Shiva temple of Narayanpur, near Basava Kalyan

October 4, 2014

Narayanpur village is about 6 kms from Basava Kalyana. This village is known for its Shiva temple built in XI century by Chalukyan rulers.

This description in Kannada has been borrowed from BasavaKalyan City Municipal Council website:
ನಾರಾಯಣಪೂರ ಶಿಲ್ಪಕಲೆ: ಕಲ್ಯಾಣ ಚಾಲುಕ್ಯರ ಆರನೇ ವಿಕ್ರಮಾದಿತ್ಯ ಅನೇಕ ದಿಗ್ವಿಜಯಗಳು ಸಾಧಿಸಿ ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಸುಖಶಾಂತಿ ನೆಲೆಗೊಳಿಸಿದನು. ಧರ್ಮ ಸಹಿಷ್ಣತಾವಾದಿ ಆದ ಇವನು ಅನೇಕ ಅದ್ಭುತ ದೇವಾಲಯಗಳು ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಿದ ಅವುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನಾರಾಯಣಪೂರ ಶಿವದೇವಾಲಯ ಕೂಡ ಒಂದು. ಇದು ಬಸವಕಲ್ಯಾಣದಿಂದ ೬ ಕಿ.ಮೀ ದೂರದಲ್ಲಿದೆ. ಈ ದೇವಾಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ೮ ಕಂಬಗಳಿವೆ. ಬೃಹತ್ ಕಲ್ಲಿನ ಮಂಟಪ ಮೇಲೆ ನಿರ್ಮಾಣವಾಗಿದೆ. ಸುಂದರ ಶಿಲಾಬಾಲಿಕೆಯರ ಕೆತ್ತನೆಯ ವಿಗ್ರಹಗಳು ನೋಡುಗರ ಮನ ತಣಿಸುವದು ದ್ವಾರದ ಹತ್ತಿರ ಬಂದು ವಿಶಾಲವಾದ ಶಿಲಾ ಶಾಸಕ ಇಂದಿಗೂ ನೋಡಲು ಸಿಗಬಹುದು. ಬಸವಕಲ್ಯಾಣದಿಂದ ೨ ಕಿ.ಮೀ ದೂರದಲ್ಲಿ ಶಿವಪೂರ ಗ್ರಾಮವಿದೆ. ಈ ಗ್ರಾಮ ಚಿಕ್ಕದಾದರು ಶಾಂತಿ ಪ್ರಸ್ಥಾನಕ್ಕೆ ಹೆಸರು ವಾಸಿಯಾಗಿದೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿಯಯಿದ್ದು ದಂಡೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಒಂದು ವಿಶಾಲ ಬಾವಿಯಿದ್ದು ಅದರ ಕಟ್ಟೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ವಿಶಾಲ ದೇವಾಲಯವಿದೆ. ಇದು ಸಿದ್ದೇಶ್ವರ ದೇವಾಲಯವೆಂದು ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧಿ ಪಡೆದಿದೆ. ಇದರ ಸುತ್ತಲು ಪ್ರಶಾಂತ ವಾತಾವರಣ ವಿದ್ದು ಪ್ರೇಕ್ಷಣೆಯ ಸ್ಥಳವಾಗಿದೆ

The temple must have been in real bad condition before some restoration work happened. Appreciate the efforts of the authorities to preserve this monument. The temple is situated inside the village, houses surrounding it completely. There's little open space around the temple. At the entrance are various sculptures including a hero-stone and a slab with Kannada inscription.

A pair of very complicated sculptures at the temple entrance. Notice the shape originating from the mythological creature's mouth.. it takes the form of a Shankh and within it is a Chakra also. On the left are Vishnu and Garuda. 

 This piece is damaged. Here we can see Shankh and Chakra again. To the right is Ugra Narasimha slaying Hiranya Kashipu.

A slab with Kannada inscription and a hero-stone having 9 layers, Shiva Lings in the top two panels.

The temple interior has 8 columns. The Garbhagudi door-frame seems to have 9 steps. Surely this was a grand temple during its hey days.

Remnants of a tablet with Kannada inscription.

This is the rear portion of the temple. The design is different compared to Badami Chalukya temples. This temple design is similar to Kalmeshwar temple of Jalasanghi. Its is said that Hoysalas adopted this design of multiple layers into their temple designs.

An elephant in action- its holding an uprooted tree and a man in its trunk. This reminds me of elephant sculptures at Banavasi near Sirsi.

Pieces of sculptures embedded into a recently constructed wall. A young noble man and a warrior.

 A our armed Ganesha and his vehicle Mooshak. A sexy young woman holding a fan in her raised hand.

Sculptures placed in a corner.

A modern Navagraha Mantapa next to the temple.

Stones throw from the temple is ruins of an ancient structure. No idea if its a temple or a mantap.

 The Kannada description mentions a village called Shivapur, about 2 kms from BK. At Shivapura are ancient well and temple named Siddeshwara Gudi. I was not aware of this temple :( Well, some other time. We return back to BK and head towards Bhalki.

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108 feet statue of Basaveshwara, Basava Kalyana

During my previous trip to Basava Kalyana i.e. Dec 2010, I remember someone mentioning construction of a gigantic statue of Basaveshwara.

October 4, 2014

Our day started with Humnabad followed by Hanakuni fort, Kalmeshwar temple at Jalasanghi and Uma-Mashehswara temples at Umapur. The day was pretty warm as we arrived at Basava Kalyana cross. About 3 kms from the cross is a hillock on the right hand side with the 108' tall statue of Jagatjyoti Basaveshwara.

The statue is within the premises of a Matae Mahadevi's organization for spiritual development. Below the statue is a meditation chamber. Construction work is still in progress, there's a long way to go before it gets completed.

This is the stairway on the hillock slope. At every stage are statues of Shiva Sharanas. The place is designed to create awareness of Lingayathism.

view from the hillock's base

Basaveshwara's sister Shiva Sharanae Akka Nagamma

Shiva Sharana Madiwala Machayya

The place is made for tourists. A set of life size statues depicting XII century way of life here in Kalyana during Basaveshwara's time. It's called Sharana village; one can see people engaged in various professions like a merchant, carpenter, blacksmith, a physician, etc.

An artificial cave has been created and dedicated to Akka Mahadevi. This is on the hill. Similarly at the base of the hill is another cave dedicated to Basaveshwara.

This is the arch at Basaveshwara cross on the national highway.

We proceed towards Kalyana fort.. for some reason the gate was locked. Even the museum was closed :( We proceed towards Bhatambra fort in Bhalki taluq.

PS: check out Basaveshwara memorial at Gadag.
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Eshwara temples of Umapur

October 4, 2014

Srinu and I had little trouble finding the junction to Umapur on Hyderabad-Pune highway. 9 kms fom from BasavaKalyan cross is Umapur cross on the right, we missed it and overshot. Realizing our mistake we turned back and found it. Umapur village (temples) is about 1.6 kms from the highway.  Umapur is also known as Laheshwar. The temple premises has two temples, a Kalyani, an open air shrine for Ganesha and a tree with two trunks.

These temples were built during the rule of Vikramaditya VI who was coronetted in 1076. Vikramaditya VI was the second son of King Someshwara I. Both temples are east facing having tapering Shikhara and Mukhamantapa. Mahadeva temple has 3 entrances to its Sabhamantapa while the second has only one entrance. Both temples' Sabhamantapa have undergone restoration work.

Mahadeva temple

The following description has been sourced from BasavaKalyan City Municipal Council website:
ಉಮಾಪೂರ (ಲಾಹೇಶ್ವರ) ದೇವಾಲಯ: ಎರಡು ಜೋಡು ದೇವಾಲಯಗಳ ಅದ್ಭುತ ಕಟ್ಟಡದ ಮಾದರಿ ಪ್ರವಾಸಿಗರಿಗೆ ಕಾಣಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಒಂದನೆ ಸೋಮೇಶ್ವರನ ಎರಡನೇ ಮಗನಾದ ೬ನೇ ವಿಕ್ರಮಾದಿತ್ಯನು. ೧೦೭೬ರಲ್ಲಿ ಪಟ್ಟಾಭಿಷಕ್ತನಾದ ಅವನ ಅವಧಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅತ್ಯುನ್ನತ ವಾಸ್ತು ಶಿಲ್ಪ ದೇವಾಲಯಗಳು ನಿರ್ಮಾಣಗೊಂಡವು. ಅವೇ ಉಮಾ ಮಹೇಶ್ವರ ದೇವಾಲಯಗಳು. ಮಹಾದೇವ ದೇವಾಲಯದ ಮುಖ ಪೂರ್ವ ದಿಕ್ಕಿನೆಡೆಗೆ ಇದೆ. ಮುಂಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ದೀಪಸ್ಥಂಭವಿದ್ದು ದೇವಾಲಯದ ಗರ್ಭಗೃಹ ಚೌಕಾಕಾರದಲ್ಲಿದೆ. ದೇವಾಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಶಿವಲಿಂಗವನ್ನು ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಾಪಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಚಿಕ್ಕ ಚಿಕ್ಕ ರತ್ನ ಪಟ್ಟಿಕೆಗಳಿಂದ ಗರ್ಭಗೃಹದ ದ್ದಾರವನ್ನು ಅಲಂಕರಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ದ್ವಾರ ಬಾಗಿಲದ ಅಕ್ಕ ಪಕ್ಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಆರುವರೆ ಅಡಿ ಎತ್ತರದ ಎರಡುವರೆ ಅಡಿ ಅಗಲದ ಶೈವ ದ್ವಾರಪಾಲಕರ ಭವ್ಯ ವಿಗ್ರಹಗಳು ಕಾಣಬಹುದು. ಮುಂದೆ ಮೂರು ಮುಖ ಮಂಟಪಗಳಿದ್ದು ತೆರೆದ ಬಾಗಿಲುಗಳಿವೆ. ಸುಂದರ ಕೆತ್ತನೆಯ ನಾಲ್ಕು ಕಂಬಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಸಭಾ ಮಂಟಪವಿದೆ. ಸಭಾಮಂಟಪದ ಮಧ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಗರ್ಭಗೃಹಕ್ಕೆ ಮುಖಮಾಡಿ ಒಂದು ನಂದಿ ಮೂರ್ತಿಯುಂಟು. ಸಭಾಮಂಟಪದ ಸುತ್ತಲು ರಕ್ಷಾಸನವಿದ್ದು ಸುಂದರ ಕೆತ್ತನೆಯ ಅಲಂಕಾರಗಳು ಹೊಂದಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಇವು ವಿವಿಧ ಭಂಗಿಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದು ನಗ್ನ ನರ್ತನ, ಢಮರುಗ ನರ್ತನೆ, ವೀಣಾವಾದನ, ಮೃದಂಗ ಇಂತಹ ಭಾವ ಭಂಗಿಗಳು ಮನ ಮೋಹಕವಾಗಿವೆ.

This is the interior of Mahadeva temple. The Garbhagudi entrance is flanked by two Dwarapalaka.

Inside the sanctum is a Shiva Linga and opposite it in the Sabhamantapa is a Basvanna.

This chubby looking Basava is a young bull.

One of the temples has a fish and a tortoise in its entrance. The fish is well created, seems to be swift swimmer.

On the exterior walls of one of the temples is a sculpture of Uma-Maheshwara riding Nandi. This sculpture reminds me of Somanatha Gudi of Laxmeshwar where the main deity is similar but larger and made of black granite.

A very angular four armed dancing Eshwara (left) and a hero-stone (right) a type usually found in the southern parts of Karnataka.

A 10' Ganesha. The color is not some synthetic paint. It's a thick paste prepared by hand and used on images of gods.

A Kalyani with fresh water, it must be deep.

Close to the Ganesha is a ficus tree with two trunks... I can see three.

This Shiva Linga worshipping character must be Arjuna. I'm guessing that because of the presence of a bow and a quiver.

A stone's throw from the temples is an ancient tower, its built with different type of stone blocks. Perhaps Umapur had a small garrison or something.

Srinu and I had packed home-made chapati rolls for lunch and got ready to move towards Basava Kalyana.

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Kalmeshwara temple, Jalasangi

October 4, 2014
Having done with Hanakuni fort, Srinu and I drive back to Humnabad town and then take Bidar road. Humnabad to Jalasangi is about 10 km, at one point we had to leave the main road, turn left towards Jalasanghi village. Distance between the main road and village was around 1 km.

This is the only such temple in this village, rituals are performed everyday.

The following description of Kalmeshwar temple has been sourced from Humnabad Town Municipal Council website: ಇದನ್ನು ಪ್ರಸ್ತುತ ಜಲಸಂಗಿ ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಕಲ್ಯಾಣದ ಚಾಲುಕ್ಯ ಅರಸ ೬ನೇ ವಿಕ್ರಮಾದಿತ್ಯನು ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧ ಕಲ್ಮೇಶ್ವರ ದೇವಾಲಯವನ್ನು ಸಿರ್ಮಿಸಿದನು. ನಕ್ಷತ್ರ ಆಕಾರವಿರುವ ದೇವಾಲಯದ ಹೊರಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಸುಮಾರು ೩೦ ಆಕರ್ಷಕ ಮದನಿಕಾ ಶಿಲ್ಪಗಳಿವೆ. ನಾಟ್ಯ ಗಣಪತಿಯ ನಟನಾ ಭಂಗಿ ಕಲಾ. ಪ್ರಿಯರನ್ನು ಆಕರ್ಷಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಸುಂದರ ಭಂಗಿಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ವೀರಭದ್ರ, ದಕ್ಷಿಣಾಮೂರ್ತಿ, ದುರ್ಗಾ, ವರಾಹ ಅವತಾರ, ದರ್ಪಣ ಸುಂದರಿ, ನರಸಿಂಹ ಅವತಾರದ ಶಿಲ್ಪಗಳು, ಕಾವ್ಯಕನ್ನಿಕೆ, ಶಾಸನ ಬರೆಯುವ ಸುಂದರಿ, ಗಂಧರ್ವ ಕನ್ಯೆ ಮುಂತಾದವು ಗಮನಾರ್ಹವಾಗಿವೆ. ಆರನೇ ವಿಕ್ರಮಾದಿತ್ಯನ ಪರಾಕ್ರಮವನ್ನು ಹೊಗಳಿ ಶಾಸನವನ್ನು ಬರೆಯುವ ಶಾಸನ ಸುಂದರಿಯ ಶಿಲ್ಪವು ಆಕರ್ಷಕವಾಗಿದೆ. ಶಾಸನದ ಅರ್ಥ ಹೀಗಿದೆ- ಚಾಲುಕ್ಯ ವಂಶದ ವಿಕ್ರಮಾದಿತ್ಯನೆಂಬ ರಾಜನು ಏಳು ದ್ವೀಪಗಳಿಂದ ಸಮಾವೇಶಗೊಂಡ ಭೂಮಿಯನ್ನು ತನ್ನದಾಗಿ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡು ರಾಜ್ಯಭಾರ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾನೆ.

Following is a rough translation of the description in Kannada: Kalmaeshwar temple was built during the reign of Kalyana Chalukyas by Vikramaditya VI. The temple has about 30 beautifully sculpted characters such as Veerabhadra, Dakshinamurti, Durga, Varaha, lady holding a mirror, Narasimha, Kavyakannika, a beautiful woman inscribing a plate, Gandharva Kanya, etc.  The lady is inscribing lines praising the brave deeds of Vikramaditya VI.

Some years back, north-eastern part of the temple structure had collapsed and it was restored. Hence part of the northern side is devoid of sculptures.

The temple design has several layers. In the upper half are most of the sculptures. Its quite similar to Hoysala temple design.

Here we have 3 characters, one woman and two men. Man in the middle is holding Chakra and mace, so this could be Vishnu. The man on the right is holding a Damaruga and trident - this could be Shiva.

Here are two curvy women. The woman on the left has let down her hair, she's barely attired except for jewelry and a serpent around her thighs. This is one of the most sexiest depictions of a woman I've ever seen! The woman on the right is equally curvy, she attired in lot of jewellery and has a bird perched on her left arm.

Two women and a man. The man with four arms is wielding a Chakra, a mace and a cup could be Vishnu, not sure. The two women could be Gandharva Kanya.

Whoever has created these sculptures.. thumbs up to them. I love the way the women are positioned, their anatomies captured perfectly.

In this picture the outstanding characters are the eight armed Natya Ganapa and the lady inscribing a plate. Ganapati's companion Mooshak is occupied with a snack in a cup :)

This is the first of this kind I've ever seen. This woman is holding the plate in her left hand and a scribe in her right hand. She's writing lines praising King Vikramaditya's deeds, the script is Kannada and 3 lines have been written. She has a ring around her thumb. In this temple there's at least one more woman with a ring on her thumb.

For people of Jalasanhi, Kalmaeshwar temple is a place to hang around since its right next to the village square. A crowd had gathered to check out Srinu's bike fixed on the rack on of his Swift. Srinu had a tough time keeping people from fiddling with his cycle. The boy in shorts is the grandson of the temple poojari, he gets his turn to perform rituals.

Makes me think why this spot was chosen for this temple. Well, we move on towards Humnabad, the next place on my list was Umapur, known for its twin temples dedicated to Shiva and a 6' foot Ganesha.
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