities.

Kalmala

Kalmala,  9 miles from Raichur, has the samadhi of a saint, Kariappa Tata.

Kavital

Kavital is on the Raichur-Lingsugur road, about 64 miles from Raichur and 30 kms  from Lingsugur. There is a hillock to the south-west of the village which has several natural caves. Several pre-historic implements and pieces of pottery were discovered along the slopes of the hill here.

There is an ash mound on the top of  a hill where a temple has been built. The ash mound was the site of an old smelting factory. The Tryambakeshwara temple has three shrines, two of which are lingas. There are two Kannada inscriptions in the temple and a beautiful carving of Mahishasuramardini on the temple wall.

Korva or Naradagadde

Korva is in Raichur taluk. It is a small but beautiful island surrounded by the Krishna river. It is 30 kms  north-east of Raichur. Narada performed penance here. Hence, the name Naradagadde. There is a temple dedicate to Narada.

There is also a Veerashaiva Matha, the samadhi of  a saint called  Channabasava Swamy who lived about four centuries ago and a temple of Basavanna.

A little away from Naradagadde is Koormagadde (Kurumakshetra or Kuravakala) which has a Dattatreya Peetha and the samadhi of Sripadavallabha Swamy. This place is said to be the original place of Dattatreya. It has a temple dedicated to him.

Kotekal

Kotekal is in Manvi taluk and it is situated on the Raichur-Lingsugur road. The village has two hillocks with each having a fort. The slopes along these hillocks have yielded artifacts, iron-slag and gold-crushers, belonging to the prehistoric period.

Manvi

It is closely associated with Jagannatha Dasa. It has a fort and Jagganatha Swamy Temple.

Maski

Maski is in Lingsugur taluk, situated 26 kms south-east of Lingsugur. It is archaeologically important as several artefacts have been found here.

Mudgal

It is a historical place. The Vijayanagars and Bijapur kingdoms fought over this city.

The Mudgal fort is on a hillock. The fort was initially built by the Kakatiyas. It was conquered by the Vijayanagars and Adil Shahis.  

Mudval is in Lingsugur taluk is situated about 20 kms  from Lingsugur.

Several pre-historic artefacts have been discovered here.

Mukkunda

It is a small village located 32 kms from Sindhanur. There is an old fort on top of a hill. There is an old temple of Murari, built of stone. A small island in Tungabhadra has the dargah of Gaddikhader Wali, a saint.

Raichur

Raichur is the  headquarters of the district. It was ruled by the Khiljis, Vijayanagars, Bahmani, Bijapur, Mughal and Asaf Jahi kings.

The hill fort of Raichur, which was of great importance in the past, is surrounded on three sides by a double row of massive but low circuit walls. The inner wall of the fort was constructed by placing huge blocks of well-dressed and nicely fitted stones on top of each other, without the using any cementing material. The oldest inscription of the inner fort is dated 1294 AD. The inner fort wall was built by the Hindu kings.

The outer wall was built by he Muslim Kings. It contains five gateways: Mecca Darwaza on the west, Naurangi Darwaza on the north, Kati Darwaza on the east, Khandak Darwaza on the south and the Doddi Darwaza on the south-east.

The inner wall has two gateways: Sailani Darwaza on the west and the Sikandari Darwaza on the east.

The Mecca Darwaza and the adjoining walls were built  by Mallu Khan in 1470 during the reign of the Bahmani king Muhammad Shah III.

There are some marvelous drawings near this gate. A little away is a large depression known as  Banda Baoli.

There is a tomb of a Muslim saint, Pir Sailani Shah built in the Adil Shah style. There is also small mosque called the Kali Masjid.

The Jami Masjid  is a beautiful building having two entrances, one in the south and the other in the east.

The cemetery here contains the graves of some members of the Adil Shahi dynasty.  Opposite the Jami Masjid are the remains of an ancient Hindu palace. The structure is in ruins now, except for the old walled enclosure and the big entrance by the side of the present jail.

The Ek-Minar-ki_Masjid was constructed by Amber.

It has only one minaret which is 65 feett high and 13 ft. in diameter. The minaret has two storeys, each furnished with windows and surrounded by projecting galleries.

The Bala Hisar or the citadel is situated on the middle and the loftiest of the hills in the south-west corner of the fort. It is approached first by a flight of steps. There is agun placed on a circular platform.

The Panch Bibi Dargah or the Dargah of five lady saints is located here.  A Nandi or bull carved in granite is found here.

Roundkunda

Roudkunda, in Sindhanur taluk, is situated about 6 miles to the east of Gorebal, on the Sindhanur-Gangavati road. There are two hills with forts here.

Somalpur

Somalpur, in Sindhanur taluk, is 14 miles from Sindhanur. The Amba Devi temple, situated at the foot of a hill, is well-known.

Venkatapur

Venkatapur, in Lingsugur taluk, is about 3 miles due north of Maski. To the south of this village are two hills, along the skirts of which 45 cairns or man made stacks of  stones were found. Some of them are in pairs.

Chinna Tumbulam

The Narasimha Temple here is  200 years old. It is easily approachable from Mantralaya which is 25 kilometers away. Brigu Muni consecrated the Narasimha here.

Kowthala

Also known as Kowthalam, it is the native of  Jagannatha Dasa, the famous Haridasa. The temple is being renovated and a Harikathamruthasara mandira is being build by K Appannachar a desendent ofSri Guru Jagannatha Dasaru. This place is about 30 kilometers from Mantralayam off the Adoni Road.

Urukunda

The Narasimha Tample here has been recently renovated. It is 30 kilometers from Mantrlaya off the Adoni Road.

Ibharampura Kshetra

This is about 6 kms from Mantralaya. It is the abode of  Krishnacharya popularly known as Shri Ibharamapura Appavaru.

Basaladoddi

It has is a temple of Mukhya Prana consecrated by Vyasaraja.

Kosigi

This is the birth place of Jagannatha Dasa, an ardent devotee of Raghavendra Teertha, and considered to be an amsha sambhuta of Appannacharya. 

Jagannatha Dasa installed a Mukhya Prana idol here and regularly  worshipped it.

Kamavara

Gopala Dasa consecrated and worshipped a Mukkhya Prana idol here.

Budamala Doddi

Vyasaraja installed a Mukya Prana idol here. It is known as palikedevudu which in Telugu means  God who talks.

Holagunta

This village is home to the Mrithika Brindavana of  Vijayeendra Teertha (Kumbhakonam) and Shri Raghavendra Teertha.

Hatthibelagal

This is a small village where Raghavendra Swamy consecrated one of the two Hanuman  temples.

A Madhwa scholar, Narasimhacharya popularly known as Aralikatti Narasimhacharya, lived here. He is considered to be an amsha-sambhuta of Karna.  He is adyatma Guru of  Raghuprema Teertha of Kudli Akshoba Theertha Matha. 

The Brindavana of of Aralikatte Narasimhacharya and his disciple  Bilvapathre Acharya can be seen here.

Madhwa seers and their hobbies

The seers and saints of Madhwa Parampare, apart from being scholars and eminent writers, have excelled in several arts. Unfortunately, their mastery over the other arts, including theior interest in some hobbies, have been overshadowed by their religious activities and mysticism.

I cannot write about the hobbies and talents of all the seers as this place would be insufficient. I would like to deal with only important Madhwa seers and a handful of Haridasas and their hobbies.

The pioneer of the Dwaitha movement and the fountainhead of  Madhwa sect, Madhwacharya, was a superb gymnast. He along with Narahari Theertha laid the foundations of Yakshagana, the unique form of song and dance of north and south Kanara and Kasargod.

Madhwacharya gave as much importance to physical exercise as to the mental faculties. There are many stories told about his prowess and his ability to hold himself against the strongest. He was a good swimmer and he could brave the rough seas with ease. His mastery over Yogasana was something to be seen to be believed. He was also very well-versed in music and many of his contemporaries have testified to this talent.

Madhwacharya can also be termed as a wandering archaeologist. During his Theertha Yatre to north and south India, he pointed out many spots relating to the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata. He showed his disciples the mace he had used during the Kurukshetra war when he visited holy places near Thaneshwar or Thanesar which today is in Haryana. He dug up the mace which had been buried for several thousands of years and exhibited them. He also showed them the place where Arjuna had buried his bow and arrows.
He knew these places as he was Hanuman during the Ramayana and Bheema during the Mahabharata

When he and his disciples visited Indraprastha near Delhi, he showed them the places associated with the Pandavas. He was also a mathematician and an expert in Ayurveda. Our Acharya (Madhwacharya) was also a master architect. In his book, Tantra Sara Sangraha, he speaks about the manner in which to offer poojas, homas and their specifications and temple architecture.

The Sangraha speaks of  the manner in which the right spot should be chosen for constructing a temple and also the precise measurement of the structure. The book had 40 verses and it is divided into four parts.

Once in Varanasi, Acharya decided to teach a lesson to 15 disciples of his as they had become arrogant. He asked them to simultaneously attack him with full strength. He warned his disciples that they would be disobeying their Guru if they attacked him  half-heartedly. As was expected, the Shishyas could barley move his finger and sought his pardon. 

One of his direct disciples, Narahari Theertha, laid the foundations of Yakshagana in Karnataka and Kuchipudi in Kerala. The Acharya’s first disciple, Padmanabha Theertha, was not only an erudite scholar but also the first monk to write Dasa Sahitya. Unfortunately, none of  his works on Dasa Sahitya have survived.

Akshoba Theertha, the fourth direct disciple of Madhwacharya, was an expert jeweller. As he came from an aristocratic background, he was a good horse rider too. His disciple,  Jaya Theertha or Teekacharya was an expert swordsman and horse rider.

Sripadaraja Theertha is known as the bard of Mulabagal. He was the pioneer of Dasa Sahitya and also a great educationist. It was he who first started the Vedic University in Mulabagal.

His Vidya Shishya, Vyasa Theertha, was a noted educationist. He was the Chancellor of the Vidyapeetha in Hampi which had 11.000 students. He encouraged Purandara Dasa, Vaikunta Dasa, Kanaka Dasa and others to compose songs and sing the glory of Hari. He  consecrated 732 temples to Hanuman and he did it with single minded devotion. He also guided six Vijayanagar emperors in statecraft. He had a good physique and he once ran holding his breath for miles in Srirangam to delineate the border between Dwaitha and Adwaitha temples.

His favourite disciple, Vijendra Theertha, was a master of  all the 64 arts. A prolific writer, he has 104 works, including plays and poems to his credit. He was also a master hypnotist. He was also a musician. He could make idols in a jiffy and they were an artiste’s delight.

Another of Vyasa’s  disciple, Vadiraja Theertha, was a chronicler of his times. His Theertha Prabhanda gives us a beautiful description of  the pilgrim places he visited during his Theertha Yatre. The description of the places and temples in the book gives us an insight of the times. Of course, Vadiraja is also a composer of merit.  

Raghavendra Swamy, the disciple of  Sudhindra Theertha, was a veena player par excellence. People forgot their sorrows and lost themselves when he sang Indu Yanage Govinda stringing the Veena.   

Purandara Dasa was a master of the tambouri. The instrument went wherever he went. He could forget food but never his Tambouri. I write about Purandara here as he accepted Sanyas in his final days before he breathed his last at Hampi in 1564. He was the pioneer of Carnatic music and the Guru of  Haridas, Tansen’s teacher. It is to him that the credit for formalising Carnatic music goes.

Kanaka Dasa had a melodious voice and even Purandara Dasa, his friend and contemporary, has testified to this rare talent. Kanaka was also a composer of extraordinary talent.

Several pontiffs of the Sripadaraja Matha were experts in ayurveda and alchemy. Lakshmipathy Theertha of Sripadaraja Matha was an expert Ayurvedic. He used Thonde Kai for curing diseases.
Sathyasanthustha Theertha of Uttradhi Matha was an expert in Ontology and epistemology. He defeated many scholars in the court of the Wodeyars of Mysore. He was fond of  debates and lectures on philosophy and Dwaitha literature. He led a Vidhwat Sabha at the Royal court of Mysore. His Brindavana is in Mysore .

The seventh pontiff of Palimar Matha, one of the Asta mathas of Udupi, Rajaraajeshwara Teertha, was an accomplished poet and his work  “Raama Sandesha” is well known. The Mangalaasha Taka is recited even today in the matha at Palimaru village every morning.

Coming to the modern times, we have Vidya Bhushana Theertha of Subramanya Matha who was a good singer. After he gave up Sanyasa, he has made a name for himself as a singer of Devaranamas. He is now known only as Vidya Bhushana.

Almost all the Madhwa saints could predict events in the lives of people and even incidents. They were all scholars in Sanskrit, grammar, ayurveda, astronomy  and logic. 

Another article will deal with the hobbies and pastimes of other Madhwa saints.

The only underground Brindavana of Raghavendra Swamy

There is only one underground temple dedicated to Raghavendra Swamy and that is more than eighty years old. This temple was built in the heartland of the Deccan and the capital of the Adil Shahis.
The temple is in Bijapur and this year it celebrated its 82nd year of Prathistapane. The Brindavana was conceived by Raghuprema Theertha  as per the shastras laid out by Madhwacharya.

Raghuprema Theertha belonged to the Kudli Akshoba Theertha Matha. He was born in Ayachoti village in Kadapa district to Tungabai and  Swamirayacharya in 1860 A.D. He entered Brindavana in 1943.

According to Pavamanachar, the priest of the Raghavendra Swamy Temple of Bijapur, Raghuprema Theertha, had decided to enter Brindavana at this very place. He, however, changed his mind after Rarayu came in his dreams. The then Tahsildar Gundu Rao decided to go ahead with the construction of the temple and consecrate the Brindavana of Rayaru here.

Some old timers and contemporaray texts on the life and times of Raghu Prema Theertha have a slightly different account of the events leading to the establishment of the temple.  They say two residents of Bijapur, Perur Gundu Rao and Dr. Govinda Rao along with others came to Adoni where Raghu Prema Theertha was staying and sought his help to tide over their problems.

The Seer decided to visit Bijapur and personally look into the problems of the people there. He suggested that all the families would benefit if a Brindavana of Raghavendra Swamy were to be constructed.

Both Mr, Gundu Rao and Dr. Govinda Rao agreed to the suggestion and Raghu Prema Theertha himself suggested that the Brindavana be installed underground and steps be provided to reach it.

Raghu Prema Theertha himself designed the plan and structure of the temple as per Madhwacharya’s  Tantrasara Sangraha Grantha. This granta deals with aspects such as architecture of temple construction, the rituals to be performed and the steps needed to invest the place with holiness and sanctity.
The Brindavana came up in a record time of 6 months and it was inaugurated in 1930.

This temple is in a locality called Jorapur Peth which is on Bableshwar road. There are a flight of 23 steps that lead underground to the Brindavana dedicated to Rayaru. Almost all but the last step is one foot in height.

There is a small well behind the Brindavana. The wall of the Garba Gudi housing the Brindavana and the well share the same wall. Water for the Pooje, abhisheka is taken from the well. The well is at a lower level than the Brindavana too and it has never run dry despite Bijapur being one of the driest places in the country.

Mr. Pavamanachar says the Brindavana is at least 23 feet below ground level. He says only the pooje is performed underground. The hall for partaking Theertha Prasada, rest rooms and a small hall are built overground.

He says the underground chamber is so cool that flowers such as Mallige and rose will not wither for two to three days. He says the present owners of the matha, who are the descendents of Gundu Rao,  have undertaken several developmental works.

He says the owners even tried to get the roof of the underground chamber housing the Brindavana repaired. However, almost all the engineers who inspected the roof said nothing could be done as it is an engineering marvel and it is better not to tamper with it.

He says the Brindavana has been constructed in such a manner that it is completely visible from the top of the stairs.    

The temple here is known for many miracles. Mr. Pavamanachar has a list of almost all the miracles that Rayaru performed here from the Brindavana.

There are three other Rayara mathas in Bijapur but this is the oldest. However, the oldest Madhwa matha is at Mahipathi Galli which is about two kms from this place. It has the Samadhi or Brindavana of one of the seers belonging to the Uttaradhi Matha. There is also an Uttaradhi Matha here.              

 The other Rayara mathas in Bijapur are at Divatageri Galli near Station Road (Ph No: 08352-220300) and at the Sri Raghavendra Swamy Matha on Bagalkot Road (08352-277322). However, this Rayaru Matha at Jorapur Peth is the only underground matha in India.

Interestingly, this is among the two underground temples in Bijapur. The other underground temple is in Torvi and it is dedicated to Narasimha. This deity is called Torvi Narasimha. This is the exact place where Kumara Valmiki wrote the Torvi Ramayana.

Torvi is on the outskirts of Bijapur. It is near to Navaraspur, the city of music which was planned by Ibrahim Adil Shah and left unfinished. The 63 graves of the wives of the Bijaour General Afzal Khan are also near Torvi.

I have personally visited the Rayara Matha at Jorapur Peth and the Narasimha Temple in Torvi. I can vouch for the sanctity and holiness of both the temples.

Bijapur is a city with history. It is the home of Gol Gumbaz and Ibrahim Rouza. You can take a train or bus from Bangalore. The Basava express leaves Bangalore in the evening and reaches Bijapur the next morning. Buses leave in the night and reach Bijaour in the morning. There are many lodges in Bijapur which offer a reasonable level of accommodation.

Stay back at Bijapur and Kolhapur (Maha Lakshmi Temple), Pandhrapur (Panduranga Vittala) and Tulzapur (Amba Bhavani) from here. Take in a visit to Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal and Banashankari-which has temples by the Chalukyas and Yelgur which has a beautiful temple of Anjeneya. The small town of Talikota is near Bijapur. It is here that the decisive battle between the Muslim kings and Vijayanagar was fought in 1565. Almatti dam is one of the biggest in Karnataka. Its twin town Seethimani is associated with Seetha and Ramayana.  

The Nava Brindavana at Chennai

The Nava Brindavana at Anegundi near Hampi is in Bellary district in Karnataka. This is perhaps the first Madhwa or Dwaitha site where several saints have their final resting place called Brindavana.

This is also the oldest Nava Brindavana. The first saint to enter Brindavana here is Padmanabha Theertha, the first of the four direct disciples of Madhwacharya. The other three disciples are Narahari Theertha (His Brindavana is in Chakratheertha in Hampi), Madhava Theertha (Brindavana at Mannur in Gulbarga district) and AkshobaTheertha (Brindavana at Malkhed in Gulbarga district).

The other eight Madhwa saints who entered Brindavana in Nava Brindavana, which is a small island in the Tungabhadra, are Kavindra Theertha, Vageesha Theertha and Raghuvarya Theertha (Uttaradhi Matha), Vyasa Theertha, Srinivasa Theertha and Rama Theertha (all Sosale Vyasa Raja Matha), Sudhindra Theertha (Raghavendra Swamy Matha), and Govinda Odeyar, a Bidi Sanyasi and a disciple of  Vyasa Theertha.

Apart from this place, there are Nava Brindavanas at Shenbakkam, Vellore and Erode. The Nava Brindavana at Erode is at the Sripadaraja Matha and it has nine brindavanas belonging to the seers who headed the Sripadaraja Matha.

The Nava Brindavana at Shenbakkam has brindavans of seers from different mathas. A few years ago, the Sosale matha seer constructed a Nava Brindavana at Sosale near T. Narsipura for none saints of the matha.

In 2012, Chennai became the latest or rather newest place to have a Nava Brindavana.

The Nava Brindavana at Chennai was consecrated by the senior seer of the Pejawar Matha, Visvesha Theertha, during his Chaturmasa Vrata at Chennai in 2012.

The nine brindavanas are situated at Varadarajapuram near Tambaram on the outskirts of Chennai. Tambaram, as we all know, is well connected to Chennai by local trains and buses and it is 27 kms from Chennai.

Varadarajapuram is a small village near Tambaram. It is 8 kms from Tambaram and it has the nine Brindavanas of  Vadiraja Theertha,  Jaya Theertha, Sripadaraja Theertha, Vyasa Theertha, Vijayendra Theertha, Vijayadhwaja Theertha, Raghuttama Theertha, Raghavendra Swamy and Vadeendra Theertha.

Here are some details of the seers whose Brindavana is located at Varadarajapuram.

Vadiraja Theertha

Vadiraja Theertha belongs to the Sode Matha and he is considered to be the next in importance to Madhwacharya in the Dwaitha Parampare. Born Bhuvaraha at Hoovinakere near Sirsi, he was schooled in Dwaitha philosophy by Vageesha Theertha of Uttaradhi Matha.

He lived from 1480 to 1600. He is considered to be an avatar of Lord Latavya. His moola Brindavana is at Sode near Sirsi.

   

Jaya Theertha

One of the greatest Dwaitha scholars, he was the first to write commentaries on texts of Madhwacharya. He was given Deekshe by Akshoba Theertha. He was the fifth seer to occupy the Dwaitha pontificate after Akshoba Theertha. (The other four were Padmanabha Theertha, Narahari Theertha, Madhava Theertha and Akshoba Theertha).

He is considered to be an amsha of Arjuna. In his previous birth, he was born as a bullock which carried the works of Madhwacharya. His moola Brindavana is at Malkhed near the Brindavana of his Guru Akshoba Theertha. Malkhed is approachable from Gulbarga by bus or taxi.

  

Sripadaraja Theerta

He belongs to the Sripadaraja Matha of Mulabagal. He is the first Madhwa seer to write songs and compose in Kannada. He is considered to be the Bheeshma of Dasa Sahitya.

Sripadaraja was the cousin brother of Bramanya Theertha, the seer of Abbur or Kundapura Vyasa Raja Matha. Both Sripadaraja and Bramanye Theertha were born at Abbur in Chennapatna taluk of Ramanagar district near Bangalore.

Sripadaraja was the Vidya guru of Vyasa Theertha who was sent to him by Bramanye Theertha. He is considered to be an Amsha of  Dhruva.

His moola Brindavana is at Narasimha Theertha , Mulabagal in Kolar district. Mulabagal is on the Bangalore-Tirupathi Highway.    and this is a red-letter day in the spiritual history of Chennai.

He was the Raja Guru of several Emperors of Vijayanagar dynasty. He set up a Vidyapeetha at Mulabagal.

Vyasa Theertha

Vyasa Theertha was the previous avatar of Raghavendra Swamy. He was born in in 1447 in Bannur near Mysore and he left his mortal body at Nava Brindavana in 1539.

He consecrated 732 temples of Hanuman throughout India. Of them, more than 365 are in Penukonda in Andhra Pradesh. He was the Raja Guru of six Vijayanagar Emperors, including Krishna Deve Raya.

In his previous avatars, he was born Prahalada and Balika Raja. As Balika Raja, he was felled by Bheema in the Mahabharata war.

Vijayendra Theertha

He was the Guru of  Sudhindra Theertha who in turn gave Deekshe to Raghavendra Swamy.

Vijayendra Theertha was the Shishya of Vyasa Theertha and he took over the reigns of the Sri Matha at Kumbakonam. He was an unparelled scholar, he is perhaps the most prolific of all Madhwa seers.

He was well-versed in all the 64 arts. He has written 104 works.

He entered Brindavana at Kumbakonam and even today this matha is known as Vijendra Theertha Matha.

He is believed to have been born in 1517 and entered Brindavana in 1614.

Raghavendra Swamy

The most famous Madhwa saint after Madhwacharya, he has been performing miracles even after entering Brindavana in 1671. He was born in Bhuvanagiri in Tamil Nadu in 1595 and he was a disciple of  Sudhindra Theertha.

Raghavendra Swamy’s moola Brindavana is at Mantralaya in Andhra Pradesh. Mantralaya is approachable from Raichur and Bellary in Karnataka or from Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.

Raghuttama Theertha

He was the son of the Purvashrama sister of Madhwacharya. His Moola Brindavana is at Tirukoilur. He belongs to the Uttaradhi Matha Paranpare.

He belongs to the Suryavamsha sect. Therefore, his Brindavana has no roof or covering and it is left free for the sun to shine on the Brindavana.

His Guru was Raghuvarya Theertha. Like Raghavendra Swamy, he is a great healer.

Vadeendra Theertha

He is the great grandson of Raghavendra Swamy.

His father was Purushittamacharya. He , in turn, was the son of Lakshminarayanam, the only son of our Rayaru or Raghavendra Swamy.

He wrote  Gurugunastavana, which contains a lot of information on Rayaru. He was just two years old when Rayaru entered Brindavana.

His moola Brindavana is besides the Brindavana of Raghavendra Swamy at Mantralaya. He entered Brindavana in 1750.

Vijayadhwaja Tirtharu

He is the sixth seer of the Pejawar Matha, one of the Asta Mathas established by Madhwacharya.

He has written Commentary on Bhagavatha called Bhakta Ratnavalli.  His moola Brindavana is at Kanva Theertha, which is near Udupi. It is at Kanva Theertha that Madhwacharya gave Deekshe to all his disciples.

Vijayadhwaja Theertha has consecrated a temple to Prana Devaru at Kanva Theertha.

The Maha Kumbhabhisheka and Prana Prathistapane of  the Brindavanas was done by Vishvesha Theertha. The place is called     

Madhvarayara Navabrindhavana. It is run by Sri Narayana Govinda Ramakrishna Trust, Rayappa Nagar, Varadharajapuram,

Chennai – 600 048

The contact numbers, as I could gather, are  9952053499, 9445726026 and 8056099490.

Varadharajapuram is in Kunnattur Taluk, Kanchipuram district. It is 8.8 km from Kunnatturand 5 km from Kanchipuram. It is 24 km  from Chennai. It is easily approachable either by road or by rail.

The Haridasa who could prolong the life span of his devotees

He was one of the great saint-composers of Haridasa Sahitha. A devotee of Hari, he had the power to prolong the life of people. He once went to Yama Loka to advice Lord Yama that he had mistakenly taken the life of a person who had a long life span.

He is also credited with the revival of the Haridasa movement which had waned after the death of Purandara Dasa in 1564. He is none other than Vijaya Dasaru (1682-1752) whose aradhana falls on Friday (November 23).

Born to a poor Brahmin couple of Srinivasappa and Kusuma in Chikalaparvi or Chippargi (near Guntakal), he left home for Varanasi at an young age where he studied Sanskrit. He was married to Aralamma and he had a son. He had two brothers- Hayavadana Vittala Dasa and  Ananda Dasa.

When his marriage failed to make any difference to his standing in society, he was disappointed and went back to Varanasi. It was during this time that he was initiated into Dasa parampare. Purandara Dasaru appeared in his dreams and gave him the Ankita nama Vijaya Vittala. He also gifted Vijaya Dasaru a tamboori. Vijaya Dasaru used the Tamboori all his life. This instrument can still be seen today at Chikapaparvi.

Vijaya Dasaru then came back to Chikalaparvi, which is now in Andhra Pradesh, and began his second innings as a Haridasa. A prolific poet, he has 25,000 compositions to his credit and ranks next to Purandara Dasaru in the Dasa hierarchy.

A master of Suladis, he has written scores of them. He was, therefore, called Suladi Dada. Some of  his best known Suladis are Stotra Suladi, Taratamya Suladi, Kapila Suladi, Narasimha Suladi, Naivaidya Suladi, Upasana Suladi, Durga Suladi, Vayudevara Suladi and Habba Suladi.

He was also a scholar in Dwaitha philosophy.

Believed to an incarnation of Brigu Muni, to him goes the credit of  singing devotional songs of Srinivasa while climbing Tirupathi. In his previous life he was believed to have been Madhwapathi, the son of  Purandara Dasaru.

Purandara Dasaru had set his sight on composing 5 lakhs compositions. Purandara’s youngest son, Madhwapati Dasa was reborn as Vijaya Dasaru to complete the rest-25,000 compositions so that the total count stood at 5 lakhs.

A tireless traveler, he went on Theertha Yatre (pilgrimage) 18 times and the total number of days he spent travelling all over India came to 20 years of his life.

As Brigu Muni, he reincarnated as a disciple of Narada in Krutha Yuga. He was born as a money by name Suraleela in Tretha Yuga and served Lord Rama and as a Yadava called Nikampana in the Dwapara Yuga, serving Lord Krishna. He was first born as a calf in the house of Purandara Dasaru and later as a Brahmin (Madhwapati Dasa, son of Purandara Dasaru) in Kali Yuga.

When Jagannatha Dasaru had a stomach ailment and was in the process of leaving the mortal body, Vijaya Dasaru ordered Gopala Dasaru to gift 40 years of his life to Jagannatha Dasaru. Subsequently, Jagannatha Dasaru wrote his magnum opus, Harikathamruthasara.

He gave two years of life to his son Sheshagiri when he realised that his son’s end was near.

Vijaya Dasaru once went on a Theertha yatre to Rameshwaram. Before leaving Chippargi, he gave some Mantrakshakte to Seetha, wife of  Mohana Dasaru.  

Mohana Dasaru died suddenly. Seeta was shocked and did not know what to do. People around her wanted the body to be cremated. Even as she sprinkled Mantrakshate on her husband’s body, Vijaya Dasaru went to Yama Loka and conversed with Yama, the God of Death. He convinced Yama that Mohana Dasa had a longer life and that he had taken away the life of the wrong Mohana Dasa. Yama was impressed and gave back life to Mohana Dasa.

In another incident, he found that Keshavaraya Desai, who had once helped him by giving him food during Dhanuramasa, was on the brink of death. Desai’s wife  came to the Anjeneya Temple in Chippargi where Vijaya Dasaru was staying with the news of the impending death of her husband.

Vijaya Dasaru heard the woman out patiently and then composed composed 15 ugabogaas, including “Rudrantargata Narasimha mrutyu nivari”, giving an additional three years life to Keshavaraya Desai. 

Keshavaraya Desai’s mother came to know about the incident. She wanted her son to live longer. She came to Vijaya Dasaru and offered ten years of her life to her son. Vijaya Dasaru agreed and organized Ayurdana. Thus, Desai’s life span was extended by 13 years.

Vijaya Dasaru had a large number of Shishyas and contemporaries, all of whom him, respected him. Some of his most famous disciples are  Mohana Dasaru-his adopted son, Gopala Dasaru (Bhagana Dasa), Venugopala Vittala Dasaru (Panganama Thimanna), Ramachandrappa (Ramachandra Vittala Dasaru), Kondali Madhwacharya (Madhwesha Vittala Dasaru), Sheshagiri Dasaru (Hayagreeva Vittala Dasaru), Modalakallu Sheshagiri Dasaru (Guru Vijaya Vittala Dasaru) and Kallur Subbannacharyaru.

Some of his contemporaries were Satyabhinava Theertha, Satyapoorna Theertha, Satyaboda Theertha, Satyavijaya Theertha,  Satyapriya Theertha, Sumateendra Theertha,i Upendra Theertha, Vadeendra Theertha (grandson of Raghavendra Swamy), and Vasudendra Theertha.

His contemporary Dasas were Jagannatha Dasaru, Prasanna Venkata Dasaru, Mahipati Dasaru and Helavanakatte Giriyamma.

As a scholar he easily overcame Adwaitha scholar Rama Shastry at Benaras.

A devotee of Srinivasa, he has composed several songs on his praise. Many of his Suladis like Venkateshana yatri entado varnisalu,  enkatachala parvata mahime suladi, Venkatesh Mantra Ondhe are still popular.

He visited Tirupathi several times. During one of his visit, he found that the Brahmotsava was in progress and that he was a little late in reaching the venue of  the chariot festival. The chariot carrying the idol of Srinivasa  was about to be pulled.

When Vijaya Dasaru found that he would not be on time for the chariot festival, he meditated on the Lord and sang his glory. The chariot stopped moving and even elephants could not move it. When the devotees prayed to Srinivasa, he appeared on the person of a pilgrim and told that he was being bound by a saint and, therefore, he could not move.

The people searched the place and zeroed in on Vijaya Dasaru. They urged him to help them move the chariot. Dasaru sang,     “Saage baraiah bhava rogada vaidyane” and the chariot started moving.

He once performed the Shradha of his father by going to Varanasi and coming back all by a dip in the Tungabhadra. When the Brahmins came to his house in Chippargi, Vijaya Dasaru told them he would perform the Pinda Pradhana at Varanasi and come back.

When the assembled gathering looked askance, Vijaya Dasaru jumped into the Tungabhadra and surfaced at Varanasi where he performed Pinda Pradhana. He then jumped into the Ganges and resurfaced in the Tungabhadra

He brought back from Varanasi a sane Kallu, Shiva Linga and Gange. The assembled gathering were left speechless.

All these articles can still be seen at Chippargi. There is a belief that if we eat rice ground by the sane Kallu, we will be rid of all diseases.

When Vijaya Dasaru was at Anegondi near Hampi for the Purandara Dasa aradhana,  he saved a woman who wanted to end her life by jumping into the Tungabhadra.

Vijaya Dasaru broght back the woman and her male child home and brought them up. The child grew up to be Mohana Dasa.

The Vijaya Dasara Katte is a place in Chippargi where this Haridasa spent much of his time. The aradhane of this saint, who could prolong life in people, is conducted with devotion by the descendents of  Mohana Dasaru.

The coral islands of Karnataka

A few days ago, some of my friends saw an advertisement about a package tour to the Andamans. While two of them booked the package, others wistfully said they did not have so much time on hand to undertake a journey on the high seas from Chennai.

I tried to console them saying that they had not lost out on anything and that Karnataka itself has many islands that can be explored. My friends laughed and asked me whether I meant the island of Srirangapatmna. “There is nothing to explore here and besides it is only a riverine island. Tell us about any island that offers us water sports”, they said and added that they had only the weekend to spare.

I then guided them to the Western coast of Karnataka where there are several islands, many of them unexplored and with some breathtaking beaches, forts, hills, valleys and beautiful landscape.

Let me start with the islands in and around Karwar These islands offers a variety of water sports, including snorkeling, diving and coral reef exploration. The corals off  Karwar are beautiful and what is more they are unexplored territory.

The island and beach of Devbag should be the first destination of any tourist wanting to soak in the sea.

Devbag is full of beaches, casuarina plantations and natural landscape. It struck a chord in the heart of Rabindranath Tagore when he visited Karwar.

The climate in Devbagh island is very pleasant now. The best time to visit is between December and February. If you are visiting the island during monsoon, you will be greeted with deserted beaches and heavy rains.

Experience marine life here. You can go scuba diving or snorkeling. You can hire a boat and go around several pother islands here. Watch the dolphins frolicking in water. You can explore other lessers known islands here such as Kumaragarh, Oyster Rock, Anjudeep and Sanyasi.

I found it touching when  the dolphins followed us in our boat or rather trawler all along the Arabian Sea. Some of the islands have hammocks where you can sit back and relax.

There are several tribal communities living on islands around Devbagh area. You can mix with them and enjoy their hospitality.     

Since Devbagh is near Karwar, do not forget to take in the sights of the area-Karwar port and Karwar town, Karwar Beach, Biligiri Beach, Om Beach, Gokarna Temple, aquarium,  as well as the Kadra Dam.
If you like adventure, motor down to Goa which is 100 kms from Karwar.

Karwar is the safest port to the south of Bombay open for use during all seasons. The port is a hill projecting into the sea called Karwar head and it is surrounded by five islands Anjidiv, Kudumgad, Devgad, Mogral and Shamshigudda. These islands protect the port from heavy winds.

Karumgad Island

Kurumgad is a tortoise shaped island located 4 km into the Arabian Sea from Karwar.  It is just a km away from Devbagh. There is an abandoned lighthouse here. This island offers many water sports.  You can enjoy exotic beach walks, fishing, boat rides, nature walks, swimming, fishing, bonfires and barbecues, snorkeling, dolphin and seal spotting.

There is a beautiful Narasimha temple on the island. The annual fair held in January is very popular.

Check out the  Madhlimghad,Malilkurve, Nthrani, Penna and  Sadashivgad islands.

Madlimgadh Island

This Island is a picnic spot. Watch out for  wild Buffalos. This island was inhabited by the British for some time.

Sadashivgad

Sadashivgad is a small village across the Kali river from the town of Karwar. It was ruled by the Kadambas, Portuguese and Brotosh.

There is an  17th century fort and a temple to goddess Durga. The Maratha emperor , Chatrapathi Shivaji, visited the Durga Temple here. The fort was built in 1698 by Raja Sonda.

The hill on the island offers spectacular view of the Kali river joining the Arabian sea. The island is 5 kms north of Karwar.

Netrani

This is a coral island is also known as Pigeon Island. It is shaped like a heart. It is 19 km from the Murudeshwara.  As the name suggets, there are hundreds of  pigeons apart from wild goats.

The island offers excellent sites for scuba diving, snorkling and coral exploration. If you are a Botanist or an explorer, examine the large number of corals, Many varieties of  coral, butterfly fish, trigger fish, parrot fish, eels, shrimps, whale, sharks and even orcas.

I have sighted turtles, whales, Napolean Wrasse, stingrays and even stonefish. The coral reefs were discovered only in 2005.

Do not cross this island to the neighbouring island as it belongs to the Indian Navy and they use it for target practice. Netrani offers diving suitable for professionals.

This is the best coral island of Karnataka. 

Sanyasi Island

It is a small island where several saints and swamijis sat in meditation. Avoid this island during monsoons as the seas get rough.

Oyster island

The Oyster rock island has one of the oldest lighthouses in the area. The Mahabaleshwara Temple of Gokarna is just across this island. The Om beach at Gokarna, shaped like the Hindu sacred symbol Om, is also worth visiting

Darya Bahadur Bagh Island

This is very close to Udupi and Malpe. It is a busy trade centre for exporting processed fish. Take a walk to the Balarama Temple here and also visit Malpe's oldest tile factory.

The Malpe beach us 6 kms from Udupi. It is one of the nest beaches in the area. The Malpe harbour is a boat ride  30 minutes away. This beach offers you a myriad of activities such as sun bathing, fishing, boating and even ocean bathing,  

The St. Mary's island is near Daria Bahadur Gadh island. It is 6 kms from Udupi. It is a basalt rock island  300 metres long and 100 metres wide. The rocks rise abruptly from the coean. Vasco Da Gama, the Portuguese explorer visited the island and placed a Cross here. He called this island “El Padron de Santa Maria.”  Hence the name. It has a coconut grove.

Panna Island

This is another small island situated nearly 5 kms from St. Mary's Island.

Uppinakudru

This is a small island  6 km towards north of  Kundapur in Udupi district.

Its name is because it was famous for trading in salt or Uppu in Kannada. This island is supposed to have some of the best sea food restaurants. I cannot vouch for this as I am a vegetarian and I do not eat eggs, that is cakes.

Tipu had stored his ammunition here during the wars with the British. It is a vantage point for those going from the Arabian Sea to Basrur. Coconut trees hide the island from view.

The temple of Gopalakrishna is worth a visit as is the nearby Shiva Temple.

The Vasudeva temple is the deity of the village. This temple was the seat of education in ancient times. The idol of Vasu deva is very old and regular application of Dandha on the forehead of the idol  has created a dent.

Islands around Dandeli

Dandeli is very near to Dharwad. It has many isles formed by the backwaters of Supa dam. All the isles are uninhabited and they provide a perfect spot for camping, fishing and picnicking.

Nisargadhama

It is a small island off the Cauvery in Kodagu. It is just 4 kms away form Kushalnagar. Nisargadhama is around 120 kms from Mysore and around 260 kms from Bangalore. A hanging bridge connects Nisargadhama  to the mainland.

Take time off to view the sun seat and sun rise. It is paradise for bird watchers and wildlife.  Enjoy picnic here , you can also use the paddleboats. Boat to your heart’s content and go to Nagarhole which is nearby.

About 65kms, east of Mysore, is the small island town of Shivasamudram in Mandya district.  The  Shivasamudram Falls is awe inspriring. Of course who can forget the waterfalls- Gaganchukki and Barachukki. Asia’s first hydro electric power station was commissioned here.

The Ranganatha temple here is famous.

Srirangapatha

Another Ranganatha temple is at Srirangapatna, another island in the Cauvery.

Srirangapatnam is the largest of the three islands of  the Cauvery. It is about 2 miles long and a little more than a mile wide.

Srirangapatna is 140 kilometers or 87 miles from Bangalore and 15 kilometers or 9 miles from Mysore. The Cauvery river divides here to form the island. There are many buildings relating to Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali here. The Ranganatha Swamy Temple is one of the biggest in Karnataka.  

You can have a panoramic view of  the island from the Karighatta Hill that is about five kilometers away. There is a small temple here. The British had placed their cannons during the siege of Srirangapatnam on this hill in 1799.

Ranganathittu

The bird sanctuary is just 4 Kms to the south west of Srirangapatna. It covers six isolated islands which are home to a large number of birds.

Nava Brindavana

This is small island more known for the brindavana of nine Madhwa saints. You can take the Theppa or coracle from Hampi or Ahnegundi to this island.

Narada Gadde

Narada Gadde in is Raichur and it is near Mantralaya. It is also called Korva.

The island is surrounded by Krishna river and it is 30 kms from Raichur. There is a temple dedicated to Narada here.

There is also a Veerashaiva Matha and a Samadhi of Vairagya Channabasavaswami who lived about four centuries ago.

Koormagadde

This is another small island near Naradagadde. According to locals, this is the original place of Dattatreya. There is a Samadhi of Sripadavallabha Swamy.

Kurvakala

It is a small island in Raichur taluk.

Jaldurga

Jaladurga, in Lingsugur taluk, near Raichur is an island fort situated picturesquely in the Krishna river.

It is 13 kms from Lingsugur. It was an important fort of the Adil Shahs of Bijapur, and Meadows Taylor has given a fine description of it in his book, Noble Queen.