Tarakeshwara Devastana, Hangal - part-2

..continued from Tarakeshwara Devastana, Hangal - part-1.

Here's a rough plan of the roof to get an idea of the size of the temple. The structure is approximately 147 feet long and 62 feet at the widest point. It has 3 sections connected by bridge like platforms. Each of the sections has a dome under which is a chandelier of that diameter. We started our tour from the eastern side, went around the temple in clockwise direction.

Its quite possible the temple was extended over several years. Having covered the external parts of the front and mid, we have reached the part which houses the Nrutya Mantapa, Antharala and Garbhagudi. This is gap in the wall is the entrance. Had the mid and portions been absent, the rear part could have been a temple on its own.

The bridge has two identical staircases on either sides. The Katanjana (balustrade) is an amazing piece of work.. the ribbed spiral is so smooth and precise.

This wall forming the backrest of the Sukhanasi has a series of images which are events or scenes picked out from Krishna's life. The stone seems to have a high content of iron which seems to have rusted hence the rusty hue over the grey shades.

Close ups of the images separated by miniature twin pillars. Bottom left image shows young Krishna with his herd of cows and buffaloes. The animals are easily distinguishable - wonderful job by the sculptors. The bottom right image seems to be the time when Krishna's mother chastises Krishna for stealing butter.. the boy's hand is shown holding something round.. could be a ball of butter.

The left hand side image seems to depict a river full of water animals.. tortoises, fishes, etc. Below the legendary images, is the row of miniature Shikharas, only a few crowns are seen in this view.

The Shikharas seem to be mounted on miniature pillars. Row of identical Stambhas and Shikharas at the first glance, in real they are unique. The uniqueness us because of the floral motif of the Shikhara's 'forehead'.

On the other side of the Katanjana is this wall with another series of images. On the right hand side of the facing wall is a Vimana Nagri type of Shikhara. Also if you notice the wall closely, its a wall made of pillars. The mid and left pillars are the larger versions of the miniature pillars seen on the Sukhanasi backrest.

The first image from the left is Hanuman and the next one seems like Rama and Laxmana. The third and fourth images, both females, are quite different.. notice the ribbed arms and legs. Are they athletics or some special kind of beings? They seem to be wearing some kind of armor. I find them similar to Lady Robocop.

Actually its a set of five characters which are special, as though some kind of alien features. All seem to be wearing some kind of helmet and some heavy circular object over their ears. Four of them holding an objects which looks like daggers. The two "armored women" have circular marking on their legs (above their thighs) and knees as well, which look like laptop power ports. The extreme right character seems to be having an extra arm, which seems to be holding a head stuck to a stick. There's something intriguing about these characters, I must visit Hangal again just to see them again.

The lower row is a continuation of the series. Take a close look at the top portions of the pillars (third, fourth and fifth pairs) these pillars are different compared to the other pillars across the temple in one small detail - they have a series of tiny triangles running around the top instead of a circular band.

This is one of the entrances, probably the only one which is badly damaged. For some reason this part of the temple has been vandalized.. which seems like an historic act as well.

Looking towards the temple front portion. The Shikhara which covers the stone chandelier beneath is a complex construction. Its quite detailed even in the gaps between the layers.

This is a closer look of the Shikhara. In plan its a set of concentric polygons with reducing number of sides and at the core is a circle. Again the precision is uniform through out. Surely this design has a purpose in it.. attract cosmic energy into it and send it into the temple. The chandelier hanging from the roof below must be a device to disperse the energy inside the temple.

Back to the exterior. Close look at the row of columns. So much detailing, a graceful combination of straight lines and curves, geometric objects and floral patterns, in three dimensions. Visually three but who know how many dimensions these creations have in real.

Here are a series of scenes and events from Ramayana. Laskshmana mutilating Shoorpanaki, the golden deer, Rama shooting the deer, Mirichasura revealing his true form moments before his death, and the picture with Hanuman.. I cannot recognize the story. The lower series is also seem to be connected to Ramayana but I can recognize just one scene. Kumbhakarna about to throw a boulder.

In the next set of pictures, the characters are dressed in similar looking garments. In the top row, all have their hair tied in buns. One of them seems like an archer. There's a couple in a sensuous embrace. Then the voluptuous woman, naked except for few pieces of jewelry. The sculptor is detailed enough for the woman to look alive. In the lower row, there's another voluptuous woman attired in some strip-garment. Lastly, the Linga is a sudden change in flow of the series.

This set of characters are all ale, dressed in rope like garments. Their features are strange to me hence I have no idea what they depict. In this picture, we get an idea of how pillars were sculpted. The incomplete pillar shows chisel marks. Also, if you look below, the Kirthimukha are incomplete but the Shikharas are done.

Now we are looking at the exterior wall of the Garbhagudi. This projection is the drain pipe.. where the fluids used to bathe the deity flows out. Originally there would a proper tank or pit where the liquid would collect. People would take out sips as Theerta. Probably even the temple's cattle would consume the liquid. However, in the present day, many temples' pits are so filthy they stink. Pure lack of common sense. The priests and temple authorities must take appropriate steps to have the pits or tanks cleaned daily. The days collection of fluids must be fed to cattle or at least plants.

This corroded figure caught my attention. A plump man sitting cross legged and playing some type of musical instrument. The rhombus outlined floral mural can be seen through out the temple, usually on the exterior.

This is the Shikhara over the Garbhagudi. A series of Kirtimukha for every layer. At the bottom of the picture is a miniature temple complete with pillars, walls and Shikhara. Take some time and study this picture you'll notice details which are awe inspiring.. like the circular embossing on the flat surfaces of rectangular sections. What purpose could they have?

This article will continue in Tarakeshwara Devastana, Hangal - part-3.
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