Tambur Basavanna Devastana

This temple is a recent discovery for me. Somehow I'd missed it even though its listed as one of the protected monuments in Archaeological Survey of India website. I happened to see it as I was checking out temples of interior villages on Google Maps. When I moused over Tambur Basavanna temple, photos uploaded by users caught my eyes. Few of the photos were four or five years old. Going by the pictures, this temple was more of a pilgrim center than a historic attraction. Dharwad to Tambur is about 45 km, so it would be half a day trip.

August 22, 2021
We left home around 7-30 AM. Weather was pleasant, except for a few bad patches between Dharwad and Kalghatgi, roads were good. Dharwad-Kalghatgi road is flanked by lines of tamarind trees. We stopped once to take a picture of a green tunnel. The fields along the roads were green.. green gram, soya, maize, sugarcane, and paddy. The road after Khalghatgi mostly flanked by forest department plantations and a few farmlands with paddy and sugarcane - both are water intensive crops. A few kilometers from Kalghatgi is a village called Devikoppa. A few kilometers from Devikoppa is the road to Tambur on the left. The single lane road is snaky, completely shaded by tall trees. As we approached Tambur, we could see vast fields of paddy and sugarcane. At one of the tight turns, I happened to notice the height of sugarcane stalks... 9' to 10' high, overall height was close to 15'. That's the beauty of rainfed crops.

Tambur is a small village surrounded by fields and jungle. Basavanna Devastana is situated on the edge of the village on the road leading to the lake. This temple being a protected monument, it is enclosed by a protective wall. This temple has been restored quite recently - numbers painted on stone blocks are still visible. I remember seeing a beautiful  ancient Mantapa in photos dated 2016 on Google Maps. The Mantapa is missing now which was quite disappointing. Looks like it was removed during the restoration work.

This is a east-facing temple dedicated to Shiva. The steps to the platform is flanked by a pair of elegant balustrades. These two pillars supports a small shelter which ca be called Ardhamantapa. As you see, the main entrance is blocked by grills. I guess it has been blocked because Nandi sits in the narrow space, not convenient for neither people entering the temple nor the ones circumbulating Nandi.

In the front view the structure looks symmetric. But, its not really symmetric because of the side entrance on the southern side.

The enter the temple one has to take the side entrance. The side entrance too has balustraded steps.

The temple is quite simple, meaning the walls and pillars are plain. Only the upper layer and the Shikhara display detailed artwork. The structure is well proportioned and has an elegant look.

A closeup of the Shikhara which is atop the Garbhagriha. The Shikhara is Dravida Vimana type. 

The side view. The temple has ample space around it so photographing it is an easy task. The structure has just doors hence the interior is usually dim. Probably its bright when the sun is low and sunrays enter it.

A closeup shot of the 3' high base. This is the standard pattern for Chalukyan temples, a basic version. A few temples bases are rather elaborate with sculptures of Keertimukha.

This is the northwestern view. The structure looks handsome in this view. The columns projecting out from the walls add beauty to the walls. The vertical lines flow into the base as well. Simple structure may be but the design is not easy to execute. One must bow to the dedication and sheer brilliance of the ancient builders. 

The side entrance opens into the midpart of the temple, directly to the side of the Navaranga Mantapa. The Mantapa is made of turned & well polished hardstone pillars. Inside there are beautiful idols of Mahishamardhini, wrapped in green colored cloth. In north Karnataka its a practice to keep idols covered in colorful cloth. I think the idea is to protect it from evil eyes, and dust as well. However these brightly colored covers are a bane while shooting pictures.

In this view we can see the Garbhagriha door through the Navaranga. In the foreground is Vibhuti block. Behind me is Nandi sitting in the main entrance passage. 

Another view of the Navaranga Mantapa pillars. Each column here is a vertical assembly of three parts. The self-aligning assembly is capable of absorbing forces during earthquakes. One must see the columns closely... the midpart i.e. the spherical part of the pillars have four floral murals which looks like embossing work.

The main deity of this temple is Shivalinga. On the rear wall of the sanctum is a niche which is not usually found in other temples of the same period. There are two other idols places next to the niche. They seem to be idols of Shiva or Vishnu.

Where there's Shiva,  there's Nandi. Nandi's head is usually turned slightly to the right so that it's left eye is pointed towards Shiva and the right eye towards Parvati's shrine. Here the Nandi seems to be looking straight ahead. The position of Nandi is such that people entering the temple can see Shivalinga between Nandi's horns. Its an age old practice to look at Shivalings through the gap between Nandi's horns. While on this picture, take a look at the column in the background. Its a standard design seen in almost every Chalukyan temple of this style.

While I was busy with the temple and camera, Pushpa has settled down on a bench under a tamarind tree within the temple area. The place seems to be a regular haunt for local folks. Next to these trees are a heap of temple parts, some in good condition and some damaged. Some of them were huge blocks. Also leaning on the wall were two idols of Ganesha (see inset). One of them was badly damaged. Normally, damaged idols are not worshipped hence kept aside. On another side of the trees were a collection of hero-stones and inscription slabs.

It was breakfast time. We had brought a few items from home... chapati, sprouts, chilly chatni, garlic bread slices and sweet balls. It had been a long time since we ate out like this. Just as we were about to wrap up a crow turned up. The moment we give something more will come. I tore a chapati into pieces and placed them on the wall. Oh yes, four or five them turned up. We gave them another chapati and a pack of Parle-G biscuits. A few Mynas too joined the party. Like good kids, they shared without fighting.

Now to look at the hero-stones and inscription slabs. Five hero-stones were almost intact while one was broken into several pieces. One of the slabs was almost eight feet long including three feet shank.

All hero-stones are dedicated to woman warriors. May be dedicated to one woman warrior. The memorial stones show warriors in a battle scenes wielding bows and swords. These women lost their lives in the battle or later. The martyrs were honored by their folks through these memorials and probably folk songs too.

The slab on the right is the largest, its an inscription in Kannada. Probably it is about the temple's history.

A closeup shot of the inscription. The slab has survived so far with little damage. I think its time they are placed under a shelter to prevent further erosion.

We prepare to leave with one last look at the simple but elegant temple of Tambur. There's another heap of temple parts dumped around the base of the Banyan tree here.

On the other side of the gate is a Banni tree. Banni is considered holy by Hindu people. It is aid that the Pandavas had hidden their armaments in this tree during their exile. The road on the left goes to Tambur kere, a small waterbody between the village and the jungle.

We spent some time at the lake and then headed back to the village. Pushpa wanted to buy some snacks at the a shop. While I waited, I looked around and found a heap of ancient sculptures kept to a side. The style of these images is similar to a few sculptures seen at Balligavi museum... the spiky headgear worn by the woman.

The sunshine was bright and crisp. With the sultry climate in this jungle area, we could feel the humidity build. It was uncomfortable when stationery. We decided to quickly check out Tambur Kere which is about a kilometer from the village.

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a minor road accident

September 7, 2015

I was at office when a phone call from Pushpa gave a shocking, sad message. We had to rush to Mysore immediately. I went home, packed our bags and started our journey around 1-00 pm. Distance between Hyderabad and Mysore is 700 km, around 11 hours journey. We decided to stop over at Bangalore and leave the following morning. We reached Bangalore around 9-00 pm. Morning we were up by 4-00 and heading to Mysore by 5-00 am. We were at Mysore by 7-30 am where we met a few relatives and friends. We all were here to perform the last rites of a close relative. The cremation was done by 5-00 pm. Pushpa and I left Mysore, reached Bangalore around 9-00 pm. We were tired to travel back to Hyderabad, we decided to rest a day and leave 10th morning.

Sept 10, 2015

As usual, we started our journey early, around 4-30 or so. While cruising on a flyover towards Devanahalli, we heard a screeching sound from the rear wheels. The noise would go away, and start again... this happened a few times. I normally drive between 80 and 100 kmph, due to the noise, I reduced the speed to 70 kmph. At one point the noise was too loud, I stopped and inspected the wheels, the left rear rim was hot. I thought the wheel bearings were gone, may be I can get them replaced at Anantapur. The journey continued... we were 80+ km away from Bangalore, a few kilometers from Bagepalli when the left rear wheel came off. Car was moving at 80 kmph, the rear left sank and scraped on the tarmac. Fortunately we were on a straight & wide stretch of the highway, the road was clear, no vehicles parked on the side, no vehicle behind us, and I was alert, I steered the car to the left and stopped just inside the side marker. 

The loose wheel was lying on the side, its center on fire which I stamped out. The grease in the bearings had ignited due to heat caused by intense friction. The brake pads were exposed since the drum was still attached to the wheel. I checked the issue and guessed the axle tip had cut. No way I could refit the wheel on my own. What a mess.

I called mom and brother to let them know about the incident. Then called my friend Satish. After few rounds of discussions with brother and friend, I still hadn't decided the next step. Meantime, a man approached us inquiring about the incident. He was a farmer living close by, his field was a few minutes walk away. He knew a mechanic at Bagepalli, I spoke to the mechanic on the phone, he came down to inspect the damage. He suggested that the axle be removed, taken to Bangalore for repairs, get it back and refit it. That wasn't a viable solution since we would be on the road until the car was fixed. The other thing- these guys weren't Hyundai authorized mechanics... no guarantee on quality of work. Forget it! 

Around 9-00 am I got in touch with Advait Hyundai service, requested for a towing vehicle. Then told by friend about us returning to Bangalore. Satish said he would be coming too. While we waited, the farmer took us to his fields and offered us tender coconuts. It was nice to be cared for. 

The tow truck arrived by noon. The operator was efficient, he quickly attached the tow dolly to the rear axle, all firm and secure. Threw the loose wheel into the back of the truck. We were almost set to leave, Satish arrived in his car. We gathered our bags and stuffed them in Satish's car. We thanked and said bye to the farmer. Our journey resumed, in the opposite direction, following the tow truck for a few kilometers. My poor injured car, moving backwards on two wheels at 70 kmph. Crazy!

Satish dropped us home and left. I rushed to Advait Hyundai service center which was close by. The mechanics inspected, even they were baffled by the issue. The best guess was that a loose metal piece somehow made it's way to the axle and worked like a cutting tool in a lathe. The only solution was to replace the axle. Lead time for axle is two weeks. Hmm. I didn't have a choice. I agreed, the job card was made. The service team assured they would keep me informed.

The following morning we traveled back to Hyderabad by a day bus. During the journey I was thinking of the incident... the mistakes made... we were just 40 km when the problem was first known. Even at that point the problem was obvious but I pushed on. Had I turned back and got the car checked, the issue might have been minor. May be the axle wouldn't be damaged to his extent. And, we were lucky when the wheel came off the road was clear. I said a silent prayer for keeping us safe. And my heartfelt thanks to Satish.

Lesson learned: fix issues when they are small, its a matter of safety, take no chances. 

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trek to Hanumana Kote - part 2

...continued from barefoot trek to Hanumana Kote - part 1.

It was an hour long trek from Lalguli to Hanumanakote. This place gets its name from the idol of Hanuman and remains of an incomplete fort here.

This idol is said to be installed by the XV & XVI Century Madhwa Guru Vysatheertha. The idol is made of dark stone, its about 4' tall. Do see the description of this idol my friend Ravi Varkoor in this post- Hanumana Kote.

After paying respects to Lord Hanuman, we go the other side of the gateway. The place was covered with lot of vegetation, no point going into the bushes. Deepak wanted to see river Kali. The conditions weren't favorable to explore river Kali... 1. difficult to find the way through the vegetation, 2. even if we found the way, the rocks would be too slippery, and 3. water from the dam can be released anytime which flows down here. The other thing was insects, we'll get taunted by jungle pests if we hung around long. We decided to head back and spend time at the stream.

We crossed the bridge and came down to the stream bed. I went down little further to escape the bright sunlight. This jungle is so thick, air hardly moves in here. Not a good idea to remain stationary in sunlight in sultry conditions. Rest of them were sitting in the sun close to the water, they too moved into the shade.

Raghu had got homemade jackfruit chips. They tasted so nice, not like the ones available at shops. I don't know if its way its made or because of the ingredients. Raghu and Deepak's were still engrossed in their talk about stocks. Pushpa was busy munching chips. Durga was sulking after a talk with Deepak. Our little friend Partha was lost in his own world, he never once bothered Raghu or anyone else.

I walked further down checking out the rocks. Lot of interesting shapes. We found one that was shaped like a pickaxe, not sure if its natural or if its a manmade prehistoric tool. Pushpa too had found lot of stones shaped like this or that. However, we took just three of them.

It was noon. Heat and humidity was rising by the minute, which can cause dehydration. We decided to head back so that we be home for lunch. The return trek was kind of faster because all of us wanted to reach home quickly and rest. On reaching Lalguli, we stopped at Raghu's cousin Sriram's place. I'd met Sriram in 2010 when we went in search of Lalguli waterfalls. A glass of butter-milk felt so refreshing after the trek. A picture together before we said bye. 

At Raghu's place, we freshened up, had a tasty meal of rice, sambar, curds, pickle and hapla. Hapla were two types- white and yellowish, jackfruit pulp was the basic ingredient for both. Partha barely ate. Wondering where he drew energy from. After lunch we sat down for a session of yeli-adki with Raghu's grandfather. During the previous visit, Malatesh had tripped on grandfather's belli sunna thambak dabbi. It's a cylindrical box with two chambers and two lids. Sunna means lime and thambak is tobacco. It also had a small poker which was attached to the bod with a small chain. The poker is used to dig out lime. When I sat down for yeli-adki session, the first thing I did was look for the dabbi. Yeah, it was there and I took lime from it.

We rested for sometime. Soon it was tea time. Raghu suggested we all go the stream which was 15 minutes walk from home. The same group headed to the stream, with Partha leading us again.

The trip to the stream had a surprise element. There was a check dam. This channel of water is diverted to Raghu's farm which is supplied to half a dozen homes there.

The dam was overflowing. Raghu and Partha walked on the overflowing part of the dam. Rest of us opted to stay out of water because of shoes. The terrain is rough, see the jagged rocks in the stream bed.

The dam is approximately 200' wide and the hold back quite a pool of water.

Pushpa and I clambered over rocks and got here to see the stream continue its journey. With regular rains, streams had turned muddy.

This pond is below the check dam. A few men on the opposite shore were fishing with wires and hooks. There seems to be a hamlet on the other side.

While we explored the surroundings, Partha was in his own world... I think he was discovering a new genre of dancing. May be I'll dedicate a post to his pictures which are 50 or 60 of them. He's acrobatic. Never once did he slip or jerk. To me it seemed like random movements but he seems to have them planned.

It was my suggestion to leave early so that we reach Dharwad while its still light. We headed back home. Pushpa spotted the dragonfly on the dam and the hairy creature was on a tree trunk.

Back home, I we took a few group pictures. The person on the extreme right is Raghu's uncle.

One shot from the ladies side. The little one is there with her mom.

I thought we would be leaving. Realized we didn't have drinking water, so asked Pushpa to fill up the bottle. She went it. That's it.. instead I went in. Someone called me to taste jack fruit. I go the backyard, the girls have settled down in front of a freshly cut jack fruit placed on banana leaves. Great! I got pulled into the party... it was a self-service system, pull out your own pieces. Sweet and juicy stuff. After a dozen or so, I had to force myself  to stop and get up. Then Raghu went to fetch some more for Dharwad / Bangalore. Along with the jackfruit, Pushpa got curry leaves, pappad and chips. We loaded everything into the Duster. Then we chatted some more. It was past 6 pm when we started the Duster to leave. We promised Raghu to come again for a two day stay here and said bye. We reached Dharwad by 7-45 or so... A wonderful day it was. I felt good to have brought two families together :)

The bare feet trek had had a nice effect on my soles... a mild burning sensation which was pleasant. The skin felt smooth and soft. I felt we must walk bare-feet often. The direct contact with earth is needed for good health.
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trek to Hanumana Kote - part 1

It was 9 years since my last visit to Lalguli and Hanumana Kote. That trip happened because of my friends Sindhoor & Ravi from Hyderabad. During that trip, my friend Raghu Lalguli wasn't home, his father Shri Narayan Bhat took us to Hanumana Kote. The most memorable part of the visit was Ravi carrying out pooje in an orthodox manner. A colleague from my office, Malatesh had accompanied us. For him this was the first time experience of trekking in a jungle. The jungle weather is mostly sultry and humid, can be uncomfortable at times but the greenery and sights one cherishes.

Raghu and I were in touch. He kept asking me to visit Lalguli but somehow it didn't happen. During one of the conversations, I learned that Shri Narayan Bhat had left this world mid of May 2021. He was a silent person but a warm person, I miss him. A few days later, last week of May 2021 Malatesh passed away. Though we weren't in touch, I miss him. Back to my conversation with Raghu, I told him that we'll visit Lalguli soon. A thought of showing the jungles to my folks had formed.

Last week of June 2021, Durga was with us at Dharwad for a short vacation. Deepak joined us on July 2nd. July-3 we went for a 30+ km bicycle ride and the following day would be for Lalguli.

July 4, 2021

Dharwad to Lalguli is around 85 km, approximately two hours drive including a short stop. We left home by 6-30 am. After exiting Dharwad, I took the driver seat of Deepak's Duster. Of all the SUVs, I found Duster to be a practical vehicle. This opinion had formed even before driving it. Also, I was driving a diesel powered car after years. We weren't in a rush so never bothered to push the Duster beyond 80 kmph. By 7-30 we turned off Hubli-Karwar road and stopped, to stretch our limbs and feel the silence of the jungle. With ample rains, the jungle had a fresh feeling. This is Yellapur-Dandeli road.

 

Couple of kilometers on Dandeli road, we took a left, a single lane road going deep into the jungle. Another 12 km to Lalguli. We stopped again... this time to let Durga take a few snaps of the scarecrow in a banana plantation.

There are three or four such farms on this road. These lands which were either sold or leased to farmers a few decades ago. Most farms here grow crops organically... banana, betel nut, pepper, sugarcane, paddy, mango, grains, vanilla and few other crops. There are boards declaring that some of the hamlets are fully organic. The land is fertile, this area received plenty of rains, the soil hold water for a long time but the main challenge to the farmers is intrusion of wild animals.

Another 8 to 10 km to Lalguli. The road is rough, even with the Duster I couldn't exceed 30 kmph.

By 8-20 we were at Raghu's home. I was happy to see Raghu's family. I was seeing Raghu's son Partha for the first time, in person. Then there was a pleasant surprise... Raghu's 3 month niece. A sweet little baby demanded all the attention. When she was made to lay down, she would cry. When held in arms, in vertical position, she would calm down. I'm no less than anyone :)

This is the front yard. These poles and beams are kind of permanent fixtures. During betelnut season, a platform is made for drying harvested produce.

Time for breakfast.. dosa, coconut chutney, jaggery, ghee and tea. Raghu told us that dosa is had 360 of 365 days of the year for breakfast. I ate less than normal, a light tummy is better while trekking. Pushpa liked the dosa so much that she had extra. Our hosts kept on bringing dosas, it was difficult to refuse. Just as we were getting ready, a light rain started pouring. we felt it was passing rain but we gathered a few umbrellas and raincoats.

Rain protection gear all set. Next was whether to wear shoes or not. The path would be slushy, shoes can be slippery, hold on to mud and mud ruins shoes. I decided to go bare foot. basis of my decision- its easier to clean muddy feet rather than muddy shoes. Even before I went vocal about my decision, Partha said he's going bare foot. That motivated the rest of the team. So all of us will be walking bare feet.

This is the little canal which flows across Raghu's farm. The canal is fed by a stream which flows close by. This water is filtered and used for cooking and washing. Excess water flows back to the stream. This is the arrangement in most farm lands in this area.

Our trek starts.. we had to step on real slushy mud mixed with fresh cow dung. I could see mud squeeze out between my toes and cover my feet. I got used to in a minute. I was wondering how Durga would take it.. she seemed cool. Best is not to pay too much attention to the discomfort. At places the ground was slippery, we had to take real short steps to keep balance. Some stretches were covered with stones, some had real sharp corners. Since the ground was wet, the wetness worked like a lubricant. Also we walked on grass whenever we had the chance. Oh yeah, the rain stopped.

Partha was always at the front and I behind him. A hyperactive kid, always looking for ways to burn energy. Raghu and Deepak were chatting most of the way... guess what? Stocks & shares in the middle of a jungle! Raghu always had an eye on Partha.. his words were like invisible reins. Partha would slow down for a while and back to his usual self in minutes.

A fork in the road. The left branch goes to Hanumana Kote. Its my guess the other road goes to the stream. These jungles are actually plantations maintained by the Forest Department of Karnataka. The original forest is long gone.

Thankfully rain stopped and it was sunshine. The bright sunlight was evaporating rainwater on the trees, the air was getting thicker with humidity.

My feet were burning lightly because of the abrasive pebbles. It wasn't painful, it was like the feet were undergoing an intense massage. I'm sure most felt the same but none spoke of it.

From here the stream is hardly a hundred meters away. The spot had changed a lot because of the bridge construction activity. The machine crushed stones littered around was causing discomfort. We had to tread softly.

During our last visit, we had to wade through the stream to cross it. However after rains the water level is high and flow is faster, difficult or simply not possible to cross it. So a bridge has been made. Work is still incomplete but the bridge is usable. For curing the concrete, betelnut peels has been spread on the surface, to hold rainwater. Walking here was like walking on a carpet. The contrast of treading on pebbles and coir like peels was too much. Despite the warm weather, Durga opted to keep the raincoat on... as a shield to keep the mosquitoes away.

This stream is a major tributary of river Kali. With normal rains, the stream flows through the year.

During my last visit, while Sindhoor and Ravi took pictures, our host Shri Narayan Bhat found a cool spot, sat on a boulder and chewed pan. He was in his own world.. lost in thoughts. The scene is still fresh in my eyes. Hard to believe that he's not with us anymore.

This tree branch was just a foot away from the bridge railings. Partha plucked one or two of these lemon like fruits. I was wondering what fruit it was. I got the answer when Raghu cried at Partha to throw them right away. Partha obeyed promptly. It seems this fruit is like a pest/bug repellent, its poisonous.

The jungle, the stream, the bridge, and us.

From the bridge, its a sharp climb of 200 meters and then it levels off. This hillock is between the stream and river Kali. Because of its location, a fort was being built here but it remained incomplete.

The fort entrance is recognizable because of the stones walls however the walls are just mounds of dirt concealed behind vegetation. The gateway itself is L-shaped. As we step into the fort, the path turns left and this makeshift shelter comes into view. Under that shelter is a beautiful stone idol of Lord Hanuman. Hence this place is called Hanumana Kote.

This idol of Hanuman is said to be installed by Sri Vyasaraja, the XV & XVI Century Madhwa Guru who guided the Vijayanagara rulers.

...this article will continue in the following post- trek to Hanumana Kote - part 2.

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