Bheemeshwara Devastana, Neelagunda - part 2

..continued from Bheemeshwari Devastana, Neelagunda - part 1.

The previous post's closing bit was about Kirtimukha. The imaginary creature's jaws look like rack and pinion gears. While most teeth are molar there's a canine as well. Marvelous creations these are.

On one side of the temple, there are little human figures flanked by the other type of Kirtimukha. The middle one is a female and other two male. The images have been disfigured, difficult to identify them.

A view of the Shikhara. This is a complex assembly because the faces taper in two dimensions. Wondering how the top view of the Shikhara is.

A 2½' image of Lord Narasimha placed in a niche on the northern wall, could be western wall. This idol, when newly finished would've been a sight to behold. Unfortunately it has been mutilated badly, several limbs are missing.

This Kirtimukha seems to be fiercer than the others. Its eyes seem to be popping out. The point where the two jaws meet seem to be like a fulcrum. The artwork over its snout is amazing. There seems to be a gap in between. Amazing how the sculptors achieved this complex form.

There must be two dozen such pillars. The workmanship is mind blowing. Perfect lines, edges and corners. The surface below the cubic portion has a cylindrical form, it looks as though the cylinder is held by thread.

The northern walls of the temple.

A mutilated female idol with fine details like the jewelry on its lower leg. The flanking stem & flowers creation is simple but eye-catching.

The canopy face too has floral artwork. If the sculptors put in effort to make that, it has to have some function. The white stains must be result of rainwater seepage. I'm sure the structure would be watertight originally. With time, after exposing to sun, wind, cycles of thermal expansion & contraction, the gaps might have increased. For a thousand year old structure, this is a superb piece of engineering.

Going by the posture, this seems to be Lord Krishna playing flute. Sadly the arms and flute are missing. The damages seen are mostly to smaller idols. Some unemployed people must've mutilated them just to kill time.

This is a fine piece of work. The proportion and the form of the plump man is too good. The tummy with its navel is so realistic. Even his posture looks natural.. that's how a man with big belly sits. He must be a noble going by his jewelry and crown.

The Hoysala logo.. the lion and the brave warrior engaged in a duel. This is one of the changes by the Hoysala rulers.

Two types of Kirtimukhas seen here. Also the imaginary creatures with lion's body and man/elephant heads. The man's head features a nicely trimmed beard which resembles the king priest's idol of Harappa. The creeper over the Kirtimukha on the left is amazing. The progressive bunch of buds bends backwards in a graceful curve.

Of all the Kirthimukhas, this picture is outstanding. The pattern is eye-catching, it has look that exudes alien features. Do share what you feel about these sculptures.

This looks like Hanuman. These characters could be from Ramayana. The second character fro the left seems to be holding a stone over his head.. this could be scene from the bridge construction story.

Back at the temple entrance. This checkered wall seems to be incomplete. Each of the squares have a flower within. I think the next step was to hollow out the material between the flower and square outline making it a mesh.

This is the open air museum of hero-stones, inscriptions and other artifacts. The last but one item on the left hand side is the lion of Hoysala logo.

The broken and mutilated Hoysala logo rests its head on a miniature Shikhara. With this my tour of Bheemeshwara Devastana comes to an end.

One last look at the water-tank and the temple. To anyone visiting this temple- please avoid coming here during Kottureshwara Jatre. The temple's ambiance can be experienced when the place is devoid of people. This is my opinion. No offense meant to anyone in any manner.

I'd mentioned earlier that this man-made water-tank is situated next to a hillock. On the slope of the hillock facing the temple is a small structure which seems ancient. I couldn't trek up to that spot due to time constraint, so took a picture with my telephoto lens. Initially I thought it was a watch tower but now it looks like a small temple.Unfortunately this area in Google Maps is blurred (when zoomed in) so I'm not able to confirm if this is a platform or a temple or a bastion.

Back home, while scanning Bheemeshwara Devastana surroundings, I discovered another ancient temple which is named as Ancient Eshwara Temple Neelagunda. A local guide has added few images of the temple. What a shame that I missed this temple! Even the ASI caretaker at Bheemeshwara Devastana did not mention a word about this monument. Anyway, someone has taken the interest to photograph it and share the pictures online.
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